Community wellbeing: policy context

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 recent white papers, statements and strategies have improving Scotland's wellbeing as an aim, including Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland, 2009-2011, the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, Improving Health In Scotland - the Challenge, 2003, Building Community Wellbeing in Scotland, 2003, and Equally Well, 2008. 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).