The Local Wellbeing Project was a unique initiative set up in 2006 that aimed to test out practical ways of increasing individual and community wellbeing in three very different areas of the UK. The project brought together the Young Foundation with the UK’s foremost expert on practical ways to increase happiness, Professor Lord Richard Layard from the LSE and Local Government Improvement and Development (LG Improvement and Development), leaders in local government innovation. Hertfordshire, Manchester and South Tyneside local authorities signed up as project partners.

The rationale

Over recent years research has begun to highlight the fact that while economic output has nearly doubled over the last three decades there has been no corresponding increase in wellbeing. Given the current economic climate, the need to gain a deeper understanding of what enhances emotional resilience and wellbeing has become all the more crucial, not only for individuals and communities experiencing challenging times, but also for local authorities with tighter budgets attempting to streamline resources to the areas that will have the most impact on local communities' wellbeing.

Most of the factors that affect wellbeing manifest at a local level, in relationships within the family, with people in the neighbourhood, at schools and at work, and in people's feelings about their immediate environment. This means that the interventions that could increase wellbeing and resilience can be delivered at the same very local level and are under the direct or strategic control of local government and other local agencies.

This project drew on a growing body of research that has explored what causes, promotes and hampers wellbeing and emotional resilience. The project aimed to apply theory to practice and to pioneer new approaches to the design and delivery of services that could be replicated much more widely.

The project

The project was composed of five strands and two underpinning themes, which involved practical action with specific population groups within each of the partner local authorities.

The Local Wellbeing Project was completed in early 2010 but a number of the strands of work are being further developed by the Young Foundation or by former Local Wellbeing Project partners.

The project explored how local government action, in collaboration with national agencies and local communities could contribute to a growth in wellbeing and emotional resilience, both by enhancing services and providing or planning new services. The impact of both new initiatives and existing ongoing work has been captured and evaluated.

The projects aims were:

• To explore how local government intervention in key areas could contribute to greater wellbeing
• To explore the value to local government of prioritising wellbeing in service delivery and strategic  planning
• To develop replicable practise to maximise wellbeing in the delivery of services under five themes
• To establish robust and cost effective ways of measuring wellbeing and resilience at local level.

Highlights

The final Local Wellbeing Project report brings together three years of groundbreaking work based on in-depth pilots in the three partner local authority areas as well as other national and international developments in this field. The State of Happiness highlights that promoting wellbeing is no longer an airy aspiration and points to a future where public agencies will take it for granted that they should consider the potential impact of their actions on happiness and wellbeing.

Download the executive summary here.

Wellbeing and public policy: towards a better success

The Local Wellbeing Project's successful breakfast seminar, with keynote speaker Sir Gus O'Donnell, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service was held on 12 November 2009. This event was attended by over 60 key stakeholders from a range of perspectives from local and central government, academia and the voluntary sector.

For more information on the Wellbeing Project contact Marcia Brophy, Wellbeing Programme Leader.