Indeginous Diabetes Reduction Bond - Canada

Objectives

The Diabetes Reduction Bond aims to reduce or prevent the growth of type 2 diabetes in six Indigenous communities (in Manitoba and in the Island Lake regions) by anchoring Indigenous culture and ways of knowing and being in the development of solutions.

Approach

This is will be done through:

1. Co-creation and deployment of a set of diabetes reduction interventions aligned with community priorities and based on a blend of scientific evidence and Indigenous cultures.
2. Development and deployment of a pay-for-performance social finance tool to fund the interventions.
3. Development and deployment of an Indigenous impact measurement approach to inform the implementation of interventions and measure project outcomes.
4. Engagement of the target communities throughout the project’s duration.
A core principle of this approach is that solutions must be community-driven and co-created. The interventions co-created by and through the communities are likely to include:

Life coaches from each community to support participants in healthy behaviour change. They will act as a knowledge base and support system for participants, working both one-on-one and with groups.
A Healthy Hub in each community. Physical spaces for community to gather, access healthy food, and that houses the life coaches.
A healthy food intervention, to address the food environment by increasing community members’ access to healthy and fresh food and offer community members instruction and advice on food preparation.
Technology solutions, particularly a behaviour change app that helps participants track their behaviours and helps health care practitioners, including life coaches, track health outcomes (e.g. BMI, HbA1c).
Sports, recreation, and physical activity as part of the life coaching/Healthy Hub interventions.
Performance measures and targets will be developed for each intervention and close follow-up and measurement of these targets and success indicators will be conducted throughout the intervention.

Expected results

Health coach training manual and lectures, and community-designed and owned plans for Health Hub developed
A complete financial model for the Diabetes Reduction Bond developed.
Communications products developed
Plans for impact measurement and outcomes evaluation that are community-centered and employ local Indigenous youth developed
A signed outcomes purchase contract
A fully subscribed Diabetes Reduction Bond
Regular engagement of community partners throughout the Lab and the Bond’s implementation.
An inaugural Feast upon the Bond’s launch.