Mental wellbeing is not the mere absence of mental illness. It is the capacity to feel, think and act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and respond to the challenges we face. It is a positive sense of emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing that respects the importance of culture, diversity, equity, social justice and personal dignity and the basis on which individuals; whanau, hapū and iwi and communities are able to thrive. Well individuals contribute to well whanau, communities, schools and workplaces, economies and societies. The social, economic, cultural and psychological determinants that contribute to mental wellbeing are broad ranging. Public and social policy, urban planning, the law, the environment and human rights all impact on mental wellbeing. Assessing the positive and negative impacts of public policy and services can contribute to a more mentally healthy, inclusive and equitable society.

What is Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment?
Developed in the United Kingdom, the Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment (MWIA) is rooted in the Health Impact Assessment methodology. Its principal aim is facilitating healthy public policy. With a specific focus on mental wellbeing, MWIA methodology is used to assess whether government, non-government agencies’ and private sector's policies, programs, projects and proposals have a negative or positive impact on the population in terms of wellbeing.

It identifies factors that are having, or have the potential to have, a negative or positive impact on mental well-being. Once identified, actions and indicators are developed to maximise positive outcomes and provide ways to measure this impact going forward. MWIA provides a structured, evidence based analysis of how policies, proposals, programmes and projects might influence mental health and well- being. With ever increasing policy emphasis on well-being, this tool provides an ideal methodology for supporting system reform to a well-being focus.

Predominantly the use of MWIA tool is for non-health sector agencies as the determinants of mental wellbeing are within the scope of agencies outside the health sector.

Education and training opportunities

Employment

Food security

Housing

Income support

Leisure and recreation

Personal and community Safety

Public Transport

Social connection

Social inclusion and community cohesiveness

Social support

Volunteering and community

Examples of how a Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment could help inform and influence mentally health public policy, planning and service delivery:

Child poverty reduction
Identifying essential mental wellbeing measures to be in included in child poverty reduction outcomes

Climate Change
Resiliency for coastal or drought prone communities to adapt to the impact of climate change and the increase in extreme weather events?

Community advocacy
Using MWIA to inform political or social advocacy or public submission to central, regional or local government.

Education Policy
Mental wellbeing impacts to be considered when Boards of Trustees develop and implement an exclusion from school policy

Employment preparation
Psycho-social considerations when designing work-ready or community based employment options for those receiving income support

Employment relations
Impact of split shifts on workers and their whanaus' wellbeing?

Housing
Wellbeing support initiatives for individuals and families in transient, short term or crowded housing situations.
Incorporating mental wellbeing principles in social housing design e.g colour schemes, use of natural light, access to services and public transport

Major Infrastructure projects
Mental wellbeing implications of a new expressway through an existing community

Disaster recovery planning
Short, medium and long term psycho-social interventions required after a major disaster e.g. an earthquake
Improving timely insurance assessment and payout processes to mitigate against further distress and possible mental illness

Public Transport
Impact of public transport service planning, service withdrawals, timetable changes or fare increase on low decile public transport users
Strategies to reduce peak hour congestion

Urban Planning and design
Design of green space to facilitate physical activity, leisure and recreation and social connection.
Incorporating positive mental wellbeing principles in new housing and suburb developments.

Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment Tool Training

Become competent in undertaking a mental wellbeing impact assessment. Register for the Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment Tool six-day training program.

​Workshops Outline:

Workshop 1: (2 days)

• Overview of Mental Wellbeing

• Evidence based approach to the Social, Economic, Psychological and Cultural Determinants of Mental Wellbeing

• Overview of the Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment & Introduction to the Toolkit

• Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment framework

  • Screening – Deciding should you carry out an MWIA?

  • Scoping – How you will carry out the MWIA

  • Appraisal process – Gathering and assessing the evidence

  • Identification of potential positive or negative impacts

  • Identification of indicators

  • Identification of recommendations and writing the report

• Examples of how MWIA can be applied

• Establishing the MWIA question, what impact do you want to assess and who do you want to influence with the assessment

• Identification of participants MWIA projects

  • Identifying project partners

  • Establishing stages and timeframes

  • Where to find the evidence

  • Action esearch, literature review and consultation processes

• Mentoring and buddy scheme for projects

Workshop 2 (1 day)

• Screening and scoping of MWIA

• Finalising Participants' Projects

Workshop 3 (1 day)

• Appraisal process - gathering and assessing the evidence

• Identification of potential positive and negative impacts

• Identification of indicators and recommendations

• Writing the MWIA report

• Participants' projects progress updates and peer review

Workshop 5 (1 day)

• Using the MWIA report to influence change

• Evaluating Impact

• Presentation by Participants of their Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment Report

​Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment Projects

Participants will be supported to undertake a mental wellbeing impact assessment on a work related project. The training program is spread over six months giving sufficient time for participants to progress their assessment and to receive peer review and feedback on each of the training days.

Course Dates - 2019
Workshop 1: Thursday 1 & Friday 2 August
Workshop 2: Thursday 5 September
Workshop 3: Thursday 17 October
Workshop 4: Thursday 28 November