THCA is committed to reducing the imbalances in power and social injustices that underpin inequity to enable more people access to their social human right to good health. Many of our members have lived experience of these injustices that often manifest as poverty, trauma or discrimination and they see health creation as a key driver of positive change.
We are alive to unearned privilege and advantage blindness as well as to discrimination and its impacts faced by people with different identities including the nine Equalities Act 2010 protected characteristics and beyond, such as socio-economic status and neurodivergence. Many of us have multiple identities that intersect and can deepen the discrimination experienced.
We promote equity by living the six features of health creating relationships, which are our organisation’s values (see Code-of-Conduct). We aim always to listen and respond, be transparent (truth-telling), play to individuals’ and organisations’ strengths, build in reciprocity (give-get), self-organise to build collective agency and shift and share power, for example by co opting individuals with lived experience to on THCA projects and remunerating those who contribute to programmes. Through a mix of internal governance review, conscious engagement in programme delivery and external platform management, we create spaces where underrepresented voices can contribute authentically and on an equal footing to important conversations and help shape our organisation’s direction.
In 2024/25 we focused on race discrimination and took steps towards becoming an anti-racist organisation. We recognise that structural racism exists, is harmful and is bolstered by extractive and dismissive (colonial) attitudes. We act to redress power imbalances by offering platforms and roles where people who experience racial discrimination can have influence and take a lead and by calling out discrimination wherever we see it. We operate fair and inclusive recruitment and member engagement processes to successfully attract, appoint and retain diverse talent and undertake an Equality Impact Assessment on all significant Board decisions. We measure our progress through an Anti-racist statement and action plan to support reflection and action towards becoming an increasingly inclusive and actively anti-racist organisation.
Through our work and actions we strive for a kinder, more connected and confident society, where bonds of friendship between people and communities create community cohesion through a deep appreciation of our shared humanity and a sense of inclusion and belonging. We counter discrimination and hate through solidarity, allyship and active bystanding while celebrating difference and embracing racial diversity and multiculturalism.
OCTOBER 2025