At Risk Youth Diabetes Retreat

In 2010 Diabetes Hope Foundation (DHF), in partnership with Tim Horton Children’s Foundation, developed a new experiential education pilot program for at-risk teens living with diabetes. This pilot program was launched in October 2010 at Onondaga farms, where 15 teens with type 1 diabetes spent 3 days and 2 nights at one of Tim Horton Children’s Foundation’s camp facilities.

The program targets young adults aged 15-17 with persistently poorly controlled diabetes from low-income families. Many Retreat participants also have mental health issues and/or lack adequate family and social supports to successfully control/manage their diabetes. Participants are identified and referred by their paediatric diabetes clinics as being at high risk of complications. Held at Tim Horton Onondaga Farms, the Retreat provided education and encouragement through 3 days and 2 nights of supervised outdoor experiential education, sport and recreational programming providing youth with strategies, skills and support to begin to take control of their diabetes. With the help of type 1 peer leaders, nurses, social workers and diabetes educators, participants learned how their diet and lifestyle choices affect their diabetes and how they can control their health through better choices.

Program Costs
The program is fully subsidized and offered at no cost to participants. Through support from corporate and government contributors, Diabetes Hope Foundation pays for 100% of the camper costs for the weekend; including transportation (bussing to and from the camp) and accommodation for 3 days and 2 nights, food and snacks, diabetes supplies, camp equipment, program coordination, evaluation and follow up.

Plans for 2012
Last year’s pilot program has now become a model of success, and 71 at-risk teens from 41 cities across Ontario have participated in the program. In 2012, the program will be expanded to include an additional retreat weekend for at-risk Aboriginal youth from Southern Ontario. Diabetes Hope Foundation and Tim Horton Children’s Foundation will continue to partner with diabetes paediatric healthcare programs in Western, Central and Eastern Ontario to offer this wonderful opportunity to more youth with diabetes across the province.

The goal of the program is to provide at-risk teens with the tools they need to improve their diabetes self-management. Participants are followed up informally through Facebook peer social support groups and post-retreat events to monitor the long-term impact of the program.

With support from corporate and healthcare partners, and the generous contributions made by Tim Horton Children’s Foundation, it is the Foundation’s wish that this program becomes a permanent and self-sustaining program for youth living with diabetes.