- Feeling needed, valued, belonging
- Feeling sense of future; it’s not all about now; future possibilities exist
- Outlets for self exploration and growth
- Primary and secondary education excellent, accessible
- Post secondary education affordable, high quality
- Community college nearby, high quality
- Area universities and college affordable, accessible
- Graduate education programs available
- Internships/fellowships offered locally to support graduate study
- Vibrant Park District program and facilities
- Vibrant Library program and facilities
- Vocational opportunities exist
- Education for vocation decisions and preparation
- Job opportunities widely available to provide good household incomes
- Career shift education available as obsolescence occurs
- Community plans for careers, vocations and employment opportunities
- Arts are woven into my life experience
- Classes provided often, nearby, cheaply
- Exhibits often, local and free/cheap
- Artist nurture prevalent within community’s culture
- Public graphic arts visible in design and implementation of public face of community
- All age groups encouraged to express creativity in art
- Many art events provided for easy attendance and enjoyment
- Health care and Illness prevention are available broadly, affordably
- Medical offices and clinics present, more than adequate to serve area
- Innovative medical treatments present, dynamic, of growing influence
- Hospital care well available, high quality
- Care givers readily available for home care as needed
- Hospice care available locally
- Adult day care available
- Transportation services to medical care available
- Pharmacy services adequate to serve area; competitively priced
- Environment is clean and healthy, soil, water, air and sound
- Housing Stock, supply and choice
- Young families
- Middle aged families
- Elder population
- Low income
- Affordability for each
- Aesthetics supportive of positive world view
- Traffic design well engineered and maintained
- Landscapes and hardscapes well designed and maintained
- Community enforces appearance codes to avoid blight
I think these are the basics. There are undoubtedly more
items that can be added to the list. But these should do for a start.
Although some of these items are very personal, they stem
from conscious decisions to serve and develop residents of an area. Such
decisions usually are made by one or more local governmental entities. However,
other institutions can be involved and should be partners and collaborators at
many levels.
But none of this will be accomplished unless there are
leaders willing to get involved in all or some of the items listed above. No
one person could possibly handle all of this. No one institution can or should
be assigned these tasks. These are hopes and dreams of the entire community. As
some of the items are provided, others can then be considered for adding.
Still, quality issues of each item continue for the long term. Offering a
program is one thing; improving on it is another aspect.
When we consider the old phrase “No man is an island”, know
that the above list is a prime example of it. When we suggest that an
individual lives better or more fully if his family supports his efforts and
development, we also need to know that what the community provides is of major
value in the person’s development. They don’t come automatically. They come because
we ask for them, volunteer to provide them, or a combination of many factors.
How well does your community address quality of life issues?
Does its agenda need retuning and revision?
January 23, 2012
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