Our ambition and approach

Driving system change, inspiring impact

At Healthy Cities for Adolescents (HCA), our vision is clear – we want to see adolescents thrive and unleash their full potential in cities. By becoming active and empowered citizens, we believe they can contribute to sustainable urban development that meets their needs today and into the future.

Our strategic framework, updated in May 2023, sets out what the programme seeks to achieve and how, and informs the programme theory of change.

Goals of the HCA

Improved outcomes and increased equity in health and wellbeing domains for adolescents in intermediary cities

Transformative shifts in system conditions, which tackle root causes and promote sustainability

Digital transformation harnessed to support adolescent health and wellbeing and promote inclusion

Programme evidence and learning influencing practice and policy at city, state/regional, national and global levels

Operating principles

Put adolescents at the centre
Meaningfully engage adolescents in defining, addressing, advocating for, and measuring their health and wellbeing priorities in cities
Prioritise the under-served
Prioritise adolescents who are under-served in terms of their health and wellbeing needs, and promote equitable access and engagement
Shift the status quo
Transform systems, driving meaningful and lasting change in the health and wellbeing of adolescents in cities
Collaborate and innovate for change
Promote collaboration across sectors and adopt innovative approaches to achieve system-change objectives
Learn, share and adapt
Capture and share evidence of changes and the process of change on an ongoing basis, and continually adapt based on learning

More About Us

Overview
Why cities, why adolescents
Our work
Ambition
Grant making process
Management