Employment: Cornerstone to Self-sufficiency and a Healthy Life
Good Work Leads to Healthy Lives, Making for a Stronger Community
This idea is the foundation of Daily Work's service approach. Employment is not seen in isolation, but rather as an integral element of a holistic life experience. We honor the whole person and the role that employment plays in overall well-being.
The 2017 Minnesota Statewide Health Assessment (MSHA), notes four areas that play a key role in a person’s overall health: people, opportunity, nature, and belonging.
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People
Research shows that who we are, where we’ve come from, and our real and perceived differences play a role in shaping our health.
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Opportunity
Health is related to our opportunities for education, employment, income, housing and transportation. Data exposes the persistent inequities in social and economic opportunity that continue to oppress many people in Minnesota and result in generations of people with poor health.
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Nature
Health is shaped by our connection to and interactions with the natural environment and the places we live, learn, work, and play, including how our actions impact our land, air and water.
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Belonging
Inclusion in the community and connections with each other enhance or weaken health and well-being throughout our life.
The Benefits of Work
Daily Work considers all these elements in serving our diverse community and it drives our commitment to an "all are welcome" approach to serving people who desire a job – because everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the positive impacts of work in their life. Psychological research consistently demonstrates strong correlations between employment and life satisfaction, creating positive impacts on identity, social support, purpose, and challenge. Moreover, research shows that unemployment is harmful to happiness and overall well being.
Paid work provides a source of income and connects us to people who may be a source of support, while offering a sense of purpose, meaning, and belonging in the community.
~2017 MSHA Report
Daily Work draws upon this conceptualization to inform how we fulfill our mission and provides services that meet a variety of needs associated with finding, maintaining, and growing employment possibilities for anyone who desires work. We seek to be a leader in building a healthy community that fosters equity and opportunity for all. Read about our commitment to advancing equity and inclusion.
