Ways to Wellbeing and a Happy Planet CPD

Ways to Wellbeing and a Happy Planet CPD developed by Clive Belgeonne Development Education Centre South Yorkshire (DECSY) clive@decsy. org. uk www. sealgd. org. uk

Aims l Examine links between wellbeing, happiness, equality and sustainability in the context of the SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) curriculum l Become familiar with Five Ways to Wellbeing and the Happy Planet index and adapt them for use in your Curriculum, Campus and Community context.

What’s behind the advert? l In groups, look at the advert given to you l Note down what message you think the advert is giving to the viewer / consumer: this may be literal and / or implied. l Who is the advert aimed at? l What are the assumptions and implications behind the imagery and wording?

Self-awareness Managing feelings Motivation Empathy Social Skills

SEAL and Happiness (Primary) l I feel good about the things I do well, and accept myself for who and what I am. l I can recognise when I am becoming overwhelmed by my feelings. l I have a range of strategies for managing my worries and other uncomfortable feelings. l I can change the way I feel by reflecting on my experiences and reviewing the way I think about them. l I know what makes me feel good, that this is more than material things, and I know how to enhance these comfortable feelings.

SEAL and Happiness (Secondary) l I can reflect critically on the factors which influence and determine the quality of my life. l I know what makes me feel good that this is more than material things and know how to help myself have a good time (e. g. to feel calm, elated, energised, focused, engaged, have fun, etc. ) – in ways that are not damaging to myself and others. l I have a range of strategies to reduce, manage or change strong and uncomfortable feelings such as anger, anxiety, stress and jealousy. l I can view errors as part of the normal learning process, and bounce back from disappointment or failure. l I can identify barriers to achieving a goal and identify how I am going to overcome them. l I have a range of strategies for helping me to feel and remain optimistic, approaching new tasks in a positive frame of mind

Meaning + Links l Wellbeing: a good or satisfactory condition of existence; a state characterized by health, happiness, and prosperity; welfare l Happiness: the quality or state of being happy; good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy; a deep sense of flourishing l Equality: the state or quality of being equal; correspondence in quantity, degree, value, rank, or ability. l Sustainability: capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment

Department of Education Definition: Wellbeing (a) physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing; (b) protection from harm and neglect; (c) education, training and recreation; (d) the contribution made by him to society; social and economic well-being. Section 38(1) of the 2006 Education and Inspections Act defines well-being in terms of the matters mentioned in section 10 (2) of the Children Act 2004 SCHOOLS’ ROLE IN PROMOTING PUPIL WELL-BEING, DCSF 2009

Department of Education Definition: Wellbeing “Well-being in these terms translates into the five Every Child Matters outcomes that children should be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and enjoy economic wellbeing, which schools are already inspected against by Ofsted. ” “The school’s distinctive contribution to well-being is in excellent, personalised teaching and learning, ensuring all children achieve to their full potential. “ SCHOOLS’ ROLE IN PROMOTING PUPIL WELL-BEING, DCSF 2009

What things in life matter to you? What is well-being? • health • good connections with friends and family • good connections with a spouse or partner • job satisfaction and economic security • present and future conditions of the environment Measuring what matters Office of National Statistics 2011

Happiness? Experience of life e. g. to be autonomous, competent, and connected to others Enabling conditions e. g. opportunities and obstacles, inequalities, social norms, culture e. g. happiness, satisfaction, interest, boredom and distress Functioning well and satisfaction of needs Psychological resources e. g. resilience, optimism, self-esteem www. neweconomics. org

Striving for self-esteem through material wealth is not the answer, but other vital factors are. Subjective well-being depends critically on family stability, friendship and the strength of community. But these aspects of life have suffered in the consumer society. Family breakdown, for example, has increased by almost 400% in the United Kingdom since 1950. […] In other words, there appears to be a correlation between rising consumption and the erosion of things that make people happy – particularly social relationships l The challenge of sustainable ifestyles Tim Jackson, 2008

Where does our wellbeing come from? l Genes and Upbringing: 50% - ‘Influence by our parents’ Interaction between genetic predispositions and our upbringing and environment l Life circumstances: 10% - ‘Influence by circumstances’ Income, material possessions, marital status, neighbourhood (adapt to changes quickly) l Intentional activities: 40% - Influence by activities & outlook’ Working towards goals, socialising, exercising, doing meaningful work, cognitive activity, savouring life (varied) A wellbeing manifesto for a flourishing society NEF 2004

Question Primary School % ‘Strongly agreeing’ Secondary School % ‘Strongly agreeing’ I learn a lot at school 71% 18% School is interesting 65% 12% I enjoy school activities 65% 18% Wellbeing pilot project questionnaire 1, 000 young people Nottingham City Council A wellbeing manifesto for a flourishing society NEF 2004

Schools promoting emotional, social and physical wellbeing. “The purpose of the education system should be explicitly to promote individual and societal well-being both now, and in the future. It should aim to create capable and emotionally well-rounded young people who are happy and motivated. To this end, all schools should have a strategy to promote emotional, social and physical wellbeing. This is not just about rethinking the curriculum – important as that is. This should be a ‘whole school’ approach which considers a range of matters including the school culture and environment, giving pupils a say, the methods of teaching and assessment, and school governance. ” A wellbeing manifesto for a flourishing society NEF 2004

Happy Planet Index l Shows the relative efficiency with which nations convert the planet’s natural resources into long and happy lives for their citizens. l Nations that score well show that achieving, long, happy lives without over-stretching the planet’s resources is possible. l High levels of resource consumption do not reliably produce high levels of well-being l There are different routes to achieving comparable levels of well-being. l The model followed by the West can provide widespread longevity and variable life satisfaction, but it does so only at a vast and ultimately counter-productive cost in terms of resource consumption. www. happyplanetindex. org

Happy Planet Index Calculation l Life expectancy: Average life expectancy at birth taken from the UN Human Development Index l Life satisfaction: Asks how satisfied people are with their lives on a numerical scale from 0 (low) to 10 (high), in Gallup ‘World Poll’ l Ecological Footprint: measures how much land water area a human population requires to produce the resource it consumes and to absorb its wastes, using prevailing technology.

Life expectancy

Life satisfaction

Ecological footprint

Overall Happy Planet index

Child Well-being is Better in More Equal Rich Countries Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009) www. equalitytrust. org. uk

Levels of Trust are Higher in More Equal Rich Countries Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009) www. equalitytrust. org. uk

More Equal Countries Rank Better (1 is best) on Recycling Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009) www. equalitytrust. org. uk

Inequality and Sustainability Consumerism is one of the greatest threats to sustainability Because inequality increases status competition, it also increases consumerism. People in more unequal societies work longer hours because money seems even more important. Concern for the common good is a crucial resource if we are to reduce carbon emissions Because inequality harms the quality of social relations (increasing violence, reducing trust, cohesion and involvement in community life), people become more self-interested, less public spirited, less concerned with the common good. This is shown in the amount of overseas aid countries give, in the proportion of waste recycled, in how countries score on the global peace index, and in how important business leaders think it is that their governments abide by international environmental agreements. www. equalitytrust. org. uk

www. polyp. org. uk

Five ways to well-being Connect… With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. www. neweconomics. org

Five ways to well-being Be active… Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness. www. neweconomics. org

Five ways to well-being Take notice… Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you. www. neweconomics. org

Five ways to well-being Keep learning… Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun. www. neweconomics. org

Five ways to well-being Give… Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you. www. neweconomics. org

School as centre of Wellbeing Sustainable Schools strategy (DCSF 2008)

Campus Curriculum Community

Global manifesto for a happier planet l 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Improve healthcare. 3. Relieve debt. 4. Shift values. 5. Support meaningful lives. 6. Empower people and promote good governance. 7. Identify environmental limits and design economic policy to work within them. 8. Design systems for sustainable consumption and production. 9. Work to tackle climate change. 10. Measure what matters. www. happyplanetindex. org

www. sealgd. org. uk Contact details: Clive Belgeonne: clive@decsy. org. uk

If our prosperity is tied to the health of the planet, then no one’s well-being is secure unless the environment is protected. If we cannot prosper in a world that suffers from poverty, inequality, war and poor health, then our future is intimately bound up in the future of other people and places. Sustainable development means inspiring people in all parts of the world to find solutions that improve their quality of life without storing up problems for the future, or impacting unfairly on other people’s lives. It must be much more than recycling bottles or giving money to charity. It is about thinking and working in a profoundly different way. Df. ES Sustainable Schools Consultation Response 2006

Websites: www. education. gov. uk/aboutdfe/policiesandprocedures/a 0070736/sd Df. E (Department for Education, England) What is sustainable development? www. sealgd. org. uk Equality Trust www. happyplanetindex. org Happy Planet Index www. neweconomics. org New Economics Foundation www. ons. gov. uk/ons/guide-method/user-guidance/wellbeing/index. html Office of National Statistics: National Well-being – Measuring what matters www. polyp. org. uk Polyp’s cartoons www. sealgd. org. uk SEAL and the Global Dimension http: //se-ed. co. uk SEEd (Sustainability and Environmental Education) www. teaching 4 abetterworld. co. uk Teaching for a Better World

Bibliography DCSF (Department of Children, Schools and Families, England) SCHOOLS’ ROLE IN PROMOTING PUPIL WELL-BEING, 2009 HH Dalai Lama & Cutler, Howard The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living Coronet books 1998 Foley, Michael The Age of Absurdity: Why Modern Life Makes it Hard to be Happy Simon and Schuster 2010 Layard, Richard Happiness: Lessons from a New Science Penguin 2005 Marks, Nic The Power of Well-being: Transforming public health policy, 17 th November 2008, Living Well West Midlands, Centre for Wellbeing, New Economics Foundation www. livingwellwestmidlands. org/downloads/Powerof. Wellbeing. ppt NEF A wellbeing manifesto for a flourishing society 2004 http: //www. neweconomics. org/publications/well-being-manifestoflourishing-society Ricard, Mathieu Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill Atlantic Books 2007 Wilkinson, Richard & Pickett, Kate The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone Penguin 2010 Hicks, D. (2010) The long transition: educating for optimism and hope in troubled times www. teaching 4 abetterworld. co. uk. /downloads. html Orr, D. (2009) Down to the Wire: Confronting climate collapse, Oxford: Oxford University Press Seligman, M (2006) Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life (New York: Vintage)