Using digital initiatives to improve health and wellbeing within youthWork

Diabetes Scotland Who are we and what do we do? We work to raise awareness, improve care and provide help, support and information for people with diabetes and their families across Scotland. No direct contact work with young people

Aims of the project take the existing Diabetes Scotland “Making Connections” resource and make it more accessible, relevant and used by young people with Type 1 diabetes to build the charities understanding of the needs of young people with Type 1 diabetes as they manage their lives Recruited experienced youth work professional who took a youth led approach and used CLD principles. Recognised Young people with Type 1 are best placed to inform on issues which affect them and what is most relevant to them. Diabetes Scotland received funding from Kwikfit Insurance Services after one of their colleagues passed away due to complications from Type 1 diabetes at 22 years old.

12 young people with Type 1 diabetes were recruited to the project in 2012 They had the opportunity to share their views and experiences and reviewed the current resource for young peole

background The young people highlighted that Type 1 diabetes can be an extremely isolating and frustrating condition, and accessing the right information, and feeling connected to others with Type 1 is crucial towards managing the condition. Young people highlighted that young people with Type 1 diabetes aren’t always given the information they need, especially about areas such as alcohol, & drugs.

JUST DUK 1T is an interactive website by and for young people with Type 1. It provides information on the basics of Type 1 diabetes top tips for diabetes management (from other young people with Type 1) social aspects of living with the condition, and how to look after yourself. It takes a non judgemental approach, and features many different mediums– from comic strips to videos, and factsheets.

Launched on 7th September 2013 107,209 visitors to the website to date! An award winning resource “We really push the JUSTDUK1T website the resources on it are fab” Healthcare professional from NHS Forth Valley

Why do Young people with Type 1 use social media? To engage with other young people with Type 1 To ask questions, share experiences and frustrations (and banter!) To be part of a group just for Type 1 young people with no judgement To be able to offer peer support to other young people with Type 1 To gain support and information (both actively and passively) at a time that suits them Can gain support and information actively by asking questions, sharing feelings, can gain this passively by reading other posts on groups

Social media Identifying the need for all young people with Type 1 to access a peer support group on social media, the young volunteers developed 4 pilot local facebook groups for young people aged 16-25 and undertook training to moderate these (with support from Diabetes Scotland) After evaluating the groups and looking at how to roll them out to the whole of Scotland the group decided to develop a national facebook group in August 2015…

“Social media made me take notice and control of my own healthcare” “Having a network of people who support each other means that Type 1 can fit better into everything else in my life, and when I'm having a bad day there is someone who understands” “Talking to other people with Type 1 diabetes makes you realise that you are totally normal” “For me it’s helped create a sense of belonging…I don’t feel alone anymore” “Social media made me take notice and control of my own healthcare” How do we know why they use social media? We asked them!

“I had no idea groups like this existed, literally only found about this group today during a clinic visit today. Nice to know everyone else has the exact same problems and deals with the same stuff, including having the complete fear about every single clinic visit ” Young male who joined the Type 1 and Young Facebook group in February 2016