Exploring Wellbeing

There is a lot being written about wellbeing as we launch our Community Wellbeing Initiative.

Based a study of more than 150 countries, representing 98% of the world’s population by Gallup, five essential elements of life were identified.  These elements transcend countries, faiths, and cultures:

• Career Wellbeing: How you occupy your time/liking what you do each day
• Social Wellbeing: Relationships and love in your life
• Financial Wellbeing: Managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security
• Physical Wellbeing: Good health and enough energy to get things done on a daily basis
• Community Wellbeing: Engagement and involvement in the area where you live

There is a link between well being and the capacity of individuals, a community or a society for innovation.

In April of this year, the Canadian Index of Wellbeing Network was launched at the University of Waterloo. The Canadian Index of Wellbeing uses 64 key indicators to measure Canada’s progress in eight categories:

• Community vitality
• Democratic engagement
• Education
• Environment
• Healthy populations
• Leisure and culture
• Living standards
• Time use

Of particular relevance to our Community Wellbeing Initiative, the Index focuses on the interconnections among these themes e.g. the social determinants of health like income and education.

Lots to chew on as we take an integrated, systems-based look at addressing complex social and health issues in our community,