Collective Impact and Human Wellbeing

This open access book presents key concepts, approaches, and applications of the Collective Impact (CI) framework to enhance human and societal wellbeing. The authors analyse the special nature of CI and its role in providing common ground for trust-based, mutually informed service delivery of publicly or semi-publicly funded and implemented services to identify competencies and administrative arrangements as well as leadership and practical skills required for successful CI practice. Moreover, this book also positions CI initiatives within a systems thinking perspective, which suggests that one can only understand a system by looking at how all the parts interact with each other and how they are integrated. This book balances fundamental theoretical elements in CI initiatives and practical case examples from Finland, and helps managers and practitioners master the art of putting together CI-related initiatives. It offers new and fresh ways to conceive CI as a fundamental way to approach human wellbeing by finding new solutions to cooperation. It also conceives CI as a global mechanism to address complex and systemic societal challenges and problems like climate change and global pandemics, and aligns with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. 

Based on scholarly research on CI as well as the authors’ professional experience as academics, practitioners and consultants, this book offers original insights and guidance to decision-makers, leaders across sectors, practitioners as well general public on how to develop CI practices that enhance human and societal wellbeing.