A community diabetes educator course for the unemployed in South Auckland, New Zealand.
This paper describes an education program that targeted long-term unemployed people from the community and trained them to work as diabetes educators in their own communities in an attempt to address issues of cultural appropriateness.



Government funding was obtained to conduct two 22-week training courses for people who had been selected by their communities. These courses built on participants' existing cultural skills and provided appropriate diabetes training.



The results indicate that the courses were successful both in creating a cadre of culturally acceptable diabetes educators and providing employment for course participants.



Previously unemployed lay people are able to provide diabetes education in the primary prevention and group settings. Such individuals are able to incorporate extensive cultural skills in their work.
Tregonning
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PB
Department of Social Sciences, Manukau Institute of Technology, Otara, Auckland, New Zealand (Ms Tregonning)
Simmons
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South Auckland Aca­demic Division, Middlemore Hospital, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand (Dr Simmons)|Dr Simmons is now with the Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne, Shepparton VIC, Australia.
Fleming
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C
South Auckland Diabetes Project, Middlemore Hospital, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand (Ms Fleming)
D003142:Communication; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D003479:Curriculum; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014478:Unemployment