Reasons to be cheerful?

Last month saw the launch of Action for Happiness. Hot on the heels of David Cameron’s announcements that as a country we are to begin measuring our national wellbeing, Action for Happiness is a ‘mass movement for positive social change’ led by Lord Layard at the LSE.

A reason to be cheerful? Yes, probably. But let’s beware of becoming overly individualistic here.

Raising awareness of the importance of thinking differently about our lives and giving individuals and local communities the tools they need to thrive is welcome. There is much that Action for Happiness and similar initiatives are doing to advance this. From providing the latest scientific findings in easily digestible ‘key facts’ format to providing top tips on how to boost day-to-day happiness – see their Great Dream for ten keys to happier living for example.

But the solutions – or actions for happiness – cannot and should not simply fall on the shoulders of individuals. The ‘make the right choices and you will be happy’ approach will only go so far.

The inequalities which exist in our society also have a huge effect on people’s experience of their lives. As does unemployment, low social mobility and the like. These are structural issues that public policy has to take seriously if we are to affect people’s wellbeing for the better.

The challenge is that massive reductions in public sector budgets means efforts to bolster the wellbeing and resilience of local populations must now take place when there are fewer resources to go round. Opportunities exist, however, and we have to turn these to the advantage of local communities.

Encouragingly, many of the mechanisms to support local government action to promote wellbeing are already in place, including the Wellbeing Power, power of general competence, and partnership working structures. This means that there is scope for councils to adapt mainstream services cost-effectively rather than requiring new and expensive initiatives.

Meanwhile the additional responsibilities that the coalition government has set out for local government – responsibilities for health improvement and strategically coordinating the commissioning of public health and social care – means that promoting all aspects of wellbeing, from good health to strong social networks and local economies, can become an even more central part of local government’s work.

And there is clear need for it.

The UK continues to fare comparatively poorly on a number of indices measuring both material and psycho-social wellbeing. It is the fourth most unequal country in the western world. In Europe, the UK is at the bottom of the pile on almost every preventable social problem – including crime, mental ill health, family breakdown, drug abuse and obesity. When it comes to the psycho-social wellbeing of our children, the UK ranks ninth out of 13 countries in Europe. And levels of trust and belonging among young people aged 16-24 in the UK are the lowest in Europe.

It has long been recognised that local government is a key player in creating the conditions for material wellbeing. It does this through promoting employment opportunities, regenerating the physical environment and strengthening the local economy. But more recent evidence also highlights the importance of nurturing psycho-social wellbeing in local communities – such as trust, belonging and influencing local decision making – so that all residents can reach their potential and live a good life.

This is the wellbeing, rather than happiness, agenda I believe we should be pursuing.