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DES Mission

The Diabetes Educator Section, a multi-disciplinary professional section of the Canadian Diabetes Association, will provide Diabetes Educators and other health care professionals with the knowledge for the prevention, early identification and optimal management of diabetes through professional education, accessible support and consultation, advocacy and research.

Goals of the Diabetes Educator Section

  1. To demonstrate leadership in diabetes education
  2. To provide an organization that supports diabetes education and diabetes educators in their practice
  3. To proactively influence and shape policies regarding the practice of diabetes education
  4. To promote research related to the practice of diabetes education and to support innovation and creativity.

(Revised Mission and goals accepted in October, 2003)

Positioning Statement

To healthcare professionals interested in diabetes care, and to people affected by diabetes, DES is the professional organization that is committed to providing excellence in diabetes education.

Belief Statements

As members of DES, we support the philosophy and goals of the Canadian Diabetes Association. Furthermore, we hold the following beliefs:

We believe diabetes is a disease that can affect all aspects of an individual’s life.

We believe individuals affected by diabetes:

  • have the right to access diabetes education and the diabetes care team
  • are primary members of the care team
  • have varying potentials or desires for autonomy

We respect, value and encourage self-management.

We believe diabetes education:

  • is a planned, individualized, and evaluated process
  • focuses on the individual with diabetes
  • includes family and/or friends and the community
  • encourages individuals to modify lifestyle risk factors that may contribute to diabetes mellitus
  • takes into consideration physical, psychosocial, spiritual, cultural and socio-economic needs
  • is best provided by an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals who collaborate to achieve client-centred goals
  • enables individuals with diabetes to manage their diabetes-related health issues to the full extent of their abilities
  • enables individuals with diabetes to make choices and take actions based on informed judgement and understanding of possible consequences
  • enhances general well being, adaptation, acceptance and quality of life
  • is a continuous process in which needs of the individual change throughout life.

We believe diabetes educators have a responsibility to:

  • continually strive to improve the quality of diabetes education
  • be current in their knowledge and skills related to both diabetes and education
  • respect the choices made by individuals affected by diabetes

We believe DES has a responsibility to:

  • demonstrate leadership in diabetes education and in the professional development of diabetes educators
  • provide an organization that supports diabetes educators in their practice
  • advocate on behalf of diabetes education and diabetes educators
  • support diabetes research related to the practice of diabetes educators.