A Place and Wellbeing Assessment is a tool designed to guide decision-making around a specific plan, policy or proposal. Its purpose is to inform decisions by evaluating potential impacts on a place and its influence on the wellbeing of both people and the environment.
Conducted early in the decision-making process, the Assessment fosters collaboration and constructive dialogue aimed at identifying optimal impact, rather than serving as a critique.
A Place and Wellbeing Assessment can be conducted for any plan, policy or proposal, ranging from high-level policies at regional level to more specific projects at the local scale. Each Assessment is tailored to the decision-making process it supports.
The Shaping Places for Wellbeing Programme launched the use of assessments as an integral part of its ambition to improve Scotland’s wellbeing by reducing the significant inequality in the health and wellbeing of its people.
The process includes four stages:
- Pre-Assessment Planning and Setup
- The Assessment Session
- Writing and Sharing the Report
- Moving Forward with Recommendations
Throughout 2022 and 2024 over 30 Place and Wellbeing Assessments were completed covering a range of plans and strategies across different stakeholders. You can review the reports on the Place and Wellbeing Assessment - Our Work So Far webpage.
Place and Wellbeing Assessment: How To Guide
The Place and Wellbeing Assessment: How-To Guide sets out the context to consider whether to undertake a Place and Wellbeing Assessment, details the practical steps involved throughout the Assessment process and shares insight on the process gained from local project activity.
The guide assumes that users already have some understanding of the impact that place has on the wellbeing of people, planet and reducing inequalities. An understanding of the contribution of the Place and Wellbeing Outcomes to improve places is also helpful.
If the Shaping Places for Wellbeing place-based approach sounds like something you would like to know more about, please contact Irene Beautyman, Place and Wellbeing Partnership Lead, below. Alternatively, follow us on LinkedIn - Planning and Place-Based Approaches, to keep up to date with the Planning and Place-Based Programmes from within the Improvement Service, and X @place4wellbeing to recap on the Shaping Places for Wellbeing Programme’s journey.
Irene Beautyman - Place and Wellbeing Partnership Lead
Phone: 07908 930763
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Planning for Place Programme
The Planning for Place Programme supports councils and their partners to collaborate around place, seeking to encourage place-based approaches to joint planning, resourcing and delivery of places that enable all communities to flourish.
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National Planning Improvement Programme
The National Planning Improvement Champion is responsible for monitoring the performance of planning authorities and providing advice to them (and others) on what steps might be taken to improve their performance.
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Planning Skills
The Planning Skills Programme co-ordinates training events for public sector planning officers, with the aim to develop the skills required to deliver better places.
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Digital Planning
The Digital Planning team at the Improvement Service collaborates with local government to enhance and unify data related to planning and building standards. This work aims to develop a cohesive national data landscape, fostering insights and supporting informed decision-making.
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Shaping Places for Wellbeing Place-based Approach
The Shaping Places for Wellbeing Programme is a joint delivery partnership between the Improvement Service and Public Health Scotland. This forum is for those interested in our work supporting the role of place to reduce inequality and improve the wellbeing of people and planet.
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Place Network
For those interested in the importance of place as a working approach to delivering national outcomes around improved wellbeing and inclusive growth.