Well-being of Future Generations: Continuous learning and improvement plan progress update - February 2024

The Well-being of Future Generations Act helps us to ask a fundamental question:

How can what we do today benefit people living now without undermining the ability of future generations to meet their own needs?

The Act places sustainable development as the central organising principle of the Welsh Government and helps us achieve balance and integration between our cultural, economic, social and environmental aspirations.

Continuous learning and improvement in the Welsh Government

In February 2023 we published the ‘Well-being of Future Generations Continuous Learning and Improvement Plan’. The WFG CLIP set out what changes we would make between 2023 and 2025 to deepen the understanding and application of the sustainable development principle in how the Welsh Government works. This means embedding the 5 ways of working at the heart of our work – valuing integration, collaboration, and involvement as equally as long-term thinking and prevention.

We did this because the Welsh Ministers have a duty to carry out sustainable development and act in accordance with the sustainable development principle. The Welsh Government also has a role in leading, inspiring and providing direction to Wales on how to apply the Act.

In Wales, thinking about generations now and in the future is not just the work of the Welsh Government alone. Over 100 Welsh public bodies are subject to duties laid out in the Act. Many other organisations, businesses, communities and people not bound by such duties, have never-the-less been inspired to take action because of it. Many of them are organising their work around fundamental principles and practices that were either created by the Act or have emerged over the last decade because of it.

To make sure the latest thinking is incorporated into all that we do, we need to continually develop, monitor and evolve systems and practices that help the whole of the public, private and third sectors to deliver the promise requested by so many citizens in the national conversation that proceeded the creation of the Act – the Wales we Want. To give an idea of scale, the WFG CLIP contains over 50 actions, held by 40 action holders which, taken as a whole, deliver change within an organisation of approximately 5,250 people. Progress against each action is monitored by the Sustainable Futures Division. Some of the actions in the WFG CLIP have been completed already. Some will take longer to complete, due to their scope and reach.

Often these actions cut across themes, involve multiple departments within the Welsh Government and many of our external stakeholders, who contribute a great deal to our understanding of what will improve our practice. This includes our key partner, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, with whom we work closely on several of our actions, building on the recommendations from their Section 20 review. All the improvements we make to our work are guided by the 5 ways of working. It is our intention to have completed all actions by the end of 2025.

Welsh Government’s Sustainable Governance Framework

The original WFG CLIP, and this progress update, are both structured around the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Governance Framework.

The central organising principle of the framework is the 5 ways of working:

• long-term
• integration
• involvement
• collaboration
• prevention

Theme 1: Welsh Ministers

Maximising Government’s contribution to the well-being goals by setting and delivering well-being objectives:

• understanding government’s contribution to the goals
• programme for government (well-being objectives)
• delivery
• reviewing objectives annually
• communicating (annual report)
• promoting sustainable development.

Theme 2: Enabling others

Enabling, leading and influencing others to contribute to the well-being goals:

• our relationship with delivery partners / WGSBs
• influencing others
• third sector
• business
• public sector
• statutory guidance
• communications
• international promotion.

Theme 3: Understanding Wales

Enabling more sustainable decisions and policies through better insight into Wales now and Wales’ future:

• tracking national progress against the goals (50 national Indicators)
• deciding on the scale of change (National Milestones)
• annual ‘Well-being of Wales’ report
• ‘Future Trends Report’ (every electoral term)
• National Survey of Wales
• Knowledge & Analytical Services.

Theme 4: Civil Service

Improving the support and advice to Welsh Ministers by embedding the 5 ways of working.

Welsh Government assurance domains:

1. Corporate planning and review
2. Operational delivery (including grant/procurement)
3. Financial asset management
4. People and culture
5. Information management and security
6. Risk and regularity compliance
7. Integrated policy making

Theme 5: Culture change

To make working sustainably a visible part of our behaviours.

Theme 6: Making it happen

We are continually driving the improvements in acting in accordance with the sustainable development principle with the buy in and oversight of a diverse range of officials and can confidently tell our story of improvement and learning.

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This section gives a detailed account of our progress on all actions identified in the ‘Well-being of Future Generations: Continuous Learning and Improvement Plan’. In it you will find 6 sub-sections, each one covering one of the themes identified in the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Governance Framework (see above).

For each of these themes we have provided a quick introduction to the theme before going on to describe what we are learning from the work we are doing and what resources we are finding particularly useful. These are our top tips. We would love to hear about yours via Sustainable.Futures@gov.wales

We also offer a detailed account of progress on each action from the original WFG CLIP and a brief concluding summary. This is by no means intended to be a final word, just part of our ongoing dialogue with all our stakeholders. We hope you feel invited to get in touch.

Convening (online, in person, and hybrid) spaces, in which we can think differently, be creative and develop collaborative solutions, is central to success.

There is still, and always will be, a huge amount to learn. As we apply the sustainable development principle we discover how to involve, collaborate, integrate, prevent, and think long-term more deeply next time. This continuous process of collective learning is central to successful implementation of the Act and how government, specified public bodies and of course others adopting this approach, are moving Wales towards the 7 well-being goals.

Introduction

The role of Welsh Ministers in relation to the Well-being of Future Generations Act is to maximise the Welsh Government’s contribution to the well-being goals by setting and delivering well-being objectives. The WFG CLIP identified 7 actions in this theme:

• annual reporting on the ‘Programme for Government’
• assisting the executive committee in applying the sustainable development principle
• engaging with our international network
• our role as the convenor of the Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder Forum
• raising awareness of well-being goals across Wales
• increasing awareness of our Future Trends Report’ with ministers and senior leaders
• scoping the nature of an evaluation of the Act.

For full descriptions of all the actions and the progress we have made in each (between February 2023 and February 2024) please go to 'Our progress on CLIP actions 1.1 - 1.7 (February 2023 – February 2024)'. First, find out what we are learning from our work and what we are finding helpful.

What are we learning?

The Well-being of Future Generations Act is our best, most practical and ethical lens through which to view decision making. It works with, and compliments other legal duties that guide and shape how we make decisions in the Welsh Government. However difficult or pressing those decisions appear to be, taking time to apply the 5 ways of working helps us do better.

The updated ‘Programme for Government’ published in December 2021 sets out our 10 well-being objectives which we believe are the areas where we can make the greatest contribution towards the 7 well-being goals.

In line with the sustainable development principle, they focus on the key enablers, which allow people and communities to prosper and thrive, now and in the future, as well as ensuring we preserve and restore Wales’ natural environment and resources for future generations. More details of Welsh Government’s progress towards delivering our well-being objectives can be found in our Programme for Government annual reports.

Members of the Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder Forum have supported us in the development of the continuous learning and improvement plan. We are grateful to them and to al the civil servants involved.

What are we finding helpful? (Our top tips)

This Ways of Working Progress Checker developed by the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

Sharing the learning of meeting our Well-being of Future Generation duties by bringing existing and new bodies together through our knowledge Exchange events.

Our progress on CLIP actions 1.1 - 1.7 (February 2023 – February 2024)

1.1 We will continue to embed the well-being objectives into our annual reporting on the ‘Programme for Government’

The Welsh Government published the Annual Report on the progress we have made towards delivering our well-being objectives on 4 July 2023.

1.2 We will continue to assist the executive committee in applying the sustainable development principle to their role in supporting the Permanent Secretary as Principal Policy Adviser to the First Minister

The executive committee were engaged in the development of the Continuous Learning and Improvement Plan and will receive an update on progress in 2024.

1.3 We will continue to engage with our international networks to share and learn from other governments across the world – this will focus on our membership of Regions4 and the Wellbeing Economy Governments partnership (WEGo)

We have updated the Welsh Government’s memorandum of understanding with the Flemish Government to share practice and learning on foresight and worked with counterparts in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Brittany.

Other highlights include:

• the First Minister’s keynote speech at the International Seminar on the Metropolis of the Future in Bilbao
• the Minister for Health and Social Services participation in the World Health Organisation's Health in the Well-being Economy Regional Forum in Copenhagen
• officials’ participation in the Wellbeing Economy Forum in Reykjavik, Wellbeing Governments (WEGo) partnership labs, Wellbeing Economy Policy Makers Network, European Policy Centre activities, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) events and Regions4 meetings.

1.4 We will continue to engage the Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder forum to drive forward the next phase of embedding the Well-being of Future Generations approach across Wales

We have made changes to better reflect the scope and breadth of the sustainable development agenda in Wales and improve the transparency of the Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder Forum. We have refreshed the forum's terms of reference, extended the membership to bring in further expertise and made meeting notes and resources available on our website.

Speakers at the forum have included:

• the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
• the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
• the Climate Change Commission
• the Welsh Government’s Climate Change Just Transition team
• the UK government’s UN System Team on the UN’s Summit of the Future 2024
• the Welsh Government’s Chief Statistician and officials from the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Office.

1.5 We will consider ways to improve awareness of the well-being objectives of public bodies across Wales, drawing on the monitoring work of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

We are working with the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales to bring together the well-being objectives of the 48 public bodies subject to the well-being duty, as well as the well-being objectives of the Public Services Boards (PSBs), into one place. This will help bodies understand the objectives of others and support better integration.

1.6 We will increase awareness of the ‘Future Trends Report’ with Ministers and senior leaders

As part of an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded research project into foresight and sustainable development in Welsh Government, we held 2 workshops: one with foresight leaders in public bodies in Wales, and one with internal senior leaders to discuss next steps on the futures agenda. The ‘Foresight for sustainable development and well-being governance in Wales’ report was published in November 2023.

To improve awareness of the ‘Future Trends report 2021’ and foresight tools, officials have presented at a series of events, including:

• the Analysis in Government seminar
• the Research and Innovation Strategic Engagement (RISE) group
• the UK government’s Government Futures Network (formally known as Heads of Horizon Scanning)
• the Knowledge Exchange platform (see Action 3.1)
• Policy Capability seminars.

We have also supported teams in delivering a futures session with Senior Civil Servants, and the policy team leading Senedd reform. We continue to roll out dedicated training on Futures Thinking for Policy Practitioners and the Futures Toolkit.

1.7 We will carry out an exercise on the scope and nature of an evaluation of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act

The Sustainable Futures Division has successfully secured a United Kingdom Research Institute Policy Fellowship (under the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)). This is to design the methodology for and conduct the first stage of an evaluation of the Well-being of Future Generations Act. The fellowship is an 18-month project which started in January 2024.

Introduction

The ‘Well-being of Future Generations Continuous Learning and Improvement Plan’ (WFG CLIP) sets out several ways in which the civil service can improve the support and advice given to Welsh Ministers by embedding the 5 ways of working. The WFG CLIP identified 11 actions in this theme:

• introducing development pathways for policy makers
• updating the support for policy makers through formal and informal activities
• reviewing and updating policy impact assessment
• reviewing and updating internal resourcing for policy makers
• continuing to embed sustainability into our internal policy capability plan
• creating a sustainability network to help civil servants make improvements to their personal sustainability
• finding ways to embed sustainable development through training, lectures and tailored awareness raising
• providing internal assurance
• publishing an annual budget improvement plan
• working on the ‘Wales Infrastructure Investment Strategy’.

For full descriptions of all the actions and the progress we have made in each (between February 2023 and February 2024) please go to 'Our progress on CLIP actions 2.1 - 2.11 (February 2023 – February 2024)'. First, find out what we are learning from our work and what we are finding helpful.

What are we learning?

It is better to see what we face now not as a problem we can simply overcome but as a predicament with multiple dimensions and a wide variety of possible outcomes, some of which can be determined by our actions. This relays better the fact that we are facing a collection of interconnected crises that we need to understand collectively. It also helps us understand that we are living in and through a situation that has consequences now and into the future, one that we will have to live and work with for an extended period.

In the face of this increasingly turbulent, uncertain, and ambiguous predicament, we have found that it helps to develop an understanding of ourselves as parts of wider systems, to understand the precariousness/delicacy of such systems and to consider the inter-related underlying causes. Pausing to make time to consider the relationships between activities and aspects of the system we are in, helps us provide better advice to ministers and helps all of us make better decisions.

The Permanent Secretary has raised the ambition on how we work with a desire for the Welsh Government to be seen as the exemplar for Wales and the wider public service (Welsh Government consolidated accounts).

Even though it seems to take longer at the start, we are discovering that using the Act (increasingly well) is more efficient and effective in the medium term. Working in this way prevents us from taking action that undermines existing activities. It helps us develop integrated solutions that deliver on multiple well-being goals, across various organisations. Thus, we only do one very useful thing instead of several separate or conflicting things.

The Act has helped us to understand the relationship between different elements of Welsh legislation and how they are interconnected.

Following an intensive period of engagement with all our staff, the Permanent Secretary introduced Welsh Government 2025 (WG 2025). This is our 3-year plan for developing the organisation to be fit for purpose in a post-pandemic, post-EU exit world. One of the first pieces of work we undertook as part of WG 2025 was to co-produce with our staff and trades unions a new Values and Behaviours framework for the organisation.

This new framework underpins the whole change and development programme and aligns with our commitments under the Civil Service Code and the Well-being of Future Generations Act. It sets clear expectations on what we expect from ourselves and each other in how we go about our work.

As well as clarifying our expectations, we are strengthening our approach to strategic workforce planning with appropriate levels of accountability and delegation and investing in key skills and capabilities, including the Welsh language.

What are we finding helpful? (Our top tips)

This 10-minute training course on the systems approach.

In our Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder Forum and Knowledge Exchange sessions colleagues wanted to better understand how the Act worked with other duties such as the Equality Act. We were reminded of this guide to the links between the 2010 Equality Act and the Well-being of Future Generations Act. This was prepared to help public bodies consider opportunities to align application of the socio-economic duty, the public sector equality duty and the well-being of future generations duties.

In our stakeholder forum, we noticed that some of us understood the painful history and current crisis in non-human nature, while others understood the painful history and ongoing discrimination of human beings. Some of us had little experience of either and very few of us understood both and because of this we looked for ways to explore the interconnections. This poem helped us understand elements of the complex relationship between race and the environment.

Our progress on CLIP actions 2.1 - 2.11 (February 2023 – February 2024)

2.1 We will introduce development pathways for policy makers to mature and enhance their skills, knowledge and behaviours in applying the sustainable development principle

Policy making is one of the core functions that Welsh Government performs, supporting ministers in making effective and deliverable policies to deliver objectives and benefits for citizens, now and in the future. Within Welsh Government we have developed a ‘Policy Capability Strategy’ to build a high performing policy system that supports and enables good design making and is agile in response to changing needs and expectations.

As part of the strategy, and accompanying, we have developed a ‘Policy Capability Framework’ which defines the skills, ways of working and knowledge a policy professional needs across the Welsh Government and outlines development pathways to help officials to plan their learning and continuously develop those skills.

The framework embeds the Well-being of Future Generations approach in multiple ways. Firstly, an understanding of the Act is identified as a policy essential, the 5 ways of working are listed as key ways of working for policy makers, and skills around integration and citizen involvement are identified. The strategy was launched internally in July 2023 and is in its early implementation phase.

2.2 We will update the support for policy makers through formal and informal activities, including a series of focused exercises on each of the 5 ways of working in the sustainable development principle

We have completed a focused exercise looking at involvement and policy making in Welsh Government.

We have delivered formal training sessions as part of the Policy Essentials Programme, designed to provide the knowledge, tools and networks to understand policy making in the Welsh Government. We continue to run policy seminars for policy makers covering a range of policy topics.

2.3 We will continue to review and update our approach to assessing the impact of policy in an integrated way, supported by our Integrated Impact Assessment approach

We continue to provide support to impact assessment users across the organisation and carry out development work. This includes updates to the template and a new Directory of those who can provide support to those completing impact assessments.

A paper on ‘Understanding and delivering better impact’, was presented to executive committee in December 2023. There was considerable support for improvement proposals but members wanted to consider them alongside other proposals and in light of ongoing budget work. They will return to executive committee in early 2024. The timescale for delivery of this work is under review and is now likely to launch in 2025 not 2024.

2.4 We will continue to review and update internal resources to support policy teams as they involve, engage and consult with citizens in policy formulation and delivery

We continue to deliver support to the organisation on consultation (trouble shooting and queries). There is limited capacity for proactive development work at present whilst available resource is tied up on action 2.3 (impact assessment). However, we have prepared contextual information for the Welsh Government website on Welsh Government consultations, filling an information gap for members of the public. This should be live in early 2024.

2.5 We will continue to embed the Act in our broader organisation-wide internal capability plan and Learning and Development programme

Understanding the Well-being of Future Generations Act and embedding the 5 ways of working continues to be a mandatory part of our corporate induction programme for new staff. We are currently updating this course and once completed will make it available. In the meantime, our new learning programme includes access to several self-directed resources on the Future Generations’ principles. Staff can access these resources at a time that works for them.

Meanwhile, as part of the ‘Capability Plan’, we have committed to create a new skills strategy. Embedding Future Generations’ behaviours in all staff will form part of the considerations in this strategy. We are also reviewing the initial Well-being of Future Generations Act induction offer and delivering a new ‘top-up’ course through the Sustainable Futures Division (see also Action 5.2).

2.6 We will raise awareness of the Act with corporate teams through a tailored approach reflecting their respective roles

The Sustainable Futures Division continues to attend and present at a range of internal groups on the Well-being of Future Generations Act and its implementation. This has included teams from across Welsh Government, such as the Chief Operating Officers group, the Project Delivery team, the Digital team and Knowledge and Analytic Services. Several corporate service leaders benefited from attendance at Policy Capability sessions which enabled them to reflect on how the Act applied to development and delivery of internal Welsh Government policies.

2.7 We will continue to draw on information from our robust system of internal control to provide assurance to the Permanent Secretary, including updating the questions on an annual basis

Having agreed our approach we have drafted an initial assurance report. We are now considering this draft with colleagues to ensure that we can write it once and use for several purposes.

2.8 We will establish a Living Sustainably staff network to help us learn more about how we can make more sustainable choices and help reduce our carbon footprint both at home and in the office

The ‘Living Sustainably Network’ was set up in November 2022 and has approximately 150 members. It offers ‘lunch and learn’ sustainability sessions for all Welsh Government and Welsh Revenue employees linked to corporate objectives, including the delivery of the ‘Welsh Government Net Zero Strategic Plan’.

It aims to promote the establishment of employee led sustainability groups to champion engagement at a grassroots level and provide a forum for employees to input into sustainable decision-making. The network has hosted 4 sessions to date:

• home energy (use and cost)
• re-wear and repair – fast fashion and repair cafes
• home gardening and veganism
• ‘Welsh Government Net Zero Strategic Plan’ and the ‘Just Transition Framework’.

The events feature expert speakers and input from staff. The network also has a Teams channel for sharing tips and information. It includes a pledge board and a subgroup for electric vehicle (EV) users.

2.9 We will run series of seminars and tailored sessions for directorates on the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act to re-fresh, re-engage and re-energise

This work will commence in 2024.

2.10 We will annually publish the ‘Budget Improvement Plan’ to show progress over the last 12 months, alongside our short and medium-term ambitions over a 5-year rolling period

We published an updated ‘Budget Improvement Plan’ alongside the 2023-2024 Draft Budget which outlined progress over the last 12 months and detailed proposed next steps. A new ‘Budget Improvement Plan’ has been developed and published alongside the 2024-2025 Draft Budget, detailing the actions to take forward for the next 12 months and beyond.

The Budget Improvement Team and Children in Wales worked together to co-produce a ‘Young Person’s Budget Improvement Plan’ and animation which can be seen on youtube (launched in February 2024).

2.11 The Wales Infrastructure Investment Strategy (WIIS) supports the delivery of a zero-carbon economy, built around the 4 sustainable development principles of the Well-being of Future Generations Act to improve the economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being of Wales

The ‘Wales Infrastructure Investment Strategy’ was published in 2021 and supports the delivery of a zero-carbon economy. The strategy sets out a framework for the Welsh Government’s investments in infrastructure over the next 10 years with an overarching commitment to tackling the climate and nature emergencies.

Introduction

Theme 3 recognises the unique set of relationships Welsh Government has across the public, private and third sector, and our role in enabling, leading, and influencing others to contribute to the well-being goals. The ‘Well-being of Future Generations Continuous Learning and Improvement Plan’ identified 11 actions in this theme:

• continuing our strong partnership with voluntary organisations
• working with stakeholders to develop Knowledge Exchange events
• sharing good practice between public bodies
• supporting Public Services Boards to reach their full potential
• reviewing the Welsh Government’s funding code of practice and the Welsh Government’s volunteering policy
• strengthening the delivery of the Economic Contract
• developing an on-line future proofing toolkit for SME’s (small and medium sized enterprises)
• prototyping methods of staff exchange between organisations
• reviewing regional partnership arrangements
• mapping expertise on the well-being goals.

For full descriptions of all the actions and the progress we have made in each (between February 2023 and February 2024) please go to 'Our progress on CLIP actions 3.1 - 3.11 (February 2023 – February 2024)'. First, find out what we are learning from our work and what we are finding helpful.

What are we learning?

How we convene and host spaces for new thinking is important. Some of our oldest habits need to be replaced with new ways of working. Evidence is gathering that emergent meetings (in other words those with simpler agendas, interactive elements and more compassionate approaches) work more effectively and efficiently. We are still learning how to integrate these new approaches with our traditional ways of working.

Signposting colleagues to the right person at the right time is sometimes more useful than mapping expertise. Mapping and signposting depend on much more than just who knows most about what. Who we need to talk/listen to is specific to the question being asked, who knows who and the nature of those relationships.

What are we finding helpful? (Our top tips)

Experimenting with elements of this guidance on holding better spaces and meetings.

Learning not to over plan so that we can become more agile using emergent planning.

Learning to experiment, make smaller mistakes and learn faster together by using prototyping.

Our progress on CLIP actions 3.1 - 3.11 (February 2023 – February 2024)

3.1 We will work with the Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder Forum to co-design and develop the next series of Future Generations Knowledge Exchange events

As part of our preparations for extending the Well-being of Future Generations Act's well-being duty, we have held a series of knowledge Exchange events. These sessions include representatives from public bodies across Wales, with attendance reaching around 100 participants at each session. They bring together a range of speakers on various topics to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and networks of our external stakeholders.

We have started work with Audit Wales, Academi Wales and the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales to create an infographic of the key support interventions available to public bodies. To enable identification of any gaps or overlaps this will be shared with the Supporting Organisations Network established by the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, and include insights from the Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder Forum.

3.2 We will work with the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Wales Council for Voluntary Action and Co-production Wales on the ‘National Principles for Public Participation’

The ‘National Principles for Public Participation’ have been updated by Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) and partners and we continue to look for opportunities to raise awareness of the principles with the Welsh Government policy community. Wider Welsh Government policy work on communities is focusing on Public Services Board partnerships working across Wales as a test bed for a communities policy.

3.3 We will engage with the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and the Auditor General’s activities to share and encourage good practice between public bodies

The Welsh Government funded 6 participants in the Future Generations Leadership Academy. In total, 12 participants have accessed this programme, enabling them to learn more about the Well-being of Future Generations Act and connect with counterparts in the public, private and third sector.

Further to the progress against Action 3.1, we have begun working with Audit Wales, Academi Wales and the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales to create an infographic of the key support interventions available to public bodies.

3.4 We will clarify the role of Public Services Board representatives through reviewing their terms of reference and a rolling briefing programme

Terms of reference were revised following consultation between Public Services Boards, Welsh Government representatives, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and the minister. These have been updated and shared.

A rolling briefing programme is under way.

3.5 We will support Public Services Boards to reach their potential through reviewing how they can use funding and providing a Welsh Government-led support package. We will review statutory guidance in due course

We will update this action in the light of draft budget position. New publication date for revised guidance not yet determined.

3.6 We are taking forward the recommendations made in the Third Sector Partnership Council’s ‘Covid Recovery Plan’ around relationships, support and volunteering. We will be reviewing the Welsh Government’s funding code of practice and Welsh Government’s volunteering policy

The ‘Covid Recovery Plan’ is now embedded in the business-as-usual activity for the Welsh Government’s Third Sector Team and will no longer be referenced.

Working with the Funding & Compliance sub-committee, we have reviewed the existing code which has resulted in 5 principles - equity of access, early & continuous engagement, value and outcomes, appropriate funding mechanism, and flexibility. We continue to undertake engagement exercises and promote these across the public and third sectors.

3.7 We will explore training and support possibilities for Relationship Managers to help them strengthen delivering of the Economic Contract

We are exploring our priorities for social value to align with ‘Priorities for a Stronger Economy’ announced in November 2023.

An assessment of training requirements will follow the outcome of policy development taking place in Spring 2024 and will be guided by feedback and interim updates from an independent evaluation of the ‘Economic Contract’.

3.8 We will work in collaboration with the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales to develop an online future proofing Toolkit for SMEs that will provide guidance concerning the business benefits of the Well-being of Future Generations Act in order to support sustainable business decisions

The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales has provided a report and suggestions for updating the toolkit. Work on the toolkit is ongoing. The Business and Regions team has engaged in conversations with the New Economic Contract team to see how efforts can be combined. The toolkit will also be placed on a refreshed website.

3.9 We will design and prototype methods for exchanging staff between organisations that support collaborative policy development and delivery and deepen our understanding of the 5 ways of working

The work of the One Welsh Public Service (OWPS) group under WG2025 has now been concluded. Momentum will continue in a number of practical ways, including Academi Wales’ leadership development activity, and the finalisation of a OWPS leadership behaviour framework. Activity to design and prototype methods for exchanging staff between organisations is currently not being progressed, in light of reprioritisation of budgets.

3.10 We are reviewing regional partnership arrangements to develop actions to simplify these

A final report on the review of regional partnership arrangements published on 25 January 2025. Working group on regional partnerships working to be established as a sub-group of the Partnership Council for Wales to maintain focus on regional working.

3.11 We will map out the existing sources of expertise that exist in Wales on the well-being goals to assist understanding of the goals

The scope and breadth of the well-being goals (and national indicators and milestones) means that there will be different bodies and parts of Welsh Government with expertise. The Tapestry team (Academi Wales, Audit Wales Good Practice Exchange and the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales) have agreed descriptors for their organisation's roles in supporting implementations of the Act.

They are working with members of the Supporting Organisations Network (SON) to create a map of shared core learning and development opportunities in relation to the Act. Building on these steps, the Tapestry team will work with SON members to map the key supporting organisations for the well-being goals.

Introduction

Our role in understanding Wales now and in the future brings together numerous resources to provide better insight and support more sustainable decisions and policies. The ‘Well-being of Future Generations Continuous Learning and Improvement Plan’ identified 9 actions in this theme relating to:

• how co-production can be used in research and evidence gathering
• research related to the social model of disability
• the national indicators, milestones and ‘Future Trends Report’
• developing futures and foresight networks and capability
• the ‘Well-being of Wales’ report
• long-term thinking in crises
• the National Survey for Wales
• the research quality assurance framework.

For full descriptions of all the actions and the progress we have made in each (between February 2023 and February 2024) please go to 'Our progress on CLIP actions 4.1 - 4.9 (February 2023 – February 2024)'. First, find out what we are learning from our work and what we are finding helpful.

What are we learning?

We know we need to involve people with lived experience in our underpinning of research, development and delivery of policy. Working out how to do this openly and fairly within the UK context is challenging but we can develop Welsh ways and try these out.

When we are considering Wales data, it helps if we can discover what we can about the international/global position and consider our situation within that context.

We need to take a systems approach and consider complexity, interdependencies and relationships whenever we consider future possibilities.

What are we finding helpful? (Our top tips)

To make early and specific use of the ‘Wellbeing of Wales’ report and the ‘Future Trends Report’, building key data into stakeholder conversations, so as to develop better informed solutions.

Often we are faced with multiple complex potential future scenarios. There may be a large number of distinctive ways in which the future might develop. By looking across all these possibilities, we can identify the ‘do anyway’ actions. These are the steps that, if we were to take them, would be the most likely to be helpful in all of the identified scenarios.

Learning from nature, including thinking about knowledge in new ways and developing fairer ways to become more consistent.

Our progress on CLIP actions 4.1 - 4.9 (February 2023 – February 2024)

4.1 We will raise the profile, awareness and understanding of the national indicators, milestones and ‘Future Trends Report’

Work is underway to review how the national milestones and indicators are being used within the organisation. Further work is required to publish the animation and accessible versions of the Shaping Wales' Future products. Officials continue to update the Shaping Wales' Future blog.

Officials delivered presentations on the national milestones and indicators, as well as the future trends at the Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder Forum and a Well-being of Future Generations Knowledge Exchange session.

4.2 We will provide more opportunities for officials working and leading on futures and foresight to connect together and become part of a network within Welsh Government and wider Wales

4.5 We will continue to work with the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales’ office who leads on the futures and foresight agenda in Wales, in order to upskill and develop capacity and capability in decision making in Wales using futures

Officials continue to contribute actively to the Wales Futures Network (which includes representatives from Public Health Wales, Natural Resources Wales, and the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales) and UK government's Government Futures Network (formally Heads of Horizon Scanning network).

The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales ‘Cymru Can’ strategy states that they will be a focal point for long-term thinking and expertise under their first mission. We will continue to work with them and other bodies to develop futures capability.

As an integral part of our development of Communities of Practice, we have established a predicament-crisis-collapse awareness support group. This group will engage with a range of colleagues to improve our shared understanding of long-term thinking in a crisis, building on research from Audit Wales and others during the early months of the COVID-19 crisis.

4.3 We will provide more in-depth insight on well-being through themed ‘Wellbeing of Wales’ reports, building on the 2022 report on children and young people’s well-being

The 2023 ‘Well-being of Wales’ report, and a supplementary ‘Ethnicity and Well-being’ report were published on 28 September. An update was shared on the Anti-racist Wales Stakeholder Bulletin, and presentations given to stakeholder groups, including the Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder Forum and through the Knowledge Exchange programme.

The supplementary report aims to bring together existing evidence in order to explore progress towards the well-being goals for different ethnic groups. Alongside other types of evidence, this can be used to help inform decision-making to create a more equal Wales.

4.4 We will commission research to better understand how the Welsh Government can apply long-term thinking in a crisis

In 2022 we secured an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded research project. Led by Dr Laura De Vito, this ran between February 2022 and August 2023 and explored the challenges and opportunities of integrating long-term thinking through foresight within the Welsh Government. The final report ‘Foresight for Sustainable Development and Well-being Governance in Wales’ was published in November 2023.

As part of this research, Dr De Vito led pilots with 3 Welsh Government teams. These strengthened understanding, appreciation and application of foresight.

The report includes a set of recommendations to support foresight capacity building in Welsh Government. We will be considering these recommendations as part of the implementation of the WFG CLIP.

4.6 The National Survey for Wales will continue to collect robust data to measure 15 of the national well-being indicators. New questions will be developed for the survey to measure 2 new national indicators (47 and 50)

The latest results from the survey, based on interviews carried out in 2022-2023, were published in July 2023. Further analysis of the results was undertaken to support the latest ‘Wellbeing of Wales’ report. An external contractor carried out a review of potential questions to measure confidence in the justice system and issues were identified in terms of developing suitable questions.

Rather than including these questions within the ‘National Survey’ it is now intended to explore making use of Wales data from other sources, such as the ‘Crime Survey for England and Wales’ and potentially qualitative research, to fill this gap.

Work is under way on a set of questions to measure digital inclusion, with the intention being, pending successful cognitive testing, to include these questions in the 2025-2026 ‘National Survey’ as part of a new set of material deprivation questions.

4.7 Describe how and when co-production can be used in research and evidence gathering. We will develop guidelines that describe how and when co-production can be used in research and evidence gathering in order to involve people with protected and associated characteristics in research development and improve outputs and subsequent policy decisions

The Equality Evidence Unit presented proposals for co-produced research to the Disability Rights Taskforce (DRT) and the chairs of the DRT's working groups in September. Following feedback from these discussions, we are working closely with the DRT chairs to co-design research projects that are possible within limited resource and time constraints. These projects will be to improve the feasibility of recommendations for the ‘Disability Rights Action Plan’.

Evaluation findings from that project will inform the future approach to co-production for the Equality, Race and Disability Evidence Units and Government Social Research across Welsh Government more widely.

4.8 We will prototype coproduction of research on how information can be collected to reflect the social model of disability

A research specification was developed and shared with stakeholders for review. The specification has been refined following feedback, then tendered on Sell2Wales, with a closing date of 15th January 2024. The contact will commence by Spring 2024. We are refocusing the coproduction of research to be on key recommendations from the Disability Rights Taskforce and the research on how information can be collected to reflect the social model of disability will be taken forward as a separate research project.

4.9 We will develop research profession- specific guidance and update the Welsh Government research quality assurance framework to enable a clear conceptual and practical understanding of Government Social Research obligations

Piloting of the Government Social Research training course is underway. Key guidance will be added to the social research quality assurance framework update, which will take place in 2024.

Introduction

Theme 5 is all about making working sustainably an ingrained and visible part of our behaviours. Not something separate that we draw upon to meet a requirement or a duty. It is the difference between the way we use our hands as part of life and the way we use an unfamiliar tool we suddenly have to master to perform an unexpected task. The ‘Well-being of Future Generations Continuous Learning and Improvement Plan’ identified 5 actions in this theme:

• delivering our 3-year programme for organisational development – ‘Welsh Government 2025’
• creating a starter pack for our behaviour change manual
• gaining insights from staff surveys
• developing communities of practice to support officials and others
• raising understanding of the Act through our ‘Internal Communications Strategy’.

For full descriptions of all the actions and the progress we have made in each (between February 2023 and February 2024) please go to Our progress on CLIP actions 5.1 – 5.5 (February 2023 – February 2024')'. First find out what we are learning from our work and what we are finding helpful.

What are we learning?

Culture is made up of our individual and collective behaviours. Some of these behaviours have deep roots, grown through long-standing social norms and link with complex, sometimes unknown, histories. Learning about where our habits come from can motivate us to change and adapt our behaviour in positive ways. These new behaviours make up our new culture.

Changing behaviour is difficult. It is particularly difficult for us, as human beings, to stop doing things. The best way we have found so far is to:

• identify the behaviour we want to change
• creatively design a new behaviour to replace it
• then practice the replacement habit.

This method forms just one element of practice-based change (trying out new practices and gradually developing our capacity to practice). Practice-based change underpins the collective continuous learning that we need to align with the Act.

We can enable change to happen when and where it is needed by inviting groups to self-organise to explore new practices on topics that are important to them. We are currently trying this with compassionate resource management (managing with compassion even when resources are limited) and real time positivity (enabling people to work with their emotions in the moment to allow more positive actions). If your organisation is interested in exploring either of these topics further, please let us know (see the Talk to us! section below for contact details).

What are we finding helpful? (Our top tips)

Spotting old habits and sharing a line from our change architecture as a basis for discussing what new habit or practice we want to use to replace the old one (Sustainable Futures Architecture).

Replacing the habit of sharing of detailed notes with everyone by introducing a practice of agreeing 3 key messages in each meeting enables us to get clear messages and better feedback (How can I disseminate programme outcomes better? Three key messages).

This guidance document (quick tip) produced by the Well-being of Future Generations National Stakeholder Forum (How can we strengthen our use of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act?).

This Academi Wales Well-being of Future Generations Culture Change Manual (Well-being of Future Generations Culture Change).

Looking after ourselves, others and the world around us, to be at our collective best and better serve Wales (The Five Ways to Wellbeing - A three point plan).

Our progress on CLIP actions 5.1 – 5.5 (February 2023 – February 2024)

5.1 WG2025 is our 3-year programme for organisational development and a platform for the conversation with everyone who works in Welsh Government about the changes and improvements we need to make

Launched in January 2023, ‘Welsh Government 2025 (WG2025)’ is our programme for changing and improving the organisation over the next 3 years. The programme will allow us to support ministers more effectively and deliver for people and communities in Wales within an increasingly challenging financial and global context.

WG2025 involves a relentless focus on working collaboratively, both across Government and the wider Welsh public sector, maximising efficiency and effectiveness, both now and over the longer-term, and building on the progress made and lessons learned in recent times.

Through WG2025 we are putting the sustainable development principle of the Well-being of Future Generations Act at the heart of how we behave and everything we do. Further details of Welsh Government 2025 can be found in the Welsh Government Consolidated Accounts 2022 to 2023.

5.2 We will improve accessibility to the behaviour change manual, by designing a starter pack and seeking feedback on these both internally and externally

We prototyped and tested a starter pack. Building on the feedback that we received, we worked with a small team from Welsh Government, Local Government, NHS and citizen groups to redesign the landing page of the culture change manual to make it more attractive, specific and accessible.

We ran a prototype ‘Top Up’ training session with the Knowledge Exchange programme, receiving positive feedback that the course is developing along the right lines. Six further prototypes are planned for 2024 and will be available to Welsh Government officials and other participants.

5.3 People Survey and other internal staff surveys will continue to be used to gather insight on embedding the 5 ways of working in our organisation’s culture

We carried out a Hybrid Working Survey in September 2023 which included questions on how well staff felt the 5 ways of working (sustainable development principle) are being applied in their work. We now have data from staff surveys in 2023, 2022 and 2021.

Overall, responses continue to be positive, with those agreeing or strongly agreeing to the questions ranging from 68% and 82%. In 2023 we set an additional question which asked to what extent staff agreed that they had the knowledge and skills to put the 5 ways of working into practice. There were 61% of respondents that agreed or strongly agreed to this question.

We have seen a slight decline in staff views on the application of some of these behaviours. We know from experience that we need to increase our application of the Act in difficult circumstances and are working to ensure that staff across the whole organisation are supported to deepen their understanding and application of the Act, whatever their responsibilities.

5.4 We will develop a new range of Communities of Practice to support the work of Welsh Government officials and others as they apply the Act

Many of the Communities of Practice are continuing to develop. Support is being provided via new guidance which is currently being translated and will be shared via the ‘Culture Change Manual’. Communities of Practice continue to develop in decarbonisation, food and climate/biodiversity emergency response.

We are designing a new ‘Top Up’ course to support community hosts and will test this with hosts and senior managers in 2024.

5.5 We will continue to raise the profile, awareness and understanding of the Act through our Internal Communications Strategy, highlighting good practice through case studies, in the Welsh Government Awards and staff events

In November 2023 we held an in-conversation Let’s Learn event with the new Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and the Permanent Secretary. At the event almost 1,000 staff members heard about the Commissioner's new ‘Cymru Can’ strategy, listened to an in-depth conversation between the Commissioner and the Permanent Secretary and heard questions directly from staff.

Case study films developed for the 3 shortlisted Welsh Government Award nominees in the Well-being of Future Generations Award category were also published in November on internal communication channels and introduced at the awards ceremony. The winning team were the Homelessness Prevention Team.

Introduction

The Welsh Government is accountable to a wide range of external stakeholders but as civil servants we are also accountable to each other. This shared accountability is delivered through oversight and governance mechanisms and structures. Part of our collective job is to maintain effective high-level accountability, but also to identify and enable improvements in accordance with the sustainable development principle. The ‘Well-being of Future Generations Continuous Learning and Improvement Plan’ identified 8 actions in this theme relating to:

• annual reporting on the implementation of the CLIP
• governance and accountability
• the Welsh Government’s Performance Framework
• annual financial accounting
• appointing Welsh Government Board Champions
• the internal control questionnaire
• making full use of our business information reporting system (BIRT).

For full descriptions of all the actions and the progress we have made in each (between February 2023 and February 2024) please go to 'Our progress on CLIP actions 6.1 – 6.8 (February 2023 – February 2024)'. First find out what we are learning from our work and what we are finding helpful.

What are we learning?

Collective leadership is key. We applied the five ways of working to considering how to appoint Welsh Government Board Champions. We invited Welsh Government Future Generations Leadership Academy Alumni to apply and appointed all 3 applicants as Champions. Our Champions working together to provide an observer on the Welsh Government board and on the Welsh Government shadow board. They support each other in considering how to advise these boards and to develop a wider network of alumni and other champions across the organisation.

Acting to link things together earlier is much better than later but human beings find this hard to do. There are many social and psychological reasons for this. In Welsh Government, we are still working out how to do this better. For example, we want to improve our internal assurance mechanisms, such as the internal control questionnaire but the best way to strengthen assurance is to improve the underlying policies and processes that we are trying to assure. It is important to identify the root cause of any weaknesses and in our case, this means assessing potential impacts at the earliest possible stage of processes - internal or external policies, assessments, and decisions.

Our progress on CLIP actions 6.1 – 6.8 (February 2023 – February 2024)

6.1 We will report annually on the implementation of this plan

This is the first progress update on the WFG CLIP. We will look at other ways to report progress such as through blogs or live updates to this page. We welcome your ideas and suggestions.

6.2 We will hold an annual agenda item on the implementation of this plan and the Well-being of Future Generations agenda at board and executive committee

We have used outputs from BIRT to produce our second internal update on progress with the CLIP (August). We are developing an assurance report that will also form the basis for our reporting to executive committee and the board.

6.3 We will continue to embed the Well-being of Future Generations agenda into the ‘Welsh Government’s Performance Framework’

We updated the ‘Welsh Government Performance Framework’ in 2023 to recognise the role of the five ways of working sustainably, linked to the performance data on the sustainable development principle. More details of the ‘Welsh Government Performance Framework’ and how it is applied can be found on pages 56 to 65 in the Welsh Government Consolidated Accounts 2022-2023.

6.4 We will provide information on how we are meeting our Well-being of Future Generations obligations in the statement of Annual Accounts and Annual Governance Statement

The Welsh Government Consolidated Accounts 2022-2023 were signed and laid 30 November 2023, including detailed reporting on how we are meeting our commitment to future generations. The Welsh Government Accounting Officer System Statement also includes at paragraph 3.5 a section on the Well-being of Future Generations work.

6.5 We will review the Terms of Reference and working arrangements of the Well-being of Future Generations Oversight and Enabling Group

Terms of reference were reviewed and meetings (in the new style) were held in June, July and September 2023. Members provided key input to the wider WG2025 programme, and the design of new policy capability framework for Welsh Government officials. They also oversaw the approach to the CLIP, including providing interim progress reports in April and August 2023 and key feedback on the interaction between the Act and other legislation.

6.6 Developing a fresh prototype for the role of Board Champion

The Permanent Secretary has welcomed 3 Board Champions. Each Champion will spend 6 months as the Board Campion, 6 months supporting the shadow board and a further 6 months as part of a support network for the other candidates. The 3 candidates have been asked to give advice on future generations principles and experience by providing a support network to each other.

They will also help create a Future Generations Alumni network more broadly as a support mechanism for the organisation, linked to WG2025. They have been allocated participant observer status at board in line with the arrangements for the co-chairs of the shadow board.

6.7 We will engage with all directors to support them in completing the Well-being of Future Generations questions within the Internal Control Questionnaire and explore ways of analysing these returns to give a high-level assurance statement on embedding the Act

We have agreed a project plan to engage directors to support them to identify and make improvements to how they act in accordance with the sustainable development principle and gain assurance on this action.

6.8 We will undertake a formative evaluation of our business information reporting system (BIRT) to evaluate user experience and effectiveness since its introduction

The BIRT Evaluation Survey went live on 26 January 2023 and was available to all Welsh Government staff to complete until 10 February 2023. Responses were collated and reviewed by the UX (User Experience) team and the findings were shared with the BIRT team. The Evaluation Survey report findings were then presented to the BIRT Governance Group with recommendations for each.

The recommendations that were accepted have been discussed with the BIRT Development Team and change requests have been submitted. It is anticipated that these changes will be made in January 2024.

The predicament, poly crisis, challenging circumstances in which we find ourselves are complex. We need to discover and practice new ways of planning, delivering and developing consistency and to adapt existing processes and tools to support these.

Like any other large organisation, we are made up of many teams, individuals, and cross-cutting fora. Learning does not take place evenly. A variety of groups are already learning all or some of the lessons listed above. We need to find ways to deepen and widen the application of the learning above throughout our organisation.

As part of our commitment to the principle of involvement we welcome your feedback. Whether it is about this progress update, the original WFG CLIP, or any of the work we are doing. As we said earlier, this is the work of Wales, not just of the Welsh Government.

We are continually learning how to do what we do. You’ll have spotted the top tips that we are trying to apply. We are keen to learn with you and others, so let us know if you have top tips or other feedback for us.

If you have an insight or idea to share, please contact us by emailing Sustainable.Futures@gov.wales.

We are actively considering other ways of reporting back to you about our progress on the WFG CLIP that go beyond the annual report format and build in more of what we are learning. We particularly welcome conversations about how we can learn together.

Talk to us! Write to us! Send us a picture!

Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015

The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (WFG Act) aims to improve the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of Wales.

Sustainable development

Sustainable development means the process of improving the economic, social, environmental, and cultural well-being of Wales by taking action, in accordance with the sustainable development principle, aimed at achieving the well-being goals.

Well-being goals

The 7 well-being goals show the kind of Wales we want to be. Together they provide a shared vision, and describe the economic, social, environmental, and cultural well-being outcomes that will make Wales a more sustainable nation. The 7 well-being goals are:

• A prosperous Wales
• A resilient Wales
• A healthier Wales
• A more equal Wales
• A Wales of more cohesive communities
• A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language
• A globally responsible Wales

Sustainable Development Principle

The sustainable development principle means acting in a manner which seeks to ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This means thinking about the future in what we do now.

The principle includes 5 ways of working that public bodies must take into account when applying sustainable development. These are:

• Looking to the long term so that we do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
• Taking an integrated approach so that public bodies look at all the well-being goals in deciding on their well-being objectives
• Involving a diversity of the population in the decisions that affect them
• Working with others in a collaborative way to find shared sustainable solutions
• Understanding the root causes of issues to prevent them from occurring

Individual Well-being Duty on public bodies

Certain public bodies in Wales have a legal duty to carry out sustainable development; this is the well-being duty in the WFG Act. In carrying out this duty public bodies must set and publish objectives designed to maximise their contribution to achieving each of the well-being goals and take all reasonable steps in meeting their objectives.

Welsh Ministers’ duties under the WFG Act

The Welsh Ministers are listed as one of the public bodies subject to the WFG Act. They are therefore under the same well-being duty as the other specified public bodies. They also have other responsibilities under the WFG Act, namely the duty to publish statutory guidance to the Act, national indicators and milestones and to publish a periodic Future Trends Report, which will provide evidence of progress and future pressures to assist decision makers. They must also publish an annual Well-being of Wales report on the progress made towards the achievement of the wellbeing goals by reference to the national indicators and milestones.

Business Information Reporting Tool

The Business Information Reporting Tool (BIRT) provides a simple and consistent means of recording, monitoring, and reporting against commitments and priorities. We update progress against the actions in the CLIP once a quarter through BIRT.

Compassionate approaches including compassionate resource management

Compassionate Leadership is an approach that prioritises empathy, understanding, and support for employees. In the NHS and elsewhere, it has been shown to be effective in improving staff morale, engagement, and performance, particularly in times of change and challenge.

Co-production

The term ‘co-production’ describes a way of achieving better outcomes by:

• working in partnership
• sharing power and responsibility between people
• seeing people as assets and in charge of their own situation
• applying core principles to change the way we work

Communities of practice

A community of practice is a group of people who share a common concern, challenge, set of problems, or interests and who come together to listen, notice and reflect in ways that fulfil both individual and group goals.

Continuous learning

Continuous learning is the on-going process of gathering new skills, knowledge, and behaviours (habits). It can refer to an individual, a group, or an organisation.

Economic Contract

The Economic Contract is an agreement between the Welsh Government and the businesses it supports on how we will work together in partnership to create resilient businesses that offer an attractive place to work. The Economic Contract is a commitment to provide public investment that prioritises the social and environmental needs of Wales whilst building a more resilient and prosperous wellbeing economy.

Emergent meetings/planning

Emergent meetings have a gently held structure that allows new ideas, insights, and suggestions to emerge during the meeting.

Emergent planning invites us to focus on only the next few steps that we are going to take and allows the following steps to emerge later in the process.

Foresight

Foresight is the process by which one comes to a fuller understanding of the forces shaping the long-term future which should be taken into account in policy formulation, planning and decision making.

Integrated Impact Assessment

Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) is a process used to identify the impacts of key areas of action before any strategic or higher-level decisions or recommendations are made.

National Well-being Indicators and Milestones

The WFG Act requires Welsh Ministers to set national indicators to assess progress towards achieving the 7 well-being goals. A full description of the national indicators including their technical definition and information about their data sources and frequency can be found in the technical document.

Under section (10)(3) of the WFG Act, the Welsh Ministers must set milestones in relation to the national indicators which the Welsh Ministers consider would assist in measuring whether progress is being made towards the achievement of the well-being goals.

Mapping

Mapping just means creating a picture of how all the parts of a system relate to each other. Mapping a complex system, of which we are part, can help us to understand that system better.

Practice-based change

Practice-based change combines theory and experience through a strategic, reflective process. You don’t learn the theory first, then apply it afterward. Instead, you implement the theory as you learn, trying out new practices and selecting the ones that you want to take deeper. This way, you gradually develop your capacity to grow your own practices over time.

Programme for Government

The Programme for Government sets out the commitments the Welsh Government will deliver over this Senedd term in order to tackle the challenges that we face and improve the lives of people across Wales.

Prototyping

A prototype is a practical, testable action, focused on learning. A prototype translates an idea into a concrete first step. It is not the final product but an experiment which allows us to generate valuable feedback. This feedback will then help us refine our understanding and develop second, and third stage prototypes.

Real-time positivity

Real-time positivity is a resilience building technique that can help to prevent low mood spiralling into poor mental health. It encourages the use of self-awareness and kindness to accept and allow difficult emotions to develop and change. Instead of supressing feelings of self-doubt, negativity or lethargy we let them surface and accept them. By accepting negative and positive emotions, and learning from them, we can maintain a healthy more positive mindset. It is called real-time positivity because it is help we can access whenever we need it.

Socio-economic duty

The overall aim of the duty is to deliver better outcomes for those who experience socio-economic disadvantage. The Socio-economic Duty supports this through ensuring that those taking strategic decisions:

• take account of evidence and potential impact through consultation and engagement
• understand the views and needs of those impacted by the decision, particularly those who suffer socio-economic disadvantage
• welcome challenge and scrutiny
• drive a change in the way that decisions are made and the way that decision makers operate.