Programming & Training

Health Empowerment through Active Leadership (HEAL)

About HEAL

Community health leadership drives our work at QTHC. We were founded by and operate for the community we serve. This foundation is expressed through our Health Empowerment through Active Leadership (HEAL) program, which provides community members access to the knowledge, skills, and networks they need to contribute to their health, the health of those they love, and the health of the community-at-large.

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What is HEAL?

Engaging participants in a series of educational sessions building basic health knowledge around a variety of sexual and gender minority health topics, HEAL comprises three separate programs: Investigaytors, Totally Outright and Pivot. 

Each program meets the QTHC’s core community health leadership principles. We define these principles by using what we call BITE:

Build connections between community members

Improve health literacy

Train in practical skills

Empower to solve challenges in community

Participants can expect to: 

  • Build their practical skills related to their specific stream

  • Identify key health issues impacting the community

  • Work with the QTHC and its partners to develop and pilot capstone community health projects aimed at addressing the prioritized issues

Each program offers a unique experience for participants. The types of community health projects developed and practical skills gained by a participant is dependent on the program or stream they choose. Check out each of the programs below for more information.

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HEAL Programs

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HEAL Programs *

  • A person with glasses, a beard, and a surprised expression holding a magnifying glass, standing against a colorful abstract background of red and pink shapes.

    Investigaytors

    This seven-month program teaches best practices and methodologies for community-based research. Participants establish community connections while completing a series of modules that empower them to conduct their own original research. 

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  • A person with long red hair and makeup, wearing a black shirt, shiny blue skirt, and black boots, holding a teapot and teacup, standing against a blue and purple abstract background.

    Pivot

    Responding to community health challenges with social justice strategies for systems change is the core outcome of the Pivot program. Participants engage with sessions on change theory, 2S/LGBTQIA+ health, social justice and advocacy before working collaboratively to develop and implement their own community health systems change project.

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  • A person with light colored hair, wearing round sunglasses, a black leather jacket with fringe on shoulders, a black and white patterned blouse, and smiling against a colorful orange and yellow abstract background.

    Totally Outright

    Centering lived experience, this program aims to harness the cultural knowledge and resilience of queer, trans and Two Spirit community members to develop and implement community-led health responses. Totally Outright creates lasting connections between participants and equips trans, queer and Two Spirit people to become health leaders in the community. 

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