Local involvement leads to happier communities

How does active citizenship contribute to the wellbeing of communities?  A new report launched on 11th June shows how neighbourhood and community empowerment can do just that.  "Neighbourliness + Empowerment = Wellbeing.  Is there a formula for happy communities?" is the first in a series of publications from the Local Wellbeing Project, and tries to answer this question 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: • Providing greater opportunities for residents to influence decisions affecting their neighbourhoods • Facilitating regular contact between neighbours • Helping residents gain the confidence to exercise control over local circumstances An implicit, overarching theme from the evidence and case studies presented in this report is the notion of control.  As individuals, we want to have some control and influence over the circumstances that impact our lives.  Each of the concepts set out in this report help to increase individual, local control. 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. Service providers need to work with local people to involve them in the community – and this report shows the effect initiatives can have on wellbeing. Relatively simple ideas – like street parties, suggestion and awards schemes, can have a surprisingly strong impact. The report represents one of several strands of work developed through the Local Wellbeing Project (www.youngfoundation.org/work/local_innovation/consortiums/wellbeing).  Others include work on parenting, environmental sustainability, emotional resilience for 11 to 13 year olds, wellbeing of older people and guaranteed apprenticeships. These issues will be explored in greater depth at the Local Wellbeing Conference on the 9th of September at the QEII in London.