Date post: | 21-Jan-2017 |
Category: |
Government & Nonprofit |
Upload: | the-happiness-alliance-home-of-the-happiness-initiative-and-gross-national-happiness-index |
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Pathways to Happinessfo
r are
as w
here
peo
ple
pay attention to what people think
government officials
do not feel
Pathways to Happiness are ways
people & government officials
between
to better the relationship
Communities everywhere
score low in
Government100= happiest
Let’s look at one aspect of government:
the feeling that government officials are paying attention
to what people think
On average, people feel local officials pay attention to what people think
a score below 40 means we do not feel local officials pay attention to what people think, below 60 means we feel indifferently
Courageous Policies
vote holiday (or weekend)
http://www.whytuesday.org/make-election-day-a-federal-holiday/
information about a vote holiday
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, India, Singapore
a few countries with not voting is illegal (punished by fines)
participatory governance
concept to implementation then measuring impact & assessment
people participating decide the goal of the policy, program or project
government officials goal is participation
citizens are involved at all stages of government:
and how it gets done
creates a virtuous cycle of citizen engagement & community well-being
resources for participatory governance
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/CUSP_110108_Participatory%20Gov.pdf
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol15/iss4/art26/
a white paper:
case studies, tips and hard won lessons:
http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/lawmaking/gov-iceland-writes-worlds-1st-crowd-sourced-constitution.html
an interesting experiment – Iceland’s constitution:
participatory budgeting
Chicago was the first to try participatory budgeting in 2009
citizens decide how city, region or department spend funds
San Francisco, New York & Seattle followed
resources for participatory budgeting
http://www.participatorybudgeting.org/about-participatory-budgeting/examples-of-participatory-budgeting/
https://roarmag.org/essays/real-direct-participatory-democracy/
an interesting article:
more example programshttp://pb.cambridgema.gov/
example program
What’s it going to take?
activism
write letters & make phone calls to your local government officials
get involved in the political process in a way that feels good to you
get & stay involved in your local government
write op-ed pieces
talk politics – with an open heart
volunteer go to events donate small
band together
ask for support from like-minded organizations in your area
when you can, partner with other people & organizations
work with others who have like visions
when you can’t, bring other’s interest to the table anyway
insist
talk to your local elected and appointed officials
even as others you band with ebb & flow, keep on talking
don’t give up
keep talking to them
Other policies in the Pathways to Happiness tool series
Campaign finance reformGuaranteed basic income
Media reformMassive public transportation
Local food relianceVillage living (cities and rural)
Multi-use zoningPublic spaces
Political festivalsParticipatory governance
Participatory budgetingAnti-corruption policies
Transparency in governmentCompassion training for policeCommunity-based monitoring
Sousveillance Vote holiday
Vacation lawsFamily leave laws
Sick leave lawsFlex time and job share laws
Telecommuting policiesBabies at work policiesIntergenerational care
Department of neighborhoodsVolunteer programs
Mindfulness practice in schoolsSocial justice awareness raising
Mental health –priority counseling
We envision a world where all beings can thrive.
Can you envision it too?happycounts.org