Shifting the Dial: From wellbeing measures to policy practice
Article
At UK, devolved and local authority level, there is interest in the question of wellbeing. This year the ONS published the UK's first annual subjective welbeing data, and it is due to publish its Wellbeing State of the Nation report later this year.
But there are a number of countries that are ahead of the UK in this thinking. Not only are they more advanced in terms of how to measure and analyse wellbeing, but they have experience of using these measures to inform shape policy thinking and implementation. Ultimately what policymakers measure will only matter if it influences how public policy is designed and delivered.
This report offers key lesson on how to ensure wellbeing measures matter in the policymaking progress. It draws on international experience focusing on: France, Canada (the Canadian Index of Wellbeing; Vital Signs Toronto, led by the Toronto Community Foundation; the city of Guelph) and the United States (the state of Virginia and the city of Somerville).
Related items
Towards universal opportunity for young people
Outlining a vision for young people which could increase social mobility while also reducing inequality and disadvantage, so that every young person has the opportunity to build a decent life.One year in: the government is making decent down payments for the years ahead
It’s fair to say it hasn’t been a straightforward first year for the government.Britons back local leaders with fiscal firepower
“Death and taxes,” they say, are life’s only certainties. But there’s a third - wherever taxes are controlled, power lies.