IDF’s diabetes education initiatives aim to both develop a high-quality global workforce for diabetes education and care, as well as provide a broad base of knowledge and skills to people with diabetes that allow them to facilitate and enhance their own care. Diabetes education prepares people with diabetes to make informed decisions, cope with the demands of living daily with a complex chronic disease and make necessary behaviour changes.

Diabetes Conversations is a global programme that improves access to group self-management education for people with diabetes. It has achieved great success to date; in 2011, the programme was implemented in over 110 countries and territories and in 35 different languages.

The programme features Conversation Map™ education tools. Health professionals use these tools to engage people with diabetes in an open and interactive group discussion to support them in their self-management efforts. They have been translated and adapted for each country with input from local experts in diabetes education.

The Conversation Map™ tools are implemented through a train-the-trainer model. In 2011, the programme included 200 health professionals selected from various countries as Expert Trainers. Expert Trainers develop their knowledge and skills through training sessions and networking opportunities. They go on to train other health professionals in their countries to facilitate group education sessions for people with diabetes. These health professionals then implement the Conversation Map™ tools themselves and gain experience in practical group education.

The Conversation Map™ tools are used in a variety of settings—ranging from hospitals to community health centres to national diabetes associations.

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* This programme is run locally in the United States of America and Puerto Rico and local programmes are not reflected on this map