HOPE Connects

HOPE Connects Peer Support Program

LET’S CONNECT!

Recognizing the impact T1D has on students’ mental health and well-being, DHF created the Hope Connects Program to support students as they balance their T1D during their transition to post-secondary school. In 2023, we have been able to expand our program so students can access information and support through a variety of forums. The program also offers valuable leadership opportunities for DHF Alumni volunteers.

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ONE TO ONE PEER MENTORSHIP

In 2022, our peer mentorship program expanded, and is now offered to all Grade 12, first- and second-year students living with T1D across Canada. With over 50 active peer mentors, students can connect one on one with someone who ‘gets it’ and who will encourage and inspire them to achieve both their academic goals and better long-term health outcomes. All of our mentors complete six hours of training, and receive ongoing support from both our Program Director and our Senior Mentors.

NEW FREE TO BE

Art & Improv Program for Youth with T1D

Diabetes is weird. It may be taught like a math problem, but some days, it feels like 2+2 never equals 4. Free to Be is a new DHF program designed to explore this human side of type 1 diabetes (T1D), focusing on navigating the highs and lows (pun intended!) that are a part of living with T1D.

Free to Be combines elements of visual and dramatic arts, inviting participants to embrace the chaos of life with T1D. Open to students in secondary school from across the GTA, youth will have the opportunity to connect with fellow T1Ds (including their two artistic facilitators!) and explore day to day life with diabetes. They’ll customize and decorate their own character masks, and through combining both improv and classical theatre techniques, will develop scenes focused on expressing the complexities of diabetes. The program will culminate in a collective performance showcase for family, friends, and healthcare professionals. Join us as we explore beyond the numbers to create a space to connect, create and educate!

The Spring 2024 Free to Be session will be held at the Shakespeare In Action Studios @ Weston Commons on Saturdays from 2 – 4 PM, running April 6th through May 11th with a Showcase Performance on May 16th. For more details, or to register, click on the links below. **If you are registering more than one youth, please fill out a form for EACH participant. Please reach out to info@diabeteshopefoundation.com if you have any questions!

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NEW MONTHLY DROP-INS

In 2023 we launched our monthly virtual drop-ins, providing students across Ontario with a safe space to talk about their experiences of managing T1D as post-students.

NEW DISCORD FORUM

In the fall of 2003, DHF launched an online support forum for all post-secondary students living with T1D. ‘T1D Campus Connect’ is accessible through both our website and on Discord, offering students a venue to talk about their challenges and successes around diabetes management at school.
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NEW CAMPUS DIABETES CLUB EVENTS

In 2022, DHF staff and alumni worked to build partnerships with campus Diabetes Clubs across Ontario. We are currently collaborating with eight diabetes clubs, focused on increasing awareness and knowledge about T1D and supporting students on their campuses. Through multiple virtual workshops hosted during the school year, these collaborations have focused on discussing the impact T1D has on students’ mental health, as well as the value of social and emotional support. In 2023, we worked with students at Queens University and University of Guelph to help them launch their own Diabetes Clubs and look forward to supporting others who are interested in building a community of support on campus for students with T1D. For more information, contact hopeconnects@diabeteshopefoundation.com

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The HOPE Connects program is generously funded by:

Aubrey & Marla Dan Foundation