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Joint decision making, co-production and democracy

About Joint decision making, co-production and democracy
Wellbeing in practice can be:
  1. A goal for society or progress like the HMT Green Book describes wellbeing as ‘social welfare’.
  2. A framework, often based ongoing conversation about what matters, using outcomes and indicators.
Personal agency, power, responsibility and control are a part of our wellbeing: freedom to choose what we do in our life is second biggest driver of wellbeing. How organisations work with people to feel control and agency over their lives and communities can make a difference.
Joint decision-making encompasses or overlaps with concepts like democracy, devolution, open policy making, community empowerment, co-creation, co-production, inclusion and diversity, voice and accountability, rights, power and responsibilities, agency and control.
It also is connected with aspects of social capital like social trust, trust in institutions, perceived quality of society and our associational life in communities such as volunteering, helping, altruism, team working, or belonging to organisations and groups.
There is also evidence that participation, joint decision-making and co-production can affect the wellbeing impact of community businesses.

Blog

Mar 7, 2024 | By What Works Centre for Wellbeing
Marking International Women’s Day: Women in wellbeing
Guest Blog
Feb 1, 2024 | By What Works Centre for Wellbeing
What we know about wellbeing in place and community 2014 – 2024
Guest Blog
Jan 18, 2024 | By What Works Centre for Wellbeing
Evaluating cultural mega-events – learnings from Eurovision 2023
Guest Blog

External resource

  • JUMP projects Happy Days volunteer report
  • Co-op Community Wellbeing Index
  • Thriving Places Index
  • World Happiness Report – happiness and voting behaviour
  • ONS governance and trust wellbeing data
In partnership with