1. WELLBEING: Contributions towards practical strategies to promote social integration Julie Newton Expert Group Meeting “Creating an Inclusive Society: Practical strategies to promote social integration” 10 - 13 September 2007, Paris

2. Wellbeing in Developing Countries (WeD) ESRC Research Group “To develop a conceptual and methodological approach for understanding the social and cultural construction of wellbeing in developing countries” Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Thailand and Peru Conceptual + empirical research in 4 countries Improved understanding of dynamics of poverty Seeking policy relevance, but not to be policy driven

3. Strategy commitment on wellbeing Securing the Future (2005): UK’s Sustainable Development Strategy “to get a better understanding and focus on wellbeing… the Government will… bring together existing research …and to explore how policies might change with an explicit wellbeing focus.” Expected outcomes Wellbeing indicators Policy development Defra strategy commitment

4. Why you should be interested in wellbeing? Process and content: WB provides a framework to explore this interaction Methods: using multidisciplinary approach, combining quantitative + qualitative, unpack processes behind the numbers Difference matters! Underlying theme of power Perceptions and experiences matter! (how people think and feel is important), if we are looking at rights and responsibilities, need to consult people on their values, beliefs, attitudes etc. –Existing methods/measures : Value of mental health measures: can explore importance of having sense of control, feeling part of something/community, feelings of alienation etc….

5. Defining Wellbeing Objective vs Subjective Hedonic vs Eudaimonic –HEDONIC = what makes life pleasant/unpleasant, focuses on preferences and pleasures; life satisfaction, presence of positive mood and absence of negative mood (often conflated with happiness) –EUDAIMONIC =human flourishing, realising true potential, sense of purpose, meaning Self Determination Theory = autonomy, competence, relatedness (Ryan & Deci)

6. Wellbeing according to WeD “Wellbeing is a state of being with others, where human needs are met, where one can act meaningfully to pursue one’s goals, and where one enjoys a satisfactory quality of life” 3 dimensions: –material – relational – affective/cognitive

7. Three Building Blocks 1.Needs: Universal human needs: denial always results in harm. –Health, autonomy, competence, security, relatedness, meaning –include psychological and relational needs –But need satisfiers socially and culturally relative 2.Socially Meaningful Goals: goals inform action; goals & action informed by broader context; relational Cannot explore WB divorced of social context 3.Satisfaction with Life: Happiness/good feeling = a good thing – BUT more than the absence of misery. –Can’t rely on this alone: affected by aspirations and adaptive preferences –WeD approach: relate to peoples’ own goals in local contexts: satisfaction with personally important goals in one’s lives Tension between universalising and concretising local perspective Tradeoffs between different dimensions of wellbeing WB not restricted to the individual: SOCIAL being

8. Common understanding of wellbeing “Wellbeing is a positive physical, social and mental state; it is not just the absence of pain, discomfort and incapacity. It requires that basic needs are met, that individuals have a sense of purpose, that they feel able to achieve important personal goals and participate in society. It is enhanced by conditions that include supportive personal relationships, strong and inclusive communities, good health, financial and personal security, rewarding employment, and a healthy and attractive environment”

9. SYNERGIES: vision of positive human development & flourishing; centrality of social relationships, importance of autonomy ADDED VALUE: –3 building blocks= mechanisms + processes that enable/constrain SI (process & outcome/ content?) –Greater appreciation of experiences/perceptions and how people think & feel, (values, beliefs, cultural attitudes) –How this influences behaviour, how people cope –Understanding of r’ships people engage in –Recognises differences between people matter, explains why and how –Tradeoffs between different visions of wellbeing Much more rounded view of people’s lives POLICY IMPLICATIONS: Evaluating success of social integration policies and impact of societal context, a way to ENGAGE people

10. Wellbeing indicators Dominance of objective measures Growing interest in SWB measures= more complete assessment of WB –hedonic traditions –Satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) + global happiness –Remember, that these are only one dimension of WB –Need more work to develop eudaimonic WB measures (e.g. psychological wellbeing scale: Ryff; Personal wellbeing index (Cummins). –European Social Survey: Third Round (Huppert et al) Measures useful for tracking progress, do not always explain or facilitate understanding of processes at work WeD rejection of single measures or single method approaches

11. Defra’s provisional Wellbeing Measures Sustainable Development Indicators : 68 in total= 20 Framework indicators, 48 other indicators –e.g. greenhouse gas emissions, fish stocks, employment, health, poverty Three framework indicators to be developed: - social justice - environmental inequality - wellbeing –provisional basis No single WB indicator –New indicator of overall life satisfaction (from Defra Survey) By proportion at each level By social class –With supporting analysis Satisfaction with various factors affecting wellbeing, e.g. standard of living, relationships, community, achieving goals Plus … –Positive mental wellbeing Warwick-Edinburgh-Mental-Wellbeing-Scale (incl some eudaimonic measures) Supported by enhancement of existing indicators to put in wellbeing context

12. Defra’s PROVISIONAL Wellbeing Measures 39. Fear of crime Perceptions of anti-social behaviour * 41. Workless households 43. Childhood poverty 45. Pensioner poverty 47. Education 50. Healthy life expectancy Self-reported general health * Self-reported long-standing illness * 51. Mortality rates (suicide) Mortality rates for those with severe mental illness * 57. Accessibility 59. Social justice 60. Environmental equality 62. Housing conditions 66. Satisfaction with local area Trust in people in neighbourhood * Influencing decisions in the local area * 68. Wellbeing Overall life satisfaction* Overall life satisfaction by social grade* Satisfaction with aspects of life* Satisfaction with aspects of life, by social grade* Satisfaction with aspects of life, by age* Frequency of positive and negative feelings* Frequency of positive and negative feelings, by social grade* Frequency of feelings or activities which may have a positive or negative impact on wellbeing* Level of participation in sport* Access to green space* Level of participation in other activities* Positive mental health*

13. WeD methodology Outcomes: obj + subj –Resources and Needs Questionnaire (RANQ) –Quality of life: WeDQol: Goals, Goal Achievement, Perceived Resource Availability and Values + SWLS & PANAS Structures: social being exist in collectivities –Community profiles –Structures research: adapted welfare regimes approach Processes: –Income & Expenditure: stocks of resources translated into incomes/expenditures –Process research : qualitative research into key forms of action to achieve wellbeing, highlights key r’ships people engage in

14. Concluding remarks Synergies: but also added value! –Better grasp of HOW people think and feel: get an understanding of PERCEPTIONS and explain what drives them –A framework to relate processes to outcomes AND situate that in wider structures –Constraints and opportunities –Understanding of what drives people to behave (values, goals), their ability to fulfil needs and pursue meaningful goals WB multi-dimensional concept, therefore needs different methods to explore it. –Value arises from using the methods together Making the most of existing measures (range of eudaimonic wellbeing measures: mental health: grasp of how people think and feel) Measures important, BUT, should not replace in-depth research and analysis essential for explaining and understanding social integration Promising progress in UK: wellbeing measures, Equality Review, Commission for Equality and Human Rights.