Measuring Wellness Through Interdisciplinary Community Development

Blunsdon, BA Betsy; Davern, Melanie

doi:10.1300/j125v15n01_10

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…The built environment is a valuable tool While changes in the built environment are obviously not the only way to improve community well-being, our case studies underscore that the built environment is an important tool for communities to make desired changes Rural placemaking for community well-being 1 5 3 in functional and social structures to enhance community well-being (as defined by Cox et al, 2010). This is in line with other research findings on the spatial component of well-being: community well-being is co-shaped by the spatial environments in which people exist (Cattell et al, 2008), but social networks and relationships are just as important in community development (Blunsdon & Davern, 2007).…”

Section: Placemaking Rural Development and Community Well-beingsupporting

confidence: 74%

Rural placemaking for sustained community well-being

Tietjen¹,

Jørgensen²

2023

Rural Quality of Life

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Section: Placemaking Rural Development and Community Well-beingsupporting

confidence: 74%

Rural placemaking for sustained community well-being

Tietjen¹,

Jørgensen²

2023

Rural Quality of Life

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“…Moreover, while a majority of surveys were given orally by the research team (78%), using different techniques (e.g., other gardeners' language assistance) to increase our sampling effort to, for example, non-English speakers may introduce a conservative sampling bias in our results. In addition, we only surveyed garden plot holders to answer how gardeners use and benefit from community gardening, yet future work could access non-gardeners in the neighborhood to explore how garden presence in an area may have spillover benefits by improving the broader community well-being of many other residents [65,66].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gardener Well-Being along Social and Biophysical Landscape Gradients

et al. 2018

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Abstract:Increasing human populations are challenging cities to grow sustainably while maintaining green spaces that deliver ecosystem services and well-being benefits. Community gardens are green spaces that provide food, community, and health benefits, but gardens often are non-permanent due to development and green space loss. Thus, investigating their significance and benefit across urban regions is critical for research and policy alike. This study investigated the role of community gardens in providing human well-being benefits across three counties in the California Central Coast-a region undergoing massive urban transformation in the last century. We measured how multiple aspects of self-reported gardener well-being varied in relation to the social opportunities of surrounding neighborhoods and the biophysical features of the landscapes in which the gardens were embedded. The results document improvements in gardener well-being through gardening across social and biophysical gradients. Gardeners are motivated by diverse reasons, varying from gardening in order to connect to nature, to gardening for improved food access, or to enhance time spent with family. Community gardens are therefore important for supporting many well-being benefits. Policies to maintain and protect gardens should prioritize neighborhoods with needs for connecting to nature and enhancing social interaction within the community.

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“…In discussion about engaging communities in health and social care, Peterson and Zimmerman (2004) emphasised benefits associated with meaningful participation and social support processes that connect people and facilitate community action for social change. While Blunsdon and Davern (2007) found, where community development interventions were present, communities reported higher levels of personal and neighbourhood well-being compared to those without community development inputs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…This was consistent with Giroux's assertion ( 2005) of a more participatory form of politics, where agencies and local people come together to determine new possibilities for social action. Community development activities which foster networks can improve individual lives and community functioning (Blunsdon and Davern, 2007).…”

Section: Colin New Beginningsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Defining well-being in community development from the ground up: a case study of participant and practitioner perspectives

Coburn

Gormally

2018

Community Development Journal

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The concept of well-being is part of an inter-disciplinary agenda for health improvement and human flourishing, critiqued as a superficial ‘solution’ to structural inequality (Friedli, L. (2003) Mental Health Improvement ‘concepts and definitions’: briefing Paper for the National Advisory Group, Scottish Executive, Edinburgh; White, S. C. (2010) Analysing wellbeing: a framework for development practice, Development in Practice, 20 (2), 158–172). This article discusses an evaluation of three health promoting community projects, over a two-year period. The study identifies important features for understanding well-being at grassroots, community and practice levels. Local people had viable and holistic perceptions of well-being that helped them reflect on their current contexts. Practitioners tended to have a more limited conceptualization by associating wellbeing with mental health or community safety. Consideration of findings identified five conditions of wellbeing for community development practice: creating a sense of community; strong volunteering ethos; networking and partnership working; positive language; enhanced relationships. Applying these findings in practice helped to create a new reflective grid, incorporating seven elements of well-being. Participants found this grid easy to use and affirming in facilitating reflection on their personal well-being. This was also beneficial for community practitioners, who were not clinically qualified, to facilitate reflective learning at grassroots level. Analysis of this research enables a conclusion to be drawn to suggest that well-being is a valuable construct in unifying community development.

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Measuring Wellness Through Interdisciplinary Community Development

Cited by 6 publications

References 25 publications

Rural placemaking for sustained community well-being

Rural placemaking for sustained community well-being

Gardener Well-Being along Social and Biophysical Landscape Gradients

Defining well-being in community development from the ground up: a case study of participant and practitioner perspectives

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