A new report from the Local Wellbeing Project shows how neighbourhood and community empowerment can improve wellbeing.
The Wellbeing Project is jointly led by:
* the Young Foundation
* the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA)
* Professor Lord Richard Layard, from the London School of Economic's (LSE’s) Centre for Economic Performance (CEP).
The report examines how active citizenship can contribute to wellbeing by investigating empowerment initiatives in three very different local authorities: Hertfordshire, Manchester and South Tyneside.
The report finds that neighbourhood and community empowerment has three effects which increase wellbeing. These are:
* providing greater opportunities for residents to influence decisions affecting their neighbourhoods
* facilitating regular contact between neighbours
* helping residents gain the confidence to exercise control.
Geoff Mulgan, director of the Young Foundation comments:
“Over the past 30 years, the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has doubled, but we have seen no corresponding increase in people’s reported happiness. But, happiness – or wellbeing – is not just determined by income. It is influenced by a complex mix of factors, ranging from family relationships and job satisfaction, to the character of our neighbourhood.”
According to Lucy de Groot, Executive Director at the IDeA:
“Local government and other public bodies are often responsible for issues and services that affect quality of life for local residents. People feel very strongly about things like local crime, green spaces, and leisure facilities, but a lot of the time they are beyond their control. Councils need to work with local people to involve them in the community – and this report shows the effect of very practical initiatives on wellbeing. Relatively simple ideas – like street parties, suggestion and awards schemes, can have a surprising impact.”
The report represents one of several strands of work developed through the Local Wellbeing Project. Others include:
* work on parenting
* environmental sustainability
* emotional resilience for 11 to 13-year-olds
* wellbeing of older people
* guaranteed apprenticeships.
These issues will be explored at the Local Wellbeing Conference on 9 September at the QEII Centre in London.
