Network of Wellbeing: Igniting Connection and Action

In the battle for a sustainable future, negative messages tend to steal the spotlight. Folks are constantly barraged with what they should not do rather than being shown practical examples of active steps they can take to make a positive difference. 

We spoke with Roger Higman, Director of Network of Wellbeing, about how this network is connecting people passionate about wellbeing for all and providing tangible ways to contribute to a sustainable world.

What inspired you to start advocating for the Wellbeing Economy?

I have over 30 years of experience campaigning on environmental issues. Previously, I worked in a variety of positions at Friends of the Earth in London, where I ended up with the responsibility for integrating messages on economics, fairness, and the environment into a coherent whole. 

In doing that, I came to the conclusion that many of the debates that we engaged in (and even the structure of our organizations) focused almost exclusively on the problems we were concerned with: climate change, biodiversity loss, chemical pollution, and so on. As a result, it was easier for us to say what we were against than what we were for. Moreover, those positive visions that had been developed, such as sustainable development, tended to focus on what society should be like rather than what individuals could aspire to. As such, they were difficult to explain and often left a vacuum in which the public heard only negative messages, like “don’t drive,” “don’t fly,” “don’t eat meat,” “don’t use plastics,” and so on. 

So, when I started learning about wellbeing, I was hooked. Here was something we could all aspire to that needn’t cost the Earth. Looking deeper, especially at the evidence from positive psychology, I realized that if we directed societies toward wellbeing, we could create fairer, sustainable civilizations through which everybody could thrive.

For the last nine years, I have been the Director of the Network of Wellbeing (NOW). Our mission is to connect people, support projects, and inspire action for the wellbeing of people and planet. That has enabled me to host debates on the Wellbeing Economy and create practical projects that give an idea of what a Wellbeing Economy might look like in practice.

What do you consider to be your biggest success as an advocate and professional in this space? Can you share any stories of the impact your work has had that have surprised you?

Three things. 

Firstly, we’ve brought the UK’s nascent wellbeing movement together through events in ways that hadn’t previously been done. In 2017, and then again in 2019, we organized two Building Wellbeing Together weekends at the lovely Hawkwood College in Stroud. It demonstrated that there were people across the UK and beyond who thought along similar lines and was a factor in the setting up of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll). 

Secondly, in 2017, we set up the Share Shed — A Library of Things. This enables people to borrow things they only use occasionally, thereby enabling people to pursue their dreams while saving them money and reducing the consumption of natural resources. A film made at the launch was viewed over 1.5 million times by people all over the world. In 2021, the Share Shed went mobile as the world’s first travelling library of things. It now serves seven towns weekly and is a testament to how a new Wellbeing Economy could help people meet their needs at lower cost to themselves and the planet. 

Thirdly, you may not believe it but, in 2018, someone gave us a retreat centre! Nestled on a hillside in the Devon countryside, Eden Rise comprises two linked 19th-century barns that have been converted to sleep up to 20 people. It is our very own haven for wellbeing and is used for all sorts of yoga, meditation, and personal development retreats.

How do you feel that shifting to a Wellbeing Economy will help make the world better?

When we focus on wellbeing, we focus on what truly matters to people. That means we factor in the importance of fairness, work-life balance, public space and public institutions, vibrant and supportive communities, and respect for natural ecosystems and the benefits they provide. The world has enough for everyone’s needs but not for the greed of those who want it all. By focusing on wellbeing, we can meet people’s needs — the physical ones, for fresh air, water, food, shelter, and so on; and the emotional needs for connection, love, friendship, meaning, purpose, and more. And we can do so in ways that preserve the Earth so that future generations can meet their needs too.   

What are some of the challenges you typically face in advocating for the Wellbeing Economy?

The world is the way it is because somebody benefits from it. There are vast corporations and their shareholders with an interest in the resource-intensive, polluting, unfair economy we have now. These institutions have a stranglehold on political discourse and will resist change. Yet, we can subvert and resist that stranglehold. By discussing and demonstrating what could be, we show people that a better world can exist. By demanding and pressing for changes to policy and practices, we bring that better world into existence.   

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects related to your work/the Wellbeing Economy you’d like to share?

This year, we’re focusing on our offer to our audience. We have almost 30,000 people following us, including over 5,000 who have signed up for our monthly newsletter. We know that these people have a passion for wellbeing and many work professionally to deliver it in practice. We’re working to improve our offer to them. We know they want more online events (because they’ve told us) so we’re working to set these up. 

But, we’re also keen to explore whether we can inspire these people to act — by connecting them with each other. At the moment, we struggle to reach our audience on social media. The algorithms seem to be against us. For example, over 700 people have signed up for our Building Wellbeing Together group on Facebook, but a typical post is only seen by about 50. So we’re exploring whether we can set up our own online social network. We hope that, by connecting people with like-minded, passionate people, they will become advocates for our mission and, as a result, a host of new ideas will bloom.       

What can people do to help spread word about or take action toward transitioning to the Wellbeing Economy? How can they support your mission?

We have a presence on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. People can follow us on social media or sign up for our newsletter. 

We also welcome contributors to our blog and love to publicize events organized by others.

We live through collaboration and are open to suggestions for partnerships of all kinds.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine: