Core Partners

Professor Lord Richard Layard
Richard Layard is a leading academic in the field of ‘Happiness’ and ‘Wellbeing’, and has written extensively on unemployment, inflation, education, inequality and post-Communist reform. In 2005 he published the influential book Happiness: Lessons from a New Science. Since 2000 he has been a member of the House of Lords. Richard Layard provided expert advice and guidance to the Local Wellbeing Project.

LG Improvement and Development
LG Improvement and Development works to support and challenge local councils to function more effectively, through promoting best practise and staff development. As part of the Local Wellbeing Project, LG Improvement and Development (formerly known as IDeA) led on dissemination of learning about the project’s approach and the evaluation findings, particularly amongst the local authority community.

Young Foundation
The Young Foundation's role in the Local Wellbeing Project was to coordinate project delivery and lead on policy analysis and links with central government departments.

Local Authority Partners

South Tyneside’s Local Area Agreement focuses on wellbeing, described as the ‘something extra’ on top of proposals to improve public services. The aim is that all the LAA core themes contribute to improving wellbeing, with seven ‘big initiatives’ highlighted. These are guaranteed apprenticeships, emotional resilience for 11 to 12 year olds, positive parenting, neighbourhood working, reducing financial exclusion, reducing depression, reducing isolation of older people and improving public spaces

Manchester City Council’s Community Strategy aims to increase material prosperity and wellbeing so that Manchester’s people become wealthier and live longer, healthier and happier lives. The intention is to deliver this by enabling individuals to reach their full potential through education and employment; by creating neighbourhoods of choice so that people will choose to stay in Manchester; and by increasing individual and collective self esteem and mutual respect.

Hertfordshire have located their wellbeing work within the context of their children and young peoples’ services, with a particular focus on targeting those who have been left out of the County’s overall prosperity. The County aims to develop an approach ranging from universal initiatives to encourage better mental and physical wellbeing to specific interventions targeting the most excluded groups including black and minority ethnic and white working class boys, and girls in local authority care.

Central Government
Government departments provided financial support and input into design and assessment of policy implications. In return they received tailored packages of policy advice.

Key Experts
Key experts were invited to join advisory groups, with ad hoc meetings and events to make best use of their particular specialisms.