The research developed in this theme will be used to develop innovative tools and frameworks which residents can use to monitor the prosperity and quality of life in their community.
The Prosperity Team leads scientific research on wellbeing and its challenges in local neighbourhoods. We adopt a participatory approach where data collected by Citizen Scientists is used to develop urban interventions that address their own community’s needs and create positive change in the neighbourhood.
As part of the process of developing a Prosperity Index for different locations, the RELIEF Prosperity Team will be consulting with stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges of their neighbourhoods. Citizen Scientists will be mapping different neighborhoods, interviewing stakeholders who are part of the local community, and conducting a household survey which will ask residents about their quality of life. Mapping will allow the identification and analysis of spatial patterns.
Our approach to developing a Prosperity Index is based on three key principles: it is a context-specific measure of prosperity, it is based on collaboration and co-design, and it focuses on fine-grained data.
By mapping social & urban conditions at the neighborhood level, we aim to capture evidence about the multiple issues relating to quality of life in local communities across the country. RELIEF Centre will make relevant data available to the public on a forthcoming interactive platform. This will allow knowledge exchanges between academics, public institutions and the broader community. The Prosperity Index is part of a wider effort by RELIEF Centre to re-think what prosperity means and to develop new measures for governance, policymaking and interventions.