Coaching for social well-being: A path to a thriving community
Highlights:
- Social well-being flourishes at the intersection of personal fulfillment and community health. The future of social well-being will be influenced by the trends of urbanization, global interconnectedness, and technology innovations.
- The ICF Thought Leadership Institute’s STEERE framework highlights how social, technological, economic, ecological, regulatory, and ethical influences shape the future of social well-being.
- Coaches can enrich social well-being by cultivating a sense of belonging and community resilience so individuals and communities adapt and flourish.
Social well-being thrives on meaningful connections and shared experiences within communities. As societies navigate urban growth, global interconnected communities, and rapid technological advancements, coaches can nurture individuals and communities to sustain social well-being in an ever-evolving world.
Explore the future of digital well-being:
1. Trends shaping the future of social well-being
2. Applying the ICF Thought Leadership Institute STEERE framework
3. Coaching frameworks for fostering well-being
4. Coaching can lead the change: Implications for the future
5. Learn more: Futures thinking in action
1. Trends shaping the future of social well-being
Urbanization impacts social well-being
The global trend toward urbanization, showing up as the movement of people to urban centers in search of better job opportunities, better services, and higher living standards, presents both opportunities and challenges for social well-being. Today, more than half of the world’s population resides in urban areas. While some cities offer accessible services, vibrant communities, and dynamic cultural exchanges that enrich daily life, other urban areas would benefit from similar improvement.
Urbanization can heighten stress, isolation, and loneliness due to population density, noise pollution, and unsatisfying social interactions. People-centered urban planning and development that incorporates urban ecology can enhance livability, community health, and social well-being.
Global interconnected communities impact social well-being
Two interconnected trends explored previously — globalization of community and global interconnectedness — are reshaping social dynamics. The globalization of community trend describes self-sustaining community groups that engage in civic cooperation to address shared challenges. Global interconnectedness then facilitates seamless international technology collaborations to support these communities. Together, these trends will forge a deeply interconnected global community. Coaches can promote inclusive social technologies to decrease loneliness and promote social well-being within this global context.
Rapidly advancing technology impacts social well-being
Technology has produced unmatched innovation and outpaced essential security measures, privacy protocols, and policies. As a result, people experience digital risks and vulnerabilities that undermine social trust because they feel unprotected in their digital interactions.
Blockchain technology prioritizes security to restore social trust because people can control their digital identity. Described as a social impact technology, blockchain is advancing rapidly, with a predicted market of $94 billion by 2027. Shaping the future, coaches can anticipate integrating blockchain technology into coaching practices to prioritize social trust through smart contracts, improved confidentiality and secure payment systems, and easy-to-share credential verification systems.
Trends shaping the future of social well-being:
Urbanization trends create challenges best met with improved urban planning and intentional community-building efforts.
Globally interconnected communities encourage inclusive social technology to decrease loneliness and promote social well-being.
Accelerated innovation, such as blockchain solutions, prioritize social trust and international cooperation.
Other factors influencing social well-being
Intergenerational connections and social well-being
Generations vary in their experiences of well-being with different attitudes toward mental health, access to resources, unique generational experiences, and varied digital engagement patterns. Yet, all generations share the need for social relationships. Integrating intergenerational connection into community and workplace design could proactively boost social well-being, bridge generational gaps, and increase a sense of overall well-being, especially for young people.
Facilitating intergenerational engagement, where people of different age groups come together through shared activities, programming, or workplaces, can provide multiple benefits:
- Foster social bonds and empathy between all generations living in a community.
- Facilitate wisdom transfer and learning in both directions.
- Integrate, not segregate, generations into a cooperative workplace.
- Provide a sense of identity, belonging, and practical social support for all ages.
Cultural context and social well-being
Cultural interpretations and norms significantly shape social well-being. Recognizing and respecting the diverse ways cultures interpret influences on their collective well-being is key to nurturing relationships across cultures.
- The continuum of individualism versus collectivism. Cultures emphasizing collective well-being tend to report better mental health outcomes than cultures that prioritize individual achievements.
- Family and community ties. In Latinx and Asian cultures, the importance of family and close-knit community groups has more impact on perceptions of social well-being.
- Views on mental health. Some cultures interpret well-being through a spiritual lens, finding more meaning in religious or traditional rituals over medical treatment.
- Norms for emotional expression. Cultures have varying norms about expressing emotions and managing stress.
Signals of change in social well-being
A signal is an indicator of a possible future. Signals are derived from current events that suggest potentially influential change is emerging and taking shape. In futures thinking, signal watching helps coaches anticipate and prepare for the more plausible and probable futures.
Signals of change in social well-being
Brain healthy cities are creating urban environments to foster intergenerational connections, promote physical health, ensure access to nutritious food, and reduce air pollution.
Regenerative community jams are emerging globally as people come together to envision human-centered communities.
Blockchain technology is improving the capacity to deliver humanitarian, environmental initiatives, and sustainability efforts.
2. Applying the ICF Thought Leadership Institute STEERE framework
Analyzing the critical social, technological, economic, ecological, regulatory, and ethical influences through the STEERE futures thinking framework provides perspective to help coaches prepare for the future.
- Increased recognition of social needs will inspire nurturing community support strategies.
- Efforts to include multicultural groups will enhance community engagement.
- Future coaching will train for cultural competence as part of its core values.
- The rise of the metaverse and virtual worlds will create new dimensions of social connection.
- Accessible technology-based tools will help activate community networks and support systems.
- Coaches will utilize digital tools to strengthen community connections and personalize pathways toward social well-being.
- Economic equality initiatives will champion international cooperation for more just economies.
- Stabilizing the regional job market for communities will address the challenges posed by emerging economic models.
- Coaching can empower community leaders support financially sustainable initiatives.
- Accessible green spaces will be central to urban planning for social well-being.
- Grassroots sustainability efforts will strengthen community self-reliance and ecological health.
- Coaches will integrate regenerative community models to reinforce social well-being.
- Local collaborative efforts will tackle social isolation and foster connection.
- Governments will collaborate to democratize technology access and inclusive social development.
- Coaches will work as part of community wellness teams to improve collective social well-being.
- Social equity movements will amplify cultures of fairness and equality.
- Social justice advocacy will shape how support is accessed for communities and organizations.
- Future coaches will expand to include trauma-informed approaches to social well-being.
The benefits and challenges of social well-being
Social well-being integrates individual and community perspectives, recognizing the varied benefits and challenges of each.
For the individual, the benefits and challenges of social well-being include:
Benefits:
- Social connection is associated with longer lifespans, better physical wellness, and positive mental well-being.
- Caring for others enhances individual resilience and social well-being
Challenges:
- Decreasing face-to-face interactions is contributing to a growing sense of isolation and loneliness.
- New economic models, like remote work and gig economies, are creating new challenges in work-life boundaries, isolation, and productivity.
For the community, the benefits and challenges of social well-being include:
Benefits:
- Communities with enhanced social well-being show greater social capital and cooperation to sustain social well-being.
- Social bonds strengthen community cohesion and create networks for knowledge and resource sharing.
Challenges:
- A lack of opportunities for participation creates marginalized groups who may be excluded in community well-being efforts.
- Uneven economic development can create neighborhoods that lack social infrastructure, diminishing community vitality and diminishing shared identity.
3. Coaching frameworks for fostering well-being
Community coaching and social well-being
Community coaching energizes communities to create social impact through a relational approach to well-being. Community coaching can help social impact leaders strengthen their social connections with the social capital needed to self-manage opportunities for collective social well-being.
Community coaching differs from resilience coaching because it seeks to enhance the overall health and sustainability of entire communities through strategic engagement that addresses specific well-being needs of diverse communities. Integrating community coaching can include:
- Fostering equity with accessible and culturally informed coaching services.
- Coaching community development leaders to improve effectiveness while balancing community needs with self-care needs.
- Integrating social goals in coaching sessions to encourage clients to align personal and business objectives with societal benefits.
- Advocating for corporate social responsibility and diversity in organizational settings.
Ethics of Care and social well-being
The Ethics of Care framework prioritizes nurturing connections between individuals and communities based on empathy and mutual respect. Care is reciprocated when social policies and practices are people-centered to create a more resilient and caring society where well-being is interconnected. Coaches can amplify marginalized voices and advocate for people-centered policies to foster a more caring and inclusive society.
4. Coaching can lead the change: Implications for the future
Coaches can play a crucial role in supporting social well-being by guiding individuals in enhancing community engagement.
- Coaching can enhance empathy and emotional intelligence for more effective and compassionate interpersonal communication.
- Coaches can guide individuals in identifying community activities that enrich their social networks and align with their values.
- Coaches can enhance intergenerational relationships with practical tools.
- Coaching can support individuals in role transitions to adopt new social identities as their networks and interests change.
5. Learn more: Futures thinking in action
Future thinking uses the “what if” approach to envision and prepare for various possible futures. Coaches play an important role in shaping these potential scenarios.
- What if retirement communities utilize coaching for life transitions? Coaching could help older adults navigate the challenges of aging and transform retirement to focus on social well-being through community engagement.
- What if coaching became a beacon of hope in disaster recovery efforts? Coaches could provide empathetic support and practical guidance, accelerating healing and bolstering resilience amid crises.
- What if our cities had centers dedicated to well-being, inspired by coaching principles? Urban areas could integrate well-being centers into urban planning to promote community involvement, personal growth, and collective well-being. A variety of coaches and other wellness providers could collaborate on holistic well-being services.
Resources to Explore
- Explore a Community Coaching toolkit
- Learn more about supporting the well-being of community changemakers
- Share this Social Wellness toolkit
- Learn more about applying human-centered design to communities: Design for Belonging
