“The ultimate resource in economic development is people. It is people, not capital or raw materials that develop an economy.”
Peter Drucker
let’s community better
A community health and citizen well-being designation that drives social connection and economic prosperity.
NWI Honors recognizes communities for its true competitive economic development advantage – the health and well-being of its people. Based on decades of evidence-informed research and led by the National Wellness Institute (NWI), NWI Honors showcases your community’s commitment to expanding the economic prosperity of your community by elevating the emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual well-being of your people. The evaluation of your community stems from the philosophy of placemaking, and the need for a greater emphasis on increasing social connection and reducing isolation.
Criteria
Criteria for NWI Honors centers around the 2023 General Advsory on lonliness from the 21st US Surgeon General, Dr Vivek Murthy, the 2021 Call to Action report on community health and econmic prosperity from the 20th U.S. Surgeon General, Dr Jerome Adams, and NWI’s Wellfinder Initiative, which will be the primary assessment tool. The well-being of your citizens begins with a greater emphasis on tackling factors associated with loneliness and social isolation, a key factor of placemaking. Dr Murthy states “Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation has been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health.” Healthier citizens ensure that more people are prepared and ready to work, which creates greater economic prosperity. Dr. Adams stated in 2021, “If communities are not healthy, businesses won’t be healthy.” With NWI Honors, communities now have the criteria, practical application model, and recognition to activate and sustain a strategy that centers on how placemaking is the key success factor towards reducing the loneliness epidemic while advancing overall well-being, sustainability, and economic vitality for the community and its residents.
NWI HONORS REQUIRES THREE CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Training
Prepare your teams to drive the NWI Honors initiative, which serves as a health and well-being blueprint for your commuity and its citizens to follow.
Leadership
Lead the change through an activation strategy that establishes and manage short term and long term goals to solving the isolation issues.
Vision
Showcase your communities success when you receive the NWI Honors designation, all while creating a community of well connected citizens.
NWI Honors Communities have three levels of designation:
Emerging Community
Communities must be recognized for the work they have begun, and not just the success of the result. NWI Honors celebrates emerging communities that are tackling the challenges of isolation and building toward becoming a healthier community.
Sustainable Community
Shifting mindsets, behaviors, and practices takes time and effort. Stepping up from an Emerging Commuity means that the efforts of cultivating a healthier community have sustained over a period of time and are beginning to change the environment of the community.
Thriving Community
Documented success of a thriving community provide for the highest level designation available. As a thriving community, the evolution of what you have achieved has met the criteria set forth by the Healthy Places Initiative and continues to impact change.
nominate your community
If you would like to nominate your commuinty, please email chuck@nationalwellness.org.
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