Step to the edge: Influencing diabetes self-management through outdoor adventure &

physical activity pursuitsJen Hanson, MEd, BEd, BKin, OCT

Chloe Vance, BEd, BPHE, BAConnected in Motion, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Connected in Motion (CIM), a non-profit organization serving adults with Type 1 diabetes, has been hosting outdoor adventure and physical activity based experiential diabetes education programs in Canada since 2009. The programs provide non-clinical alternative diabetes education to an underserved population of adults with Type 1 diabetes within Canada and the United States. CIM aims to gain an understanding of the process by which outdoor adventure and physical activity participation provide opportunity for personal growth and greater quality of life for individuals living with Type 1 diabetes. In addition, the organization seeks to evaluate how groups such as CIM may provide these experiences.

Experiential Diabetes Education

CIM has developed and facilitated over 50 outdoor adventure and physical activity based programs for adults with Type 1 diabetes since 2009. CIM has examines the framework used to guide the creation of these programs and specifically analyses the application of outdoor adventure and experiential education philosophy to non-clinical Type 1 diabetes education programming. To date, all participants involved in CIM programming are between the ages of 18 and 50 years of age, were living with Type 1 diabetes, and were residing throughout North America.

Outdoor adventure programming provides participants with a safe and supportive environment to step to the edge of their comfort zones and to push themselves to into a space - socially, physically, and cognitively - where they were able to achieve more than they had previously thought possible. This influenced the self-management behaviours of participants and resulted in a greater quality of life.

The process of learning diabetes management strategies (physical, social, emotional) through inductive, activity-oriented experience. (Kolb, 1984)

Concrete Experience

doing/having an experience

Re!ective Observation

reviewing/re!ecting on the experience

Abstract Conceptualization

concluding/learningfrom the experience

Active Experimentation

planning/trying out what you have learned

Initiatives & Programs

@connectinmotion

www.youtube.com/connectedinmotion

www.facebook.com/connectedinmotion

connectedinmotion.ca

•Opportunities to network, share knowledge, experiences and strategies for living active, healthy lives with diabetes.

•A sense of community, fostered through outdoor adventure pursuits, allowing for better self-management practices.

•Opportunity for self-management practice, peer-to-peer networking and experiential Type 1 diabetes education.

• 800+ adults participating in programming yearly• Measured and documented perceived increases in

diabetes self-management abilities

Comfort Zone

Learning Zone

Panic Zone

‘The Edge’Where the

‘Magic’ Happens

adventure | ədˈvɛntʃə/ | nounan unusual and exciting or daring experience.

programming philosophy

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Outcomes