Bilingual Health Educator Diabetes Project 2009 - 2010

Implemented from 2009 to 2010, the BHE Diabetes Project BHE Diabetes Project further developed the capacity of MCWH bilingual health educators to deliver diabetes prevention programs to immigrant and refugee women across Melbourne. Building on the knowledge, skills and perspectives of BHEs involved in the 2008 pilot project, the BHE Diabetes Project aimed to:

1. Strengthen the capacity of BHEs to support diabetes prevention strategies and initiatives for immigrant and refugee communities;
   
    
2. Increase the number of BHEs who have the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for inter-professional practice and collaborative care;
   
    
3. Facilitate networking and the sharing of information and ideas between BHEs to develop resources and methodologies for diabetes prevention and management programs, including the development of best practice principles for the training of bilingual health educators;
   
    
4. Promote an environment which respects and supports the contributions of BHEs who work with immigrant and refugee women on a day-to-day basis.
   

After consulting with the BHEs involved in the Diabetes Healthy Living Project about additional training needs and diabetes prevention education strategies and resources, a two-day training program designed to update BHE knowledge about diabetes was conducted for all MCWH BHEs. After the BHE training, thirty diabetes prevention education sessions were conducted, reaching 258 immigrant and refugee women.

The BHE Diabetes Project confirmed the significant role bilingual health educators play in the health and wellbeing of immigrant and refugee communities. However, BHE programs require significant government support and adequate resourcing if BHEs are to be incorporated into the health sector.

The final report of the BHE Diabetes Project is available to download - see PDF on the right. For a hard copy of the report, please contact us.