Designing a wellbeing economy strategy

Purpose

A theory of change which outlines concrete changes in the economy required to achieve your wellbeing goals

Designing a wellbeing economy strategy begins with a recognition that the purpose of the economy transcends its role in generating incomes. The way that we produce and provide for one another has enormous impacts on our personal, collective and future wellbeing far beyond the money we gain from the transaction. Our economic system influences our sense of purpose, social connections and the health of our people and planet.

Developing a strategy which outlines concrete changes in the economy required to improve current and future wellbeing involves taking holistic and multi-dimensional view of progress. It involves abandoning much of our old economic thinking and embracing an understanding of our economies as embedded within our society and environment. This shift can take time and it will be important to involve diverse stakeholders along the way to encourage a broad shift in the understanding of what the economy is for.

This re-orientation requires fundamental shifts in process and thinking at all levels of society.

In Pomona, California

the WEAll California hub is working in partnership with local community organisation Latino Latina Roundtable and city officials to promote a Wellbeing Economy agenda for the city. Whilst carrying out visioning work with community partners, they were presented with an opportunity for change which quickly propelled them into developing and delivering a strategy—informed by parallel visioning work. This is a great example of the non-linearity of Wellbeing Economy policy design.

Mini documentary on the Pomona Wellbeing Economy project

Components

Identifying wellbeing economy activities & behaviours

To identify the economic activities and behaviours that directly contribute to your wellbeing priorities

Managing trade-offs & power dynamics

Manage trade-offs and power dynamics to develop effective strategies to foster Wellbeing Economic activities and behaviours