2011 LIFE Study - An Assessment of the Community

Curt Detjen and Peter Kelly talked about how the LIFE Study is conducted every 5 years to present a snapshot of the socio-economic conditions in the Fox Cities in order to spark leaders and community members into action based on an understanding of what is going on in the community across a variety of sectors: community, arts and culture, health, home, learning, leisure and recreation, environment, safety, self sufficiency and work. The LIFE Study was conducted by the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Fox Cities Economic Development Partnership and the United Way Fox Cities. Research partners include: U. W. Green Bay, St. Norbert and U. W. Oshkosh. Separate LIFE Studies were also conducted in Brown and Southern Winnebago Counties. A Regional Report was put together of the 3 metro areas which had similar findings and showed opportunities to do things together. The LIFE Study components include a leader survey, community survey, community focus groups, expert sector panels, statistical data published by the state and others, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Youth Risk Behavior Survey and selected provider data. Assets of the Fox Cities include: a place for children and families; education; health care services; safety; leisure; recreation and arts; and the economy. A high priority among community members and leaders is increasing high paying jobs. Today, Curt and Peter focused on 3 segments: LIFE in the Community, LIFE of Learning and A Healthy Life. Our community’s strengths are high voter participation, progress with diversity, high perceived quality of life and community events. Some areas of concern are representativeness of elected leaders, competition for philanthropic dollars, expansion of the income gap and uncertainty about the “right direction”. In the area of A Healthy Life, the results showed strengths in the quality of heath care, expansion of free clinics and healthy lifestyle initiatives. Areas of concern include access to care for those with low income; lifestyle concerns (diabetes and obesity); mental illness and lack of treatment; risky tobacco, alcohol and drug use; and the health of our youth. Strengths in the area of LIFE of Learning include quality education at all levels, achievements of students, higher education opportunities and increasing adults with higher education Some areas of concerns include a growing number of economically disadvantaged students, achievement gap for economically disadvantaged students, declining reading by 3rd graders and access to higher education (high costs). The LIFE Study provides information but not solutions. It is now up to the people who live and lead in the community to use the information to impact the quality of life for all who live, work and play in the Fox Cities.