Youth Programs

Sansum Diabetes Research Institute is actively involved in youth outreach and health advocacy in the local community. Current Programs include:

Ready2Move (R2M) is a school-based health advocacy program at Santa Barbara High School funded by the Birdwell Family Trust and Allergan Foundation. The group meets after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, making it an ideal opportunity for any student not otherwise involved in extracurricular physical activity. Student assessments are taken periodically to measure the students’ gradual improvements throughout the program. Ready2Move is designed for students who have a vested interest in learning about diabetes prevention and making positive health habits. Each week the group focuses on a nutrition lesson, and the students are encouraged to discuss the lessons and set specific health goals. In addition to the lessons facilitated by the program coordinator, various professionals from the community give their time to teach the students about a diverse range of activities including Pilates, self-defense, Capoeira, and resistance training. R2M encourages students to develop essential leadership and communication skills in order to help play an active role in teaching their peers and family about vital health issues.

Partners For Fit Youth is a coalition of over 23 Santa Barbara agencies with a mission to improve the health of youth and their families through education, intervention, outreach, and environmental changes, to prevent chronic disease, and to promote healthy weight. Sansum Diabetes Research Institute was one of the founding members of this county-wide organization. Partners For Fit Youth is currently focusing on a ‘Re-Think Your drink” campaign because one in four children in Santa Barbara County is overweight or obese, and a major concern is added sugar from sweetened beverage consumption. Sansum Diabetes Research Institute is proud to be the Partner’s For Fit Youth coordinating headquarters for this campaign.

Sansum Diabetes Research Institute and Sansum Clinic are collaborating in the Santa Barbara YMCA Healthy Family Home program. Healthy Family Home is a 4-6-week program that brings families together every Saturday to focus on the importance of physical activity, healthy meal planning, and quality family time. The program promotes simple ways to make positive habit changes for the entire family. Through fun and physical games, participants are encouraged to move, laugh, and interact. This hour of activity is then followed by a nutrition lesson facilitated by the program director or another professional from the community. In 2010, Michelle Obama endorsed the Healthy Family Home program on a national level and we are proud to be in partnership with our local YMCA.

Wellness Council

Sansum Diabetes Research Institute has sent a delegate to the Santa Barbara School Districts Wellness Council since its inception in 2005 and was an active participant in the creation of the current Wellness Policy. The Ready2Move coordinator recruited Santa Barbara High School students to support the district in Wellness Policy implementation by working to address barriers on their own campus as well as other on other campuses in the community. Ready2Move students continue to actively participate in assessing beverage policy implementation, recruiting students to after-school exercise programs and giving much appreciated insight into the positive changes made by the Wellness Council as well as areas that still need improvement. In the present school year, the Ready2Move coordinator created a short video encouraging better implementation of the Wellness Policy on campus. This video was distributed to Santa Barbara High School staff members and was also shown at the Wellness Council meeting.