What makes communities work

Our engaging community is where members come together to continue and progress their wellbeing journey to achieve optimal mental, physical and emotional wellbeing in this forever changing fast-paced world. For more information click here.

Our perspective on goal setting has been changing over recent Digital wellbeing is quite a complex subject. Defining what is By joining our Mailing List, you give us consent to send you the latest news and information about Wellbeing People. See our privacy policy for more information. It is somewhere that people wish to stay in and see their children and grandchildren grow up in.

It attracts, welcomes and respects outsiders, challenging ignorance and prejudice wherever it arises. It open-handedly shares its knowledge and expertise with others. A good community is a place where people want to live — no boarded-up houses; an environment that is healthy and welcoming; and neighbours that you can be open and honest with. It is a community that looks out for its elderly and more vulnerable residents as well as creating space for them to be active.

It raises children together, rather than treating young people with suspicion, and it welcomes diversity. A good community is resilient when there are problems and it is there when you need it, without being judgemental or suffocating.

Good communities will ideally have access to essential services and will value their sense of space and place, enabling people to connect with one another and to develop both individually and collectively. Good communities can be rural or urban; they can be affluent or disadvantaged because essentially they are all about people.

Having spent most of my life in a city of many identities — and as many names — it is not so easy or even fair to pin down what makes a good community.

Of many characteristics that can be present though, this city continues to prove that one of them has to be the ability to adapt and undergo change. Again, with unashamed reference to this place, communities that are called upon to show resilience usually find themselves better able to become self-determining. Another key element actually combines the two elements mentioned above. All of our communities face an ongoing need to change, which is best done with confidence.

Sampson describes it as a complex community. Community-building is a key component in long-term success for business and for the business of philanthropy, but it can also be challenging for many organizations. Sampson aims to streamline that process.

During her time at United Way Dallas, she has built a list of necessary actions, what she calls "Sampson's Seven" for building healthy modern-day community.

When we work in silos we waste resources, create redundancies, and trip over one another. Sampson describes a plan for major changes to United Way Dallas's work and organization. Our volunteers created the need for uncomfortable change within the organization and beyond.

Planning and priorities set by "we" superseded those set by "me. Small changes are great but sometimes it is necessary to rattle the foundations, or awaken sleeping giants. Our goals have now become expectations--and they're big and bold. We want to prepare at least 60 percent of all students to graduate and have success in college and careers.

And we're paving the way to better health through programs that empower people. United Way Dallas is changing the way they do this, investing in social enterprise; using digital tools and technology; experimenting with unique and unexpected new events, platforms and campaigns; and thinking like the biggest fundraising organizations.

Social problems can seem unsolvable, as the solutions are often complex and multi-faceted. Sampson argues, "There is no silver bullet for any societal problem facing our world today. So we need to try lots of solutions, and some will fail. Fail in the direction of more information.

Fail in the direction of informing the community. Fail fast enough to re-group, adjust and try something different because you're measuring and evaluating and sharing results with each other. Fail with all the players in the room to hammer out the next solution.