The Links between Scotland’s Historic Environment and Wellbeing

The historic environment has a contribution to make to individuals’, communities’ and society’s wellbeing but, at present, there is not a single, comprehensive source for defining and capturing wellbeing in the heritage sector. We have begun a programme of research to better understand the flows from types of heritage engagement, through their resultant benefits and to the final anticipated changes in wellbeing.

In 2019, we commissioned Progressive Partnership to undertake survey work on the contribution heritage can make to wellbeing, focusing on those already engaged with heritage to allow us to explore the resultant benefits.

Throughout 2020-21, we will continue to develop our approach to understand how heritage can extend the established individual wellbeing benefits to the wider community.