October

Best known for helping affluent couples design the home of their dreams, Grand Designs Kevin McCloud has been helping the victims of the Christ Church earthquake plan for the regeneration of their community. Attending an event held by The Mental Health Foundation, McCloud spoke of the importance of supportive communities and affordable, good quality, sustainable and healthy homes, that nurture good mental health and wellbeing for all New Zealanders. New Zealand publication scope.co.nz draws attention to how poor living conditions have an adverse affect upon the wellbeing of the individuals and the greater community at large. Judi Clements, Chief Executive of The Mental Health Foundation, stated how she wished the future residents of the development to be proactive in its creation, remarking, 'I know we all wish to ensure a future where people are at the heart of decisions made about the environment in which we live'. Having experienced first hand the fragility of bricks and mortar, the residents of Christchurch will undoubtedly reap the benefits of building their futures upon the foundations of a strong and happy community.

Issues of community appear to be the hot topic for October. Acknowledging the importance of placing people at the heart of the community, the recent Gallup report finds that there is a 'clear relationship between "good jobs" and community attachment'. Looking at the responses of 134 countries worldwide, the report found a distinct correlation between full time employment and individual wellbeing. This, in turn, impacts on the individuals desire to remain residing within their local communities with the report disclosing that in 'no country where a relatively high proportion of people have good jobs is there also a high proportion who say they are likely to leave their communities'. One particularly engaging aspect of the report was their use of the old governmental stalwart of wellbeing measurement, GDP. Examining the results, the report finds that the relationship between the prevalence of full-time jobs and residents' intent to leave their communities remains strong even after taking per-capita GDP into account. The implications of this report indicate how steady employment not only has a positive effect upon the wellbeing of individuals, but can to help build stronger, more stable communities in the long term.

Community wellbeing has obviously been playing upon the Scots minds, also. In a U-turn against the drive to force larger numbers of young people through the university system, the Scottish government has instead declared its intentions to create a wider range of apprentice schemes for the unemployed and under represented 18-24 year olds. This move, as reported in heraldsctoland.com, aims to both alleviate the growing unemployment figures whilst simultaneously attracting more manufacturing based industry back into the country. The Scottish government has spoken of the need to move away from recent economic reliance upon the financial sector at the expense of the manufacturing industries, heralding recession resistant Germany as a guiding example of 'the potential strength of an economy foundedon the steel girders of manufacturing'. Hopefully this move will not only allow for the use of young peoples skills and talents but will see the UK return to its strong manufacturing and industrial roots.