The UWell project below has resulted in the development of the Being Well – Doing Good social movement which is about caring of self, others, nature and the future.
UWELL DEVELOPMENT: 2018-2019
A place-based model using 21st century thinking that is co-creating cultures of Being well – Doing good. Guiding principles and collective action combine to empower this advocacy, public awareness and participation approach.
Vision: Wellbeing and vitality for all.
Mission: Co-creating organisation, school and community cultures of Being well – Doing good.
Leverage Points / Guiding Principles
In-depth inquiry and practices are uncovering conditions that are holding problems in place. Research-based principles direct actions towards shifting these conditions and creating social impact.
Research-Based Guiding Principles:
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Supporting safe, just and generative places for change. (Systems Change Framework – 2018)
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Choosing wise actions to care for self, others and nature. (Beneficial Action – 2016)
- Regenerating primary sources of health and wellbeing. (Salutogenesis – 1979)
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Cultivating everyday leadership and learning. (Benefit Mindset – 2017)
Collaborative approaches taken by groups of people for achieving a common goal. Key evidence-informed action – reflection strategies guided by research are adapted at a local level to maximise social impact.
Stepping into the Field of the Future- Discovering paths to purpose and meaning through supporting movements of change across the ecological, social and spiritual divides.
Contemplative Practices- Embedding contemplative practices aligns awareness of self and our surrounds, and assists managing our attention, emotions and behaviours.
Strength-Based Activities- Utilising a character strength survey to identify individual and group capacities that enhance enjoyment, innovation and engagement.
21-Day+ Challenges- Shifting foundational components and key factors that are holding problems in place by way of simple daily actions recorded and reflected upon over time.
UWell is at a current development stage that is working towards purposeful community engagement. This engagement will help co-design and co-initiate the initial Being well – Doing good actions and reflection strategies at a local level.
NOTE: For further information please review the Community Presentation.
Supporting Research and Guiding Principles
Salutogenesis is a medical approach focusing on factors that support human health and wellbeing, rather than on factors that cause disease (pathogenesis).
Central to Antonovsky’s Salutogenic model of health is the Sense of Coherence which is formula that has three components:
Comprehensibility: Believing that the challenge is understood
Manageability: Believing that resources to cope are available
Meaningfulness: Wishing to, be motivated to, cope
According to Antonovsky the third component Meaningfulness is the most important – If a person believes there is no reason to persist and survive and confront challenges, if they have no sense of meaning, then they will have no motivation to comprehend and manage events.
NOTE: Research demonstrates that a strong Sense of Coherence predicts positive health outcomes.
A benefit mindset builds on a growth mindset, where we not only seek to fulfil our potential, but choose to do it in a way that serves the wellbeing of all. Visit Video: Fixed, Growth and Benefit Mindset
Beneficial Action is prosocially and altruistically motivated behaviour that uses consequential knowledge to increase freedom within the global population.
The Systems Change Framework is a sense-making tool to support individuals and collaborations to become more familiar and capable of working in systems and towards systems change.
Who is behind UWell?
UWell is a coordinated by the Ties for Lives Foundation, a not-for-profit health promotion charity that operates as a social enterprise based on the Mornington Peninsula and is supported by Community Partners.
We appreciate the support and guidance of Ash Buchanan (Benefit Mindset), John Toumbourou (Beneficial Action) and Monica Bensberg ( Initiating conversations that matter -Practical know-how for prevention). We acknowledge the outstanding life-work of Aaron Antonovsky the author of the Salutogenic model of health.
How can I get involved?
UWell is a multi-method (Advocacy, Public awareness or Participation) approach and your involvement will depend on where you see you can assist, support or influence one or more of the multi-method domains.
The four supporting areas of research are not in general circulation and sharing this webpage or sharing the research papers attached or part of the research that more fully explain these ideas can be an effective way of advocacy.
Opening up a conversation within organisation, school or community using the UWell – Wellbeing and vitality for All diagram can be an effective way of public awareness that can lead to bringing communities of interest together.
Participation can be as easy as making a personal goal to learn more about one or more of the supporting research or making a commitment to Being well – Doing good.
Exploring Activities. Here are a few simple activities for schools and communities to explore the power of mindsets: 6 – The Mindset activities Challenge. Click Here
Should you have any questions please feel free to reach out. We welcome your feedback, ideas and will provide guidance and assists where we can.
What inspired the development of UWell?
UWell was inspired by awareness-based systems change and collaboration study to tackle complex health and social issues through ACFID’s SDG toolkit, Theory U U.lab tools and through having an active involvement in school and community collaborative initiatives across the Mornington Peninsula.
How do we contact UWell?
For support information on the Mornington Peninsula contact: David L Wright dlw@thecoast.com.au
Reference material and guiding research:
THE SYSTEMS CHANGE FRAMEWORK
Davidson S and Morgan M. Systems Change Framework. Sax Institute, September 2018.
THE BENEFIT MINDSET: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CONTRIBUTION AND EVERYDAY LEADERSHIP.
BENEFICIAL ACTION WITH ALTRUISTIC AND PROSOCIAL BEHAVIUORS
John W. Toumbourou – Deakin University was published in the American Psychological Association – Review of General Psychology 2016, Vol. 20, https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000081
THE SALUTOGENESIS HANDBOOK – AN INNOVATIVE PERSPECTIVE ON HEALTH PROMOTION, HEALTH CARE, AND WELLNESS. Maurice B. Mittelmark, Shifra Sagy, Monica Eriksson, Georg F. Bauer, Jürgen M. Pelikan, Bengt Lindström, Geir Arild Espnes https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-04600-6#toc
Centre for Community Child Health – Murdoch Children’s Research Institute/The Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria.
(2018) Place-based collective impact: an Australian response to childhood vulnerability, Policy Brief Number 30.
(2018) Child Mental Health: A Time for Innovation, Policy Brief Number 29.
(2017) Using Evidence in Policy and Programs Policy Brief Number 27.
Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist. Kate Raworth – Doughnut Economics https://www.kateraworth.com/animations/
TED talk- A healthy economy should be designed to thrive, not grow
UChicago – Consortium on Chicago School Research 2015
Foundations for Young Adults Success: A Developmental Framework
For further information contact: David L Wright
A reflective piece by David L Wright – An Old Salt’s Way to a Brighter Future. Winner – Somers Paper Nautilus short story competition 2019
Updated 9/11/2019
