Turn2us appoints Thesia Kouloungou as its first head of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging

Turn2us, a UK charity helping people faced with financial insecurity and poverty, has appointed Thesia Kouloungou to the newly created role of head of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB).

Thesia will have primary responsibility for Turn2us' long-term diversity strategy as she takes up her role this spring. Born in Congo Brazzaville and moving to the Ivory Coast after the 1997 civil war to join her father who had fled persecution, the family were forced to leave after another civil war broke out in 2002. This led to Thesia and her family seeking asylum in the UK.

The Northampton graduate joins the organization from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) where she previously worked as a diversity, inclusion and policy manager raising awareness of social mobility in the workplace. Other roles have included diversity and inclusion manager for Independent Age, The National Lottery Community Fund and the London South Bank Group as EDI lead for Lambeth College.

Speaking about her appointment, Thesia says: “I am happy to be joining Turn2us, and I look forward to working together to drive forward EDIB in our workplace culture and in the services that we provide. I want to do all I can not only to raise awareness about issues like social mobility, but to do the work that reduces barriers for underrepresented groups of people.”

Thomas Lawson, Chief Executive at Turn2us, says: “We are delighted that Thesia has chosen to come to Turn2us. This is an important role for our charity and one we are committed to embedding in all areas of our work. To have someone with Thesia’s experience and expertise will be hugely beneficial for the impact of our work.

“We know that Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities, disabled people, women and those from LGBTQIA+ communities are more likely to experience financial hardship. Being inclusive and creating belonging is central to the way we run our organisation, as well as the way in which we design and offer our services.”

Turn2us is a national charity with roots stretching back to 1897. It offers support to people facing financial hardship whilst challenging the systems and perceptions that cause financial insecurity and poverty.

For further information and interviews with Turn2us spokespeople, please contact the Turn2us Communications team on: media@turn2us.org.uk