Stepping Stones Workshop Series
Stepping Stones -
Think, Talk and Do Diabetes Differently
Every single person can make a difference.
Change the future.
A three-part workshop series by IDEA Diabetes
Now accepting registrations for Stepping Stone 1: Spark Interest, Build Trust and Inspire Hope!
Upcoming offerings:
September 19-21, 2023: 8:00 am - 2:30 pm PST/ 11:00 am - 5:30 pm EST
December 5 - 7, 2023: 8:00 am - 2:30 pm PST/ 11:00 am - 5:30 pm EST
Workshop Series Description: In this virtual workshop series, participants will join us on a journey that starts with establishing a foundation of knowledge and inspiration and then builds towards creating a community-level action plan.
This course is for people who are involved in healthcare and health leadership, including in Indigenous communities, and have the interest, energy and influence in shaping the community approach to diabetes. For those who:
- Are ready to be inspired and want to see benefits and build skills right away
- Want to know how to do things differently and believe it is possible to have better outcomes for people with diabetes
- Are eager to create a different story for diabetes in the community based on the interests, needs and ideas of its members
- Are interested in an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, evidence-informed approach to diabetes which honours the TRC calls to action
- Want to make a difference and build a better future for people in the community and the faces yet to come
- Are ready for action and results so that blood keeps flowing, now and several generations from now
Why an IDEA Diabetes workshop?
Our IDEA Diabetes team aims to foster hope and make diabetes better for everyone. We do that by focusing on equity, creating safe spaces, treating people with respect and focusing on values. We believe the best outcomes come from community driven action and honouring humanness, and through focusing on strengths, quality, and future driven outcomes measures.
Stepping Stone 1: Spark Interest, Build Trust, and Inspire Hope
A three-day starter workshop designed to ignite interest in a different way to think, talk, and do diabetes, based upon a foundation of hope, empowerment, and equity. Over three days, participants will consider the opportunities for better outcomes and a better future for people with diabetes and how each one of us can make a difference. Participants will engage in a workshop that sparks hope and brings to life the possibilities for people with diabetes in their communities.
Learning objectives:
- Consider a community based approach to diabetes prevention and screening, for the faces yet to come
- Brainstorm current community assets and build bridges to address current gaps
- Discuss community-based approaches to keeping the blood flowing including traditional approaches (traditional foods, traditional medicines, and cultural activities)
- Apply the role of empowerment and inspire hope in the possibilities
- Learn about current state of the art tools and technologies available today for diabetes self-management
- Discuss the many influences on individual and societal relationships with food and ways to support a joyful and comfortable approach to food for diabetes
- Draw on your own experiences to create options for optimal diabetes care
- Learn why current approaches to diabetes care perpetuate the acute/medical care model and how to change this approach
- Improve diabetes knowledge and practical application skills for the real world
- Develop a plan to begin using new skills when you return to work
Upcoming dates for Session #1 are:
September 19-21, 2023: 8:00 am - 2:30 pm PST/ 11:00 am - 5:30 pm EST
December 5 - 7, 2023: 8:00 am - 2:30 pm PST/ 11:00 am - 5:30 pm EST
Cost: $699 +tax/participant per session
Register today! Spaces are limited.
Stepping Stone 2 - Take Action-Keep the Flame Going!
Moving onto the second stepping stone, participants will engage in a multi-week workshop, with once weekly meetings for two hours initially, and tapering through three months. Participants will practice and sharpen the skills and knowledge learned in the first stepping stone and become more hopeful and inspired as they engage in a deeper dive into the foundational values (love, respect, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility, truth). Learn practical application skills to truly make a difference through skill building at an individual level and beginning to think and plan for larger groups of people with diabetes in the community. Coaching will include specific approaches to equity in diabetes management to keep blood flowing. We ask that all participants registering for Stepping Stone #2 have taken the Stepping Stone #1 workshop as a prerequisite.
Learning objectives:
- Turn knowledge to action with practical application skills stemming from the first stepping stone
- Explore your role and ability to influence those around you using a strengths-based and loving approach to diabetes
- Deepen the understanding of blood glucose management, medications and application of diabetes knowledge
- Explore the opportunity for needs assessments and scans at the community level to determine where opportunities exist
- Consider an across the lifespan and across the community approach to screening with purpose including pregnancy, children, youth and adults
- Dive deeper into concepts around healthy relationships with food and applying the foundational principles for food and diabetes
- Begin building the vision about what’s possible
Cost: $1250/participant (Includes 12 weeks of live instructional workshop, a one-on-one session with the IDEA Diabetes facilitators, and connection with a community of Stepping Stones participants).
Scheduling of dates for Stepping Stone #2 to be announced once we have completed a couple more Stepping Stone #1 workshops and there is higher interest. If you have completed Stepping Stone #1 and are interested in registering for Stepping Stone #2, please contact us at
Stepping Stone 3 - Spread Hope and Possibility: Make it Happen
In the third stepping stone, participants will once again join a community of others to engage in an interactive and practical workshop. We’ll meet once per week for 2 hours initially and taper through a three month period, building on the first two stepping stones. Participants will develop a collaborative and strategic plan for diabetes with their whole community, with the overall goal to protect blood vessels now and several generations from now. Working together we will roll up our sleeves and make things happen by further building skills and creating a plan that is developed by and for the community and those who work, live in and have big hopes for people with diabetes in their communities. Participants will become more hopeful and inspired to support people with diabetes in their communities to keep blood flowing, now and several generations from now. We ask those registering for Stepping Stone #3 to have completed Stepping Stone 1 and 2.
Learning Objectives:
- Utilize tools to support the creation of your community diabetes plan
- Take advantage of the wealth and breadth of diabetes experience and community knowledge of your fellow participants
- Identify appropriate timing and ideal factors to launch
- Discuss the integration of community buy-in and leadership support for the success of the plan
- Identify outcomes, measurement, and evaluation parameters for your community plan (what does success look like, when and how to make tweaks to the plan)
- Map out of the community assets and opportunities.
- Build the skills and confidence to take your plan across the finish line
Cost: $1250/participant (Includes 12 weeks of live instructional workshop, a one-on-one session with the IDEA Diabetes facilitators, and connection with a community of Stepping Stones participants)
Scheduling of dates for Stepping Stone #3 to be announced at a later date, once we have had more participants complete Stepping Stone #1 and #2.
IDEA Diabetes Workshop Policies
We truly understand that life happens. This is why we have tried to create a flexible approach to our workshop policies.
After registration, if you are no longer able to attend, we are willing to offer you a refund (less a $50 administration fee) up to 10 days prior to the start of the workshop date. If the cancellation occurs less than 10 days before the start date, a credit for future session or the option to send someone in your place is available.
It is not necessary to commit to all three workshops from the beginning. We invite you to join us for Stepping Stone #1 and determine if our approach is a good fit for you and the community you work with.
Since this workshop offering is virtual, it is optimal if participants have access to a high-speed internet connection, camera and microphone to have the full experience of participation, however we recognize this can be a challenge and still encourage people to participate, in whatever way they can.