Our Next Steps

For several years now INDTC has included people from around the world working in a range of community based democratic services built around different models of relational practice including therapeutic communities, community therapy, and open dialogue. We are not just an organisation of therapeutic communities, but an international network of people and organisations practising in a range of democratic, community-based, relational ways.

The International Committee for INDTC therefore decided that we should change our name and relaunch INDTC as what we have really become: an inclusive network for individuals and organisations around the world working to develop or sustain democratic relational approaches to enabling people experiencing mental distress.

The International Committee hopes the new organisation will act as a sounding board for the many voices around the world that contribute to the democratic relational revolution in mental healthcare.

We are therefore proposing to set up a new international charity, and rename INDTC, as:

Polyfonia

The International Network of Democratic and Community-based Relational Practice

The aim of the new organisation, Polyfonia, will be to:

• Connect people around the world interested in democratic relational practice in mental health
• Provide a platform for voices from around the world to promote a polyphony of ideas and creativity
• Host online and in-person events for the discussion and dissemination of ideas in democratic, community-based relational practice
• Produce and disseminate papers, videos, articles and perspectives from around the world, ensuring a wider audience for voices from Asia, Africa and South and Central America
• Support the leadership of the charity by organisations from Asia, Africa and South and Central America

The International Committee will become the first Trustees of the new charity, with representatives from Europe, India and South America. We are proposing that a member from an Indian organisation will become the first President of the new organisation, supported by the Trustees of the international charity, Polyfonia.

We will be emailing all the members of INDTC asking if they would like to continue as members of the new organisation.