IN BRIEF
Becoming a Destination Partner
What's Involved ?
Firstly, take the Happiness Index survey to understand what the project is about and the type of questions asked.
The survey is available in 21 languages. Check to see if it's available in the right language for your destination.
If the language you need isn’t available, we can provide a soft copy in English, advise and assist with suggestions to complete a translation.
While we do not have funds to support translation, experience suggests local NGOs or universities may be able to support this step.
If you're keen to move ahead and partner with us, the following 10 steps guide you through the process ahead.
What's Involved ?
Firstly, take the Happiness Index survey to understand what the project is about and the type of questions asked.
The survey is available in 21 languages. Check to see if it's available in the right language for your destination.
If the language you need isn’t available, we can provide a soft copy in English, advise and assist with suggestions to complete a translation.
While we do not have funds to support translation, experience suggests local NGOs or universities may be able to support this step.
If you're keen to move ahead and partner with us, the following 10 steps guide you through the process ahead.
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STEP 1
Convene Project Stakeholders, Identify a Project Manager, Undertake some Preliminary Planning
The first step is to talk to local stakeholders to identify partners and colleagues you can work with to deploy the Happiness Index survey
and ensure a good completion rate. This likely involves starting conversations with at least some of the following: local universities,
destination management organisations, government departments, tourism associations, chambers of commerce, NGOs,
civil society organisations, journalists, clubs, associations, and local schools.
Identify a local organisation and person to act as project manager to liaise with Planet Happiness,
coordinate with local stakeholders and develop a basic plan to move the project forwards.
STEP 2
Memorandum of Understanding with Planet Happiness
Email us at planethappiness@happycounts.org to register your interest to partner with us and we'll forward a short and simple MOU
setting out the roles and responsibilities of the local partner organisation and Planet Happiness.
The MOU covers training and support to deploy the Happiness Index and report on survey findings.
It also gives the local partner access to aggregate data and allows for comparison of data sets between communities.
The local partner is issued a unique URL for using the Happiness Index in the host language.
This step can involve public ceremonies and press releases.
Planet Happiness works with local partner to draft press releases for MOU signings.
STEP 3
Capacity Building
It's helpful to put together a small team of people to promote Planet Happiness locally
and encourage the host community to take the Happiness Index survey. The team might consist of local stakeholders
from different organisations or be made up of just one or two organisations such as a local NGO, government or
university department. Whatever the composition, it will likely be helpful for the team to learn about the Happiness Movement.
This might include, for example, learning about the Happiness Index,
why it asks the questions it does, what techniques can be used to maximise local take-up of the survey
and how to develop a report card summarising the results of the survey's deployment.
The Planet Happiness team advises the local counterpart on training and capacity building options
and provides access to reading and on-line resources.
STEP 4
RAISING AWARENESS ON SITE
Before deploying the survey on site, it's helpful to raise local awareness about the project and the Happiness Movement.
The aim is to encourage people to take the survey. A number of activities can be done to promote awareness including media releases,
organising local talks in tea/coffee shops and community-centres, establishing a Facebook page and, for example,
screening films about the Happiness Movement of which there are a growing number !
Also see the inspiring video at the bottom of this webpage, demonstrating the amazing steps taken by Brazils' Instituto Visao Futuro
to deploy the survey among target communities.
STEP 5
GATHERING HAPPINESS INDEX DATA
The Happiness Index is deployed in this step. The initial aim is to gather enough data to start conversations about happiness and wellbeing
and show how the data can be used by communities. Initially, we're aiming for sites to gather data from at least 200 residents.
Once this target os reached, we'll post and share destination score cards on the website. In this step,
Planet Happiness also advises on alternative options to deploy the survey in destinations where the internet isn't available
or manual completion of surveys is a preferred method to embrace target communities.
Convene Project Stakeholders, Identify a Project Manager, Undertake some Preliminary Planning
The first step is to talk to local stakeholders to identify partners and colleagues you can work with to deploy the Happiness Index survey
and ensure a good completion rate. This likely involves starting conversations with at least some of the following: local universities,
destination management organisations, government departments, tourism associations, chambers of commerce, NGOs,
civil society organisations, journalists, clubs, associations, and local schools.
Identify a local organisation and person to act as project manager to liaise with Planet Happiness,
coordinate with local stakeholders and develop a basic plan to move the project forwards.
STEP 2
Memorandum of Understanding with Planet Happiness
Email us at planethappiness@happycounts.org to register your interest to partner with us and we'll forward a short and simple MOU
setting out the roles and responsibilities of the local partner organisation and Planet Happiness.
The MOU covers training and support to deploy the Happiness Index and report on survey findings.
It also gives the local partner access to aggregate data and allows for comparison of data sets between communities.
The local partner is issued a unique URL for using the Happiness Index in the host language.
This step can involve public ceremonies and press releases.
Planet Happiness works with local partner to draft press releases for MOU signings.
STEP 3
Capacity Building
It's helpful to put together a small team of people to promote Planet Happiness locally
and encourage the host community to take the Happiness Index survey. The team might consist of local stakeholders
from different organisations or be made up of just one or two organisations such as a local NGO, government or
university department. Whatever the composition, it will likely be helpful for the team to learn about the Happiness Movement.
This might include, for example, learning about the Happiness Index,
why it asks the questions it does, what techniques can be used to maximise local take-up of the survey
and how to develop a report card summarising the results of the survey's deployment.
The Planet Happiness team advises the local counterpart on training and capacity building options
and provides access to reading and on-line resources.
STEP 4
RAISING AWARENESS ON SITE
Before deploying the survey on site, it's helpful to raise local awareness about the project and the Happiness Movement.
The aim is to encourage people to take the survey. A number of activities can be done to promote awareness including media releases,
organising local talks in tea/coffee shops and community-centres, establishing a Facebook page and, for example,
screening films about the Happiness Movement of which there are a growing number !
Also see the inspiring video at the bottom of this webpage, demonstrating the amazing steps taken by Brazils' Instituto Visao Futuro
to deploy the survey among target communities.
STEP 5
GATHERING HAPPINESS INDEX DATA
The Happiness Index is deployed in this step. The initial aim is to gather enough data to start conversations about happiness and wellbeing
and show how the data can be used by communities. Initially, we're aiming for sites to gather data from at least 200 residents.
Once this target os reached, we'll post and share destination score cards on the website. In this step,
Planet Happiness also advises on alternative options to deploy the survey in destinations where the internet isn't available
or manual completion of surveys is a preferred method to embrace target communities.
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STEP 6
DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING
The results from the data gathering are summarised and reported back to the destination community. One-page score cards
across the 11 domains allow for quick comparison with all other survey takers (image above left), or between sites.
Results across the domains can also be stacked from low to high to illustrate where action may be needed to address deficiencies
and strengthen community wellbeing (image above right).
One-page score cards are especially useful for media articles to encourage discussion about the project and its aims, both locally and globally.
More substantive and focused reports can also be produced from the wealth of data collected through the survey.
These reports can be tailored to the needs and interests of different audiences, including the host community local government and for academic purposes.
Click on the Happiness Report Card 2018 below to see an example of how survey data can be presented in an engaging format.
The focus and content of Planet Happiness reports will vary from site to site depending upon the results harvested
and issues shaping destination development.
Reports will also be composed comparing results between and across World Heritage sites.
STEP 7
CONVENING THE COMMUNITY AND GATHERING FEEDBACK
Convene local meetings and stakeholder forums to discuss the collective results. This might be done through townhall style meetings or on-line.
Contrast and compare your collective results with the results of other destinations partnering with Planet Happiness.
Through consultation processes, identify what government, businesses and other stakeholders can do to support and strengthen
the collective well-being of host communities.
Planet Happiness together with its wider partnership network will work with you to support and assist this process.
STEP 8
SELECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF HAPPINESS INTERVENTION(S)
A process is designed to gather suggestions for happiness interventions and determine which one(s) should be carried forward to implementation.
Activities to implement my be decided by the government, by communities or by the tourism private sector.
Implementation plans are drawn up and activities implemented, with the focal point sharing information with the Planet Happiness Team.
STEP 9
ASSESSMENT OF INTERVENTION & HAPPINESS INDEX ITERATIONS
The Happiness Index is deployed in an iterative manner to assess the impact of the activities and intervention(s) that have been implemented.
The process to re-deploy the survey retraces steps 4 to 8 above, building upon success stories and, hopefully,
greater destination of the project its aims and objectives.
The aim over time, is for the survey deployment to move from a convenience to a random sampling approach,
thereby using diligently and robustly gathered data to shape and develop a wellbeing economy
shaped by happiness rather financial objectives.
STEP 10
CROSS-SITE COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION
Throughout the Planet Happiness process and approach, learnings will be shared between sites. This will support and underpin capacity building at each step and will be especially helpful in terms of sharing awareness raising activities in Step 4,
and interventions that might be designed and implemented in Step 8.
Planet Happiness will also strive to convene conferences and workshops (both real and virtual on-line events) to share lessons and good practice between sites. Collectively the project and its partners will diligently work to address issues of overtourism and sustainability.
DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING
The results from the data gathering are summarised and reported back to the destination community. One-page score cards
across the 11 domains allow for quick comparison with all other survey takers (image above left), or between sites.
Results across the domains can also be stacked from low to high to illustrate where action may be needed to address deficiencies
and strengthen community wellbeing (image above right).
One-page score cards are especially useful for media articles to encourage discussion about the project and its aims, both locally and globally.
More substantive and focused reports can also be produced from the wealth of data collected through the survey.
These reports can be tailored to the needs and interests of different audiences, including the host community local government and for academic purposes.
Click on the Happiness Report Card 2018 below to see an example of how survey data can be presented in an engaging format.
The focus and content of Planet Happiness reports will vary from site to site depending upon the results harvested
and issues shaping destination development.
Reports will also be composed comparing results between and across World Heritage sites.
STEP 7
CONVENING THE COMMUNITY AND GATHERING FEEDBACK
Convene local meetings and stakeholder forums to discuss the collective results. This might be done through townhall style meetings or on-line.
Contrast and compare your collective results with the results of other destinations partnering with Planet Happiness.
Through consultation processes, identify what government, businesses and other stakeholders can do to support and strengthen
the collective well-being of host communities.
Planet Happiness together with its wider partnership network will work with you to support and assist this process.
STEP 8
SELECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF HAPPINESS INTERVENTION(S)
A process is designed to gather suggestions for happiness interventions and determine which one(s) should be carried forward to implementation.
Activities to implement my be decided by the government, by communities or by the tourism private sector.
Implementation plans are drawn up and activities implemented, with the focal point sharing information with the Planet Happiness Team.
STEP 9
ASSESSMENT OF INTERVENTION & HAPPINESS INDEX ITERATIONS
The Happiness Index is deployed in an iterative manner to assess the impact of the activities and intervention(s) that have been implemented.
The process to re-deploy the survey retraces steps 4 to 8 above, building upon success stories and, hopefully,
greater destination of the project its aims and objectives.
The aim over time, is for the survey deployment to move from a convenience to a random sampling approach,
thereby using diligently and robustly gathered data to shape and develop a wellbeing economy
shaped by happiness rather financial objectives.
STEP 10
CROSS-SITE COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION
Throughout the Planet Happiness process and approach, learnings will be shared between sites. This will support and underpin capacity building at each step and will be especially helpful in terms of sharing awareness raising activities in Step 4,
and interventions that might be designed and implemented in Step 8.
Planet Happiness will also strive to convene conferences and workshops (both real and virtual on-line events) to share lessons and good practice between sites. Collectively the project and its partners will diligently work to address issues of overtourism and sustainability.
Read the Happiness Report Card Quarter One by the Happiness Alliance
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Watch the video explaining Brazil's Gross National Happiness Project lead by Susan Andrews.
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