"From Welfare to Well-Being": Communicating a Vision

Michael Player

Since the advent of the State Sector Act 1988 and the Public Finance Act 1989 the purchasing of departmental services by governments has been based on inputs and outputs, leading to outcomes. This has greatly improved accountability and efficiencies, but has narrowed the focus of many departments, including the Department of Social Welfare.

In September 1994 the Minister of Social Welfare launched a departmental initiative, “From Welfare to Well-being”, which widens the focus on outcomes and provides an umbrella under which united policy and service delivery can be developed. The aim is to rehabilitate welfare’s image and seek greater community buy-in to the longer term goals of ensuring all citizens are able to contribute positively to society.

This paper looks at the background to this initiative, the outcomes it promotes, and the mechanisms for communicating the vision. It also briefly identifies other elements being worked on to help make the vision a reality. Already the vision has proved helpful in providing a sense of shared purpose previously lacking in the Department.