Community Wellbeing in an Unwell World: Trends, Challenges, and Possibilities

Abstract

This essay explores the changing nature of the concept of community wellbeing and the richness of the concept for enhancing measurement of societal progress beyond the use of indicators focused more narrowly on economic growth. Beginning with the history of the concept of wellbeing in several disciplines, the authors pursue an integrated and ecological understanding of community wellbeing and present examples of recent developments and applications of community wellbeing indicators in international settings and in Australia.

Green Positive Guidance and Green Positive Life Counseling for Decent Work and Decent Lives: Some Empirical Results

“…Organizational well-being is concerned with the fulfillment of individual and organizational potential (Di Fabio, 2014a); effectiveness (ILO, 2015); productivity (ILO, 2015); customer and employee satisfaction (ILO, 2015); and workforce preparation (Di Fabio et al, in press). Community well-being is concerned with the fulfillment of individual and community potential (Wiseman and Brasher, 2008); connectedness (social networks) (Wiseman and Brasher, 2008); livability (infrastructures) (Wiseman and Brasher, 2008); and equity (values of diversity, social justice, and individual empowerment) (Wiseman and Brasher, 2008). Well-being of the planet is concerned with the achievement of an acceptable standard of living for all resulting from economic growth, capital accumulation, excess production, and unimpeded free market development (Irving, 2013).…”

“…If “decent work” enhances sustainable development and sustainable careers (ILO, 2015), “green decent work” (Di Fabio, 2016) goes further by meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development [WCED], 1987) by achieving human development goals while preserving the resources of the environment and the ecosystem (Commission of the European Communities, 2009), by developing sustainable and green careers (Anand and Sen, 2000), by promoting a better quality of life and careers (International Institute for Sustainable Development [IISD], 2015). Green decent work (Di Fabio, 2016) also stresses the importance of connectedness with the natural environment (climate, resources, …) and environmental sustainability (Barham and Eagleson, 2013; Guichard, 2013a); the importance of the relational environment between people (Blustein, 2011) and social networks (Wiseman and Brasher, 2008); and ethical values (justice, equity, and fairness) (Barham and Eagleson, 2013). …”

Building a National Culture of Health: Background, Action Framework, Measures, and Next Steps

“…However, objective community well-being measurement domains include community health, resilience, resource access, educational capacity, and environmental adaptation Wiseman and Brasher, 2008;World Health Organization, 2005). In urban settings, community well-being is nested in an extensive body of neighborhood research (Diez Roux and Mair, 2010;Galea and Vlahov, 2005;Sampson, 2003).…”

Learning and Community Approaches for Promoting Well-Being

“…According to Wiseman and Brasher (2008), community well-being is the necessary social, economic, environmental, cultural, political conditions for satisfying the needs of the members of a community and is the ultimate goal of such a process and strategy. These conditions are the necessary items for realizing individual wellbeing and capacity.…”