Reframing well‐being: Lessons from Aotearoa New Zealand's first wave COVID‐19 response

Abstract

AbstractWell‐being is increasingly being promoted and used to describe social progress. However, tension exists between framings that focus on enhancing individual well‐being (living well) and societal or collective framings of well‐being (living well together). Well‐being is central to Aotearoa New Zealand's COVID‐19 response and recovery. The COVID‐19 pandemic reopened debates about what kind of society people want to live in. Our research explored the ‘shared typical’ or commonality of experiences of the first wave of COVID‐19 response in Aotearoa New Zealand. Semi‐structured interviews provided insights into a wide range of concerns participants faced and what that meant for their well‐being and the well‐being of Aotearoa New Zealand. We found that well‐being is both multidimensional and hierarchical, and while people talked about their own well‐being, it was often in the context of broader social well‐being. These findings support research showing that well‐being is relational. We suggest that Indigenous models of well‐being are well placed to inform policy strategies enabling holistic well‐being, but this needs to be done in ways that pair Indigenous and Western knowledge, rather than integrating or assimilating this knowledge into Western science approaches.