The Queer & Trans Health Collective (QTHC) is a grassroots health organization run by and for queer and trans community members.
Our Vision:
Our vision is for all queer and trans community members to have equitable opportunity to experience positive health and well-being.
Our Mission:
Working alongside our community, we empower queer and trans well-being through programming which promotes equitable access to health education, support, capacity building, community-based research, and provider training.
Our New Name
When it was created, the Edmonton Men’s Health Collective offered programming and services focused specifically on queer and trans guys. But over time the scope of programming and services has expanded. Our organization has begun to explore opportunities to expand its programs and services to better serve other members of Edmonton’s queer and trans community. Additionally, some of our work now extends beyond the Edmonton area, across Alberta.
In light of this shift in the demographics of our mandate, we understood that this name no longer represents the community we serve. We then undertook a community consultation process engaging with members of the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community as a means of determining our new name. This process ran from January to June 2021, and several options for our new name were put forward for the community to decide on. After a vote on September 21st, 2021, our membership approved our new name: Queer & Trans Health Collective (QTHC).
our strategic plan
In February 2022, QTHC staff and board members gathered for a retreat to evaluate our internal capacity and the needs of our community. Prior to the retreat we engaged with stakeholders, gathered input from our community, and reviewed our organization for gaps and opportunities in the services we provide.
Following the retreat, there emerged five goals intended to support us in achieving our mission and vision for the queer and trans community. Grounded in the lived experience of the community members we work alongside, as well as our own experiences as members of the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community, these goals are the foundation of our work for the next three years. We invite you to read about our strategy to grow and strengthen health and well-being for queer and trans folks in the Edmonton area.
our community health strategies
Our organization received funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) to evaluate the needs of the queer and trans community in the Edmonton area. This funding allowed us to identify the gaps in services within the local queer and trans sector, and gaps within local knowledge about the status of queer and trans people within our community.
Through engaging with stakeholders and community members through various consultation methods, we developed nine recommendations for the areas of community programming and service delivery, community systems change and advocacy, and community-based research. These recommendations will guide our work for years to come, and help us move forward together with our community and the partner organizations that serve our sector. Read the full report or our summary of the report below!