How do we measure well-being?
- zelrodgers
- Jun 26
- 2 min read
I find in my role as a Development Manager, topics seems to be rather like the buses. You have nothing for ages, and then the universe seems to bring a number of articles to your door, trying to bring your attention to the same issue.
I met with a colleague from the Wirral Intelligence service, who reminded me of a number of good things going on on their website. Recently published are the 2024/25 Public Health Annual Report (March 2025) and there is a second refresh of the Life Expectancy Report for 2021 - 2023 as later data has become available in August 2025.
I am also currently taking part in a pilot, with our registration body NAVCA which is taking an creative approach to how infrastructure organisations like Wirral CVS are able to measure their outcomes.
Exploring led me to the following trustworthy resources:
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) -
The well-being measures taking a look at Life Satisfaction, your life being worthwhile, your happiness, and your anxiety. The MNW is a much broader framework looking at
Health
Education and skills
What we do (employment and leisure)
Where we live
Personal finance
Governance
Environment
Economy
Relationships
Subjective well-being
ONS have also shared a report called Measuring progress, well-being and beyond GDP in the UK: May 2025
Many organisations will already be using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS)
Organisations will have developed their own measures using a number of methods, like outcome stars too.
This started me thinking about the need to get some training for our VCFSE organisations together on this issue, and look at developing some resources in the same vein. So, if you have any thoughts or ideas with regards to measuring well-being, do let me know and I will share!
Comments