Equity
Building Thriving Communities Through Belonging and Civic Muscle.
Communities thrive when a sense of belonging and the ability to exercise civic muscle are experienced by all. Creating spaces with strong social support systems, where people are living free from stigma, discrimination, and oppression, are key to developing vibrant communities.
Our Belief in Thriving for All
Thriving Together NCW believes everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their full health potential and to live meaningful, vibrant lives. Advancing health equity across our region is essential to creating these conditions.
We, as a community, achieve health equity when we work together to remove obstacles to health - such as poverty and discrimination - and their consequences including lack of access to vital conditions that contribute to our overall health such as healthcare, transportation, affordable housing, quality education, good jobs with fair pay, and safe environments.
Equality
Everyone gets the same, regardless of if it’s needed or if it’s right for them.
Equity
Everyone gets what they need, taking the barriers, circumstances, and conditions into account.
How We Engage in Equity: The Power of Shared Decision Making
To create thriving conditions for all, each of us needs to exercise civic muscle by participating in decision-making processes that shape our wellbeing. This is why Thriving Together NCW’s work is guided by distributed leadership—a model where decision-making is shared among a diverse group of individuals and organizations who directly engage with the people they serve.
We recognize that no single entity has all the answers, and we value the expertise, insights, and lived experiences of our community members. When individuals are empowered to share their unique perspectives, it leads to a collection of ideas and solutions that truly represent the community's needs.
Uplifting Diverse Voices
Thriving Together NCW recognizes that organizations working on the ground are the true experts in their communities. Rather than imposing predefined strategies, our goal is to act as a resource, providing support, guidance, and tools to empower these local experts. We believe that the individuals and organizations within a community are best positioned to identify and address the unique challenges and opportunities for advancing health equity.
Here are some of the ways we’re leaning into this practice:
#1
Partnering with NCW Equity Alliance to provide trainings and create spaces where individuals can learn, grow, and connect..
Sponsoring local events that directly engage community members and work to advance health and wellbeing.
#2
Inviting members of the communities we serve to make impactful funding recommendations by serving on our Community Review Committee.
#3
Financially investing in partner organizations who are working to advance equity across our region.
#4
Connect with the NCW Equity Alliance
Stemming from a workgroup at Our Valley Our Future, the NCW Equity Alliance was founded in 2021 with the goal of assisting others in their journey toward inclusion. Currently, the organization focuses on community-based education, advocacy, and reconciliation through a number of efforts including trainings, workshops, seminars, and more.
We invite you to connect with the NCW Equity Alliance to learn more about the important work they’re doing and view their upcoming events by clicking the link below.
