As it gets easier to explore the world from anywhere, the need to build cities and towns into places to feel psychologically safe and fulfilled will ever grow Hi As was said many years ago … And, it has never been easier to do so. Yet, as has also been said …
Home is where the heart is (and a great deal more), and no matter how far or how wide one roams, everybody needs somewhere to call home. Their special happy place, where they feel safe and fulfilled. There are building blocks that go into creating a worthy place to call home. Cities are ever thriving to be as 'liveable' as possible. It has become très chic to get onto 'most liveable city' lists — The Economist; Mercer; and Monocle. Such lists use 30–60 measures to calculate the most liveable places in the world. In their most recent lists Mercer (2018) ranked Vienna #1; Monocle (2017) ranked Tokyo #1; and the Economist (2017) ranked Melbourne #1. The lists do receive some criticism, given factors such as who scores the cities, how they are measured and that the data is often simply used as a marketing tool to entice expatriates to live in the city, rather than truly measuring a city's liveability for normal people, those on moderate to lower incomes or in non-professional roles (More). Even so, there is worthy indication of the building blocks to a liveable city, including factors such as stability (economic and political); healthcare (public and private); culture (short, art, hospitality, night life etc) and environment (climate change, green space, water etc); education (public and private, early childhood, school and adult); and infrastructure (public and private, roads, public transport etc). Square Holes has been fortunate over the past decade plus to support government and other decision makers in building positive cities. As an example, we are currently working on critical research projects in Adelaide in relation to communicating the value of green space for future health and wellbeing; as well as studies as diverse as exploring the new venture and start-up sector; and providing insights to attract new audiences to successful cultural institutions as diverse as Adelaide and Monarto Zoos and State Theatre Company South Australia (we have also support festivals such as the Adelaide Film Festival and Hybrid World). Recently we have worked to support reinvigorating cultural strips such as King William Road Hyde Park; supporting public and independent education institutions from early childhood to school, university and TAFE; and services for people with a disability (to navigate the seemingly chaotic NDIS); older people; and people living in regional / remote areas of South Australia. Our research over 2017–18 has guided partners from fertility services to cemeteries, financial institutions, foster care, tech such as getting our licences onto our phones and accessing critical information efficiently. We have worked with organisations tasked with generating and supplying South Australia's electricity, advised political parties on what really matters to real people, emergency services, public transport, government policy plans and communications messaging from the importance of getting a flu shot, to helping the vulnerable to get the help they need and promoting a strong sense of self-identity (thank you Brand South Australia and I Choose SA). There are many complexities and hidden workings ensuring places like Adelaide survive and thrive. A great deal happening behind the scenes, which is ever exciting to build liveable cities. In a place we wish to call home, there is a sense of psychologic safety, and our needs (survival, belonging, esteem and fulfilment) are satisfied as best possible. A place with a strong sense of self, content and confident and a strong mental state. And where necessary, they lead society-wide implementation of wellbeing initiatives to address critical issues such as resilience.
Government plays a critical role in nudging cities in new directions, with policies and interventions, yet ultimately what sustains a community is its people, and their psychological make-up. A feeling of economic insecurity, weak cultural fabric (business or community), complacency and the tall poppy syndrome can all negatively impact a city (or town's) sense of self, and mental state. Rather than obsessing on placement on much liveable city lists, it is worth reflecting on what makes a liveable and psychologically positive city or town. This likely incorporates wide-ranging measures such as economic and political stability, a strong arts and cultural sector and productive education institutions. Such a measure is likely complex, and may rely on quantitative and qualitative data, surveys, medical and health and wellbeing data to assess the overall mental state of the population, sub-populations and even comparisons with other populations, cities and towns to provide benchmarks and best practice. We are living in exciting times, where the definition of community is changing to a more global context, technology allows for greater collaboration and business opportunities are no longer limited to local markets. However, we are also living a time of escalating levels of mental health and social pressures. The rate of death by suicide is increasing over time in Australia, up 10% nationally 2007–2016 (3303.0 — Causes of Death, Australia, 2016 / Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/09/2017), and the number of children in out-of-home care (i.e. Foster Care) "has risen every year over the past five years”(2012–2016, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Children living in care). Read the full uncensored article on square holes.com/blog As it gets easier to explore and even conquer the world from anywhere, the need to build cities and towns into places to feel psychologically safe and fulfilled will ever grow. Rather than obsessing over which lists a city is on, there is likely merit in understanding the mental state in our cities and towns, identifying psychological gaps and where necessary implementing suitable interventions. Just like it is okay to ask our friends and loved ones 'RUOK,' perhaps our leaders should be seeking to better understand the places in which we live, overall and sub-populations to build liveabily and psychological healthy communities into the future. I'll leave the last words to Peter Allen … "I been to cities that never close down. From New York to Rio and Old London Town. But no matter how far or how wide I roam. I still call Australia home."
Thank you, Jason If you are interested in the above, I also wrote these on similar topics ... You are NOT the world, just part of it (2018) Conquering the world from anywhere has NEVER been easier (2017) The (off-line) experience economy, and how to build it (2017) Get off the couch Adelaide (2016) Adelaide - food, wine, sun, fun, creativity and grumpy middle aged leaders (2015) |