Community wellbeing: policy context - ARCHIVED

In recent years policy has increasingly embraced the idea of wellbeing, moving away from a narrow definition of health towards one which includes social and emotional factors. Numerous white papers, statements and strategies aim at improving Scotland's wellbeing, including the Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027, Equally Well, 2008 and the Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) wellbeing indicator set.

In 2020, the report by the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery, Towards a Robust, Resilient Wellbeing Economy for Scotland, and the Scottish Government’s response, reinforced this approach. 

The distribution of power relationships between communities and institutions (e.g. local and national government), and within and between communities, can influence health and health inequalities, and ultimately community wellbeing.

The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act became law in July 2015.  The aim of the bill is to "make it easier for communities to have their voices heard, to take ownership over local land and buildings, to shape local services and to have more influence over the decisions that affect their area".  Community empowerment can have an impact on a range of outcomes in the Government’s National Performance Framework.   

Community engagement, defined as "a way to build and sustain relationships between public services and community groups", can contribute to improving community wellbeing by developing a shared understanding of community needs and co-producing public service responses to them.

Publications by What Works Scotland, Audit Scotland, the International Making Place Conference and Glasgow Centre for Population Health provide principles, messages and case studies for improving places and empowering communities.  The Scottish Community Development Centre, Scottish Government and What Works Scotland have also published a set of National Standards for Community Engagement which could be helpful.  In addition, the Community Development Alliance Scotland has published a booklet on how community development happens.

The Scottish Government has also set a number of community targets in Scotland Performs (the means by which progress towards the National Performance Framework is being measured).

The Place Standard tool might help support communities, public agencies, voluntary groups and others to improve their local places and improve health and wellbeing. 

In 2020, the Scottish Parliament Local Government and Communities Committee published a summary of responses to a consultation on priorities for supporting community wellbeing.