Evidence library

The Local Wellbeing Project is a three-year initiative to explore how local government in England and Wales can practically improve the happiness and wellbeing of citizens. The project brings together three very different local authorities ? Manchester, Hertfordshire and South Tyneside ? with the Young Foundation; Professor Lord Richard Layard from the London School of Economics, who has led much of the debate about happiness and public policy; and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), which supports improvement and innovation in local government in England and Wales. The project is supported by a number of key central government departments who will provide financial assistance and input into design and assessment of policy implications. In return they will receive tailored packages of policy advice. The project covers five main strands: emotional resilience for 11 to 13 year olds; wellbeing of older people; guaranteed apprenticeships; neighbourhoods and community empowerment; and parenting. In each of these areas the project has been designed to test out new approaches; measure their impact; develop replicable methods; and look at their cost effectiveness. Two underpinning themes investigate the relationship between wellbeing and environmental sustainability and how best to measure wellbeing at a local level.