


Terry Cullen
Dec 16, 2022
Global
Categories:
Community, Well-Being, Resiliency, Social Interaction, Social Capacity
Do you like the community where you live? Does it have all the elements that help you to thrive in this life? What are its best qualities, and what are its worst? Can you, as an individual, make a difference in the quality of life of your community, not just for yourself but for all that call it home or come to visit?
PositivePsychology.com identifies ten traits that make a positive community. The article maintains that humans are social beings intended to live in communities with other humans. How we judge our hometown quality is a factor in how much happiness and engagement we obtain from community interactions.
There are many different communities within our larger local hometown community. A community is a social unit where the members share something in common, and it is either formally or informally organized. Common examples of communities include your workplace, your child’s school, and your faith-based organization. Other examples are your neighborhood association, your group of friends, a club you belong to, or a fitness group, among many others. They have some longevity, and members socially interact with each other regularly.
Your hometown is a collection of many communities. The quality of life in your hometown reflects the health of that collection of communities. Unfortunately, many people feel isolated and doubtful and do not have a positive outlook about where they live.
According to the article, “Positive communities are groups that inspire their members in ways that promote a sense of self-discovery and group connection, encourage members to express their beliefs and values and build relationships with others.”
Ten traits of a positive community, one where people believe they can thrive, include:
1. Common goals
2. Freedom of expression
3. Address members with sensitivity
4. Set clear policies and obligations
5. Fairness
6. Celebrate heritage and traditions
7. Promote interaction among members
8. Elect leaders that stand by community values
9. Prioritize effective communication
10. Make smart decisions.
Many local leaders emphasize economic growth as the primary driver of community well-being, and this may be an outdated approach. A focus on the well-being of the people who live and work there may be the deciding factor that ensures one hometown succeeds while another one struggles.
If you have ever lived where you feel that you do not belong nor welcomed, then you understand. Many people who believe they ‘belong’ and are a vital part of their community may not see nor understand this alienation. It may be easier to spot it in racially and ethnically diverse towns, but not in towns where everyone looks the same.
The challenge is for the thriving people to help those struggling. There are many things an individual can do to break down these barriers and create a more welcoming environment. Start by looking at your communities and noting the people that are on the fringes of them. It may be the immigrant in your neighborhood who isolates and does not interact with other neighbors. Or, it may be the children that attend your child’s school from the other side of town. Or, perhaps you noticed that your group of friends that get together regularly remains unchanged after so many years. Attend local government meetings and scan the audience. Who is participating in local governance and influencing legislative actions? Is it representative of your hometown? What public events, such as festivals, get hosted, sponsored, and promoted yearly, and is everyone in your community attending? Are those events catering to a specific part of your residents? Are there faith-based institutions in your community about which you know little? When you begin this hometown audit, you may be surprised at what you find.
Talk to the leaders of your hometown community, such as the elected officials, the leaders of the faith-based organizations, and the school principal or school board, and raise awareness. Talk to major businesses in the area to understand where their employees come from and what challenges they face in hiring and retaining good workers. Your local government may sponsor a regular quality-of-life survey to gather data to understand the conditions.
Simple acts of goodwill can make a big difference. Consider inviting a neighbor who does not seem to know anyone for coffee. Ask a coworker over for dinner. Make a point to strike up a conversation with those that are left out.
A healthy, vibrant community today is no assurance that it will be one tomorrow. Everyone has a part to play. What will you do today to give back to your hometown?
For a related article from im4u.world, please visit, Understanding the Significance of 'Neighborhood' Culture (Turkey). Click the second source link below.
Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash.
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Catalog #:
1222.100.04.121622