An Integrative Economy is human capacity driven and depends on people with high functioning skills and characteristics. These are people who are self-directed, creative and capable of being active participants in life. The development of a high functioning person is the work of a new employee category that is emerging in an Integrative economy – Human Capacity Development Professionals (HCDP). Grounded in self-responsibility, a person learns to build and use this framework throughout their lifetime with the guidance of local, community-based HCDPs who work in their homes.

The Whole Person Framework

In its broadest definition, the “Whole Person Framework” enables each person to know themselves as a physical, emotional, thinking, sexual and spiritual being.  The framework shows people how to live their life as an on-going and growing process of building these five core areas to their optimum capacity.   In more detail the Framework has sixteen integrated areas.  Every area impacts the whole.  Collectively all the areas reflect the lifestyle actions one needs to use as they grow and develop.  These areas include self-responsibility in nutrition, exercise, feelings, thinking, communication, relationships, sexuality, family building, community, environment, work, play, financial responsibility, special challenges, spirituality/values, and finding meaning.

Becoming A Whole Person

The daily lifestyle knowledge that each person needs to accumulate for a “Whole Person Framework” does not just happen.  It must be fostered and guided throughout childhood and over our lifetime. Only in the last 30-50 years have we begun to truly understand the capacity to be a “whole human being” and the information that each person must learn.  The list of areas we are now exploring to help humans reach their full potential is enormous.  For example, child development, physical strength and endurance and emotional intelligence are just a few.  Now we must take the steps to implement the “Whole Person Framework” into all our lives.  That’s what Integrative Community Ventures and Human Capacity Development Professionals are focused on doing.

Rationale for Whole Person Framework

For so long we’ve asked children “What are you going to be when you grow up?” Because of the stories they learned as children they answered that question with a job title; doctor, fireman, and teacher. This focus on the job title became the primary relationship each person had to the Industrial economy and their role in it.  Times changed and so has our economy.  For the new Integrative Economy the question must change to “How is your “Whole Person Framework” coming together?”  Children’s answers to this question will reflect that they are learning to take responsibility for all aspects of their lives. This focus on a “Whole Person Framework” becomes the primary relationship each person has to an Integrative economy and their role in it.  The Framework allows all of us to participate in the transformation from the “quantity of stuff” focus of the current Industrial / Service economy to the “quality of life” focus of an Integrative economy.  The long range outcomes from a “Whole Person Framework” approach are high functioning persons capable of participating, strengthening and building a sustainable, local, community-based society and with it an Integrative Economy.