What Is Community Wellbeing?
Community wellbeing arises from a wide variety of factors. Public health researchers Wiseman and Brasher reflect this in their interesting definition:
Community wellbeing is the combination of social, economic, environmental, cultural, and political conditions identified by individuals and their communities as essential for them to flourish and fulfill their potential.”
When we look at community as a whole, we find three attributes that play a large role in wellbeing: connectedness, livability, and equity. We can explore each of these attributes for factors that contribute to community wellbeing.
Connectedness
Connection is fostered by a community’s social networks that:
- Offer social support
- Enhance social trust
- Support members living harmoniously together
- Foster civic engagement
- Empower all members to participate in community and democracy
Livability
A livable community is supported by the infrastructure, including:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Education
- Parks and recreation
- Human services
- Public safety
- Access to culture and the arts
Equity
An equitable community is supported by values of diversity, social justice, and individual empowerment, where:
- All members are treated with fairness and justice
- Basic needs of all are met (adequate access to health services, decent housing, food, personal security)
- There is equal opportunity for education, employment, and meeting individual potential
An example of community wellbeing: Albert Lea, MN
In 2009, Albert Lea, a small Minnesotan city of 18,000 residents, began to change.
Led by Dan Buettner's Blue Zones research, the town took part in a vitality project that focused on improving wellbeing and increasing longevity in the community. A team of experts helped the town make a number of lifestyle changes, including encouraging local restaurants and grocery stores to serve fresher and healthier foods, coaching residents about life purpose, creating more bicycle- and foot-friendly commuter routes, and increasing healthy options offered by workplace vending machines.
The results of this pilot project were astounding: Buettner estimates that Albert Lea residents increased their life expectancy about 3 years each as a result of this community-based change! The financial impact was significant, as well, reducing absenteeism by key employers by 21% and decreasing healthcare costs of city employees by 40%.
Hancock, T. (1993). Health, human development and the community ecosystem: three ecological models. Health promotion international, 8(1), 41-47
Miller, W. D. (2011). Healthy homes and communities: Putting the pieces together. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 40(1).
Strong Neighborhoods Task Force (SNTF) of Toronto. (2004). Role of Community Infrastructure in Building Strong Neighborhoods. Accessed April 14, 2013 at http://www.toronto.ca/demographics/sntf/rp2.pdf
Wiseman, J., Brasher, K. (2008). Community Wellbeing in an Unwell World: Trends, Challenges, and Possibilities. Journal of Public Health Policy, 29, 353-366.
