Wellbeing Reservoirs and Wellbeing Stripping
Our built environment significantly influences our wellbeing, both individually and collectively. Within our communities, there are places that excel in enhancing our collective wellbeing. These often overlooked or underappreciated locations are valuable assets. Among these, there are specific sites that hold personal significance for us. We refer to these as our “wellbeing reservoirs,” places where we meet various wellbeing needs. The preservation of these reservoirs is essential as they are critical sources of community wellbeing and personal satisfaction.
However, the concept of wellbeing can be undermined when “public good” investments, such as parks and roads, are assessed solely on their economic impact. This approach can neglect the wellbeing of marginalized communities. Such projects can unintentionally strip these communities of their wellbeing assets, including safety, autonomy, and a sense of belonging. This “wellbeing stripping” can lead to enduring damage to health, wealth, and quality of life, and breed distrust in government. Therefore, it’s vital to acknowledge and value these assets to ensure that public investments benefit all communities equitably.
What do we mean by Wellbeing?
Wellbeing is the experience of being whole, individually and collectively. We’re all hardwired to seek out these elements that bolster hope, health and resilience: social connectedness, safety, stability, mastery and meaningful access to relevant resources. WIATT illuminates insights in how a built environment project will impact people’s access by asking residents to reflect on:
Assessing whether the residents of Springfield have their needs met across the Five domains of wellbeing is crucial to the planning for the construction of the library branch and the recreational center at St. Johns Park. Simply adding to the park without getting input from the residents about what’s lacking and what would have the most impact for them would result in a project that may not be the most meaningful and/or needed by the intended communities. Resident input was critical to the discussions and eventually to the decision of adding a library and a recreation center.
Curious to learn more about the Wellbeing Framework and the Five Domains of Wellbeing? Check out our Entrenamiento de Bienestar y el Definitions and Key Aspects resource.