Ydelsescenter Aalborg | En arkæologisk rejse med mennesket i midten

Ydelsescenter Aalborg | En arkæologisk rejse med mennesket i midten

Client Case

Ydelsescenter Aalborg | En arkæologisk rejse med mennesket i midten

Carl Emil Zacho Böye

czb@voluntas.com

 Hos Ydelsescentret i Aalborg Kommune er missionen klar: at sikre borgerne den hjælp, de har brug for med respekt og forståelse. Kerneopgaven er at hjælpe mennesker med rette penge til rette tid.

Der skabes utvivlsomt meningsfulde møder med mange borgere, og på mange måder, i landets tredje største kommune. Men det kunne mærkes internt, at organisationen var en samling af tre tidligere socialcentre. Med 105 medarbejdere, fordelt på fire afdelinger og flere teams med endnu flere forskellige opgaver, var det ikke altid en selvfølge, at alle gik til kerneopgaven på samme vis.

Centerchef  Lars Uldahl ønskede at tage et modigt skridt væk fra de klassiske trivselsmålinger. Han søgte en måde at realisere det menneskelige potentiale i organisationen på en mere dybdegående og meningsfuld måde.

Det handlede om at prøve noget nyt, fordi vi kunne mærke, at de traditionelle redskaber ikke altid skabte de resultater, vi ønskede. Vi stiftede bekendtskab med Voluntās’ meningsfuldhedsundersøgels og valgte at gå med den, fordi vi syntes, at det er rigtig vigtigt, at vores medarbejdere kan se mening med det arbejde, de udfører.”

Med mennesket i midten begyndte Ydelsescentret en rejse mod en fælles kulturel retning, der ikke bare er nedskrevet i dokumenter, men lever i hverdagen, hver dag. En rejse, der ikke blot handlede om at forstå, hvem de er som organisation, men også hvem, de stræber efter at blive.

Resultatet blev en kulturforvandling med medarbejdernes stemmer og borgernes virkelighed som fundament – en ambition om altid at have mennesket i midten.

Situation

Ydelsescentret i Aalborg Kommune har 105 medarbejdere, som alle arbejder for at hjælpe borgerne videre i livet – fra meningsfuld velkomst for flygtninge til en værdig pension i livets efterår. Centerchef, Lars Uldahl, og ledelsen ønskede at styrke den interne kultur og skabe en meningsfuld hverdag for medarbejderne, hvor kerneopgaven blev løftet i fællesskab og i respekt for den enkelte borger.

Udfordring

Ydelsescenter Aalborg er resultatet af sammenlægningen af tre tidligere socialcentre. Dette medfødte et naturligt behov for at flyve i flok og samle faglige tilgange under en fælles retning; i forhold til personlig vækst, feedback kultur, samarbejde og ledelse. Der skulle skabes et kulturelt kompas, som var praksisnært og kunne forankres i hverdagen. Mange stemmer skulle høres, og det krævede, at gode intentioner blev oversat til konkrete handlinger, som alle 105 sjæle kunne se sig selv i.

Løsning

Med støtte fra Voluntās sprang ledelsen ud i en alternativ tilgang til de klassiske trivselsmålinger med et gennemgående fokus på meningsfuldhed. Gennem workshops og dialog blev der skabt et fælles kulturelt kompas, der resulterede i tre overordnede dyder: Vi støtter mennesker, Vi vokser som mennesker og Vi løfter hinanden som mennesker.
Dyderne operationaliseres gennem DydsDrejebogen. Et praktisk hverdagsværkstøj, som hjælper medarbejderne med at navigere i husets opgaveløsning. Ved at skabe en fælles ramme for adfærd og dialog har centeret formået at gøre dyderne til mere end blot ord – de er blevet kulturelle rettesnore, som medarbejderne kan bruge til at møde borgerne og hinanden på en meningsfuld og værdig måde.

FAKTA FØR FORNEMMELSER

Datadrevet kulturændring

Samarbejdet startede med en meningsfuldhedsundersøgelse: en dybdegående analyse af Ydelsescentrets kultur.

Her åbnede Lars og lederteamet motorhjelmen og kiggede på, alle de tandhjul der skaber en meningsfuld arbejdsplads med en stærk følelse af formål, lederskab, tilhørsforhold og personlig udvikling.

“Nogle gange føltes det som om, vi løb i hver vores retning. Meningsfuldhedsundersøgelsen hjalp os med at sætte ord på, hvad vi kunne gøre bedre – sammen.” – Medarbejder.

Undersøgelsen påviste et stærkt fagligt engagement og en soleklar fælles forståelse af kerneopgavens betydning for borgerne. Men der var behov for en fælles retning. En kulturel rettesnor for, hvordan man tackler de situationer, som hverdagen i Ydelsescenteret byder på. Der blev peget på vigtige nedslag som feedback-kultur, onboarding, samarbejde på tværs og særligt de mange møder med borgerne.

RAMMESAT AF LEDELSEN,

Farvelagt af medarbejderne

Lars Uldahl og de fire afdelingsledere i Ydelsescentret startede en arkæologisk undersøgelse med en lederworkshop, der skulle danne rammerne for organisationens ønskede kulturelle kompas.

Det åbnede et rum for refleksion og sparring, hvor ledergruppen stillede de afgørende spørgsmål: Hvem er vi som organisation? Hvem stræber vi efter at være? Og hvem ønsker vi aldrig at blive? Workshoppen satte rammen for et fælles sprog om kulturens kerne, som senere skulle fyldes ud med medarbejdernes perspektiver.

Det blev hurtigt tydeligt, at tre hovedspor – eller kulturelle korridorer – allerede definerede Ydelsescentrets DNA og ville fortsætte med at være hjørnestenene i fremtiden. Disse korridorer blev omsat til tre dyder, som nu sætter rammen for kulturen i huset:

Vi støtter mennesker
Vi gør en forskel for borgerne i Aalborg Kommune.

Vi vokser som mennesker
Vi skaber en psykologisk tryg kultur, hvor mennesker udvikler sig fagligt og personligt.

Vi løfter hinanden som mennesker
Vi samarbejder på tværs og spiller hinanden gode.

FRA ORD TIL HANDLING:

En kultur, skabt af 105 sjæle

For at undgå, at dyderne blot blev tomme ord på direktionsgangen eller hashtags på LinkedIn, var fokus på at involvere alle 105 medarbejdere, og sørge for at få dyderne koblet til netop deres hverdag – og ikke kun ledernes. En fælles bootcamp med samtlige medarbejdere blev afholdt som en del af processen, hvor dyderne blev konkretiseret gennem øvelser og dialog. Med udgangspunkt i psykologiens og dramaturgiens verden blev der skabt en kropslig og mental forståelse for, hvordan dyderne kunne omsættes til konkrete adfærdsprincipper, der er til at forstå, når man møder ind mandag morgen. 

“Involvering er lige med implementering. Når medarbejderne har været med til at definere dyderne og sætte deres præg på processen, frem for at det kommer oppefra, så lever de også. Det gør det til noget, vi alle sammen kan se os selv i – og det er derfor, det fungerer.” – Lars Uldahl.

Efterfølgende blev medarbejdere på tværs af samtlige afdelinger udpeget, til DydsAmbassadører, der gennem træningsforløb blev klædt på til at sikre, at dyderne blev integreret i de daglige processer. DydsAmbassadørerne fungerer i dag som kulturbærere, der støtter deres kolleger i at have mennesket i midten. Ikke som politimænd – men som gartnere, der gøder jorden for, at dyderne kan vokse sig store og stærke i hver enkelt kollega. En central del af deres indsats var udviklingen af DydsDrejebogen – et værktøj, der hjælper både ambassadørerne og resten af organisationen med at navigere i hverdagen.

”Vi blev mindet om, at der ikke er noget bagsæde i bussen. Der er ikke nogen, der bare kan læne sig tilbage. For dét at skabe noget godt, skal vi gøre i fællesskab.” – Medarbejder.

Bootcampens øvelser fokuserede på at gøre dyderne både håndgribelige og relevante. Medarbejderne arbejdede med scenarier fra deres dagligdag, såsom feedback-kultur, samarbejde på tværs og mødet med borgerne. Formålet var klart: At give dyderne liv og gøre dem til en naturlig del af medarbejdernes arbejdsdag.

Bootcampen var en dag, hvor alle mødtes […] og det var praksisnært, fordi Voluntas rent faktisk har gjort noget ud af at sætte sig ind i, hvem vi er som organisation, hvad er vi for et arbejdsmiljø, hvor vi som ledelse gerne vil have os hen, og hvad er det for en kultur, der allerede er til stede. Medarbejderne kunne koble sig på holdet fra Voluntas i første øjeblik, de mødte hinanden. Så derfor ramte de jo også hovedet på sømmet, kan man sige, og kunne være med til at rykke noget allerede dér.” – Christina Ebert, Afdelingsleder.

“Vi har skabt en kultur, hvor det er okay at øve sig. Vi kommer til at ramme ved siden af, men det handler om at lære af det og justere kursen sammen. Det er dét, der gør dyderne så stærke – de er dynamiske og levende.”

Lars Uldahl
Centerchef

ET KONKRET VÆRKTØJ

Dydsdrejebogen

En central del af arbejdet med at omsætte dyderne til daglig praksis blev udviklingen af en dydsdrejebog. Drejebogen er et praktisk værktøj, der gør dyderne konkrete og anvendelige i hverdagen. Den indeholder 24 typiske situationer, som medarbejderne møder i deres hverdag, og giver konkrete forslag til, hvordan dyderne kan bruges i disse scenarier. Eksemplerne dækker alt fra onboarding af nye medarbejdere til konflikthåndtering, ressourcefordeling og feedback.

“Dydsdrejebogen gør det hele meget konkret. Når vi står i svære situationer, kan vi slå op og finde guidance til, hvordan vi møder borgerne eller sparrer med hinanden på en måde, der er i overensstemmelse med dyderne.” – Lars Uldahl.

INTEGRERET DEL AF HVERDAGEN

En ny kultur i praksis

I dag er dyderne og DydsDrejebogen blevet en integreret del af hverdagen i Ydelsescentret. Medarbejderne oplever et stærkere fællesskab og bedre samarbejde på tværs af afdelinger.

”Der er rart, at dyderne er lavet på en måde, der gør dem nemt tilgængelige i hverdagen. For det er det, der gør forskellen i at få dem brugt eller ej.” – Medarbejder.

Ydelsescentrets rejse viser, hvordan man som kommunal organisation kan skabe en stærk kultur, der både løfter medarbejderne og gør en forskel for borgerne. For Lars Uldahl og Ydelsescenteret var dét at tage springet – fra det velkendte til det uprøvede – ikke bare et modigt valg. Det var et nødvendigt skridt for at udvikle og værne om en organisation, hvor mennesket altid er i midten.

Tidslinje

1

Meningsfuldshedsundersøgelsen skydes i gang

Undersøgelsen af organisationens facilitering af mening for de 105 medarbejdere viser en stærk forståelse af kerneopgaven og værdiskabelsen for borgerne. Men den belyser også et klart behov for en fælles kulturel rettesnor – fra on-boarding og sparring til personlig udvikling og feedback.

2

Arkæologisk undersøgelse ind i Ydelsescentrets kultur

Med et klart billede af organisationens kulturelle kardiogram, begynder Ydelsescentret en arkæologisk undersøgelse: Først bliver den ønskede kultur rammesat af ledergruppen gennem en workshop, hvor det overordnede dydsunivers fødes. Herefter mødes de 105 medarbejdere til en  heldagsbootcamp, hvor de underliggende adfærdsprincipper formes gennem tværgående dialog og dramapædagogiske øvelser. 

3

Lancering af Dyderne

De tre dyder tager sin endelige form: Vi støtter mennesker, vi løfter hinanden som mennesker, og vi vosker som mennesker: En trivsels-treenighed eller et kulturelt kompas der, med 9 underliggende adfærdsprincipper, hjælper medarbejderne med at navigere i hverdagens sparrings- og mødesituationer og sikrer en meningsfuld arbejdsplads indenfor tilhørsforhold, formål, personlig udvikling og lederskab. 

4

Udrulning af dyderne i hverdagen

DydsAmbassadører udvælges på tværs af samtlige teams. Gennem workshop og kontinuerlig dialog, trænes de inden for psykologisk tryghed og sparrer omkring dydernes anvendelighed i hverdagens mange korridorer. De finder frem til behovet for et fælles værktøj til forankring af dyderne i hverdagen sammen med +100 kollegaer.

5

Strukturel forankring af dyderne

Gennem sparring med DydsAmbassadørerne skabes DydsDrejebogen – et hverdagsværktøj, der guider medarbejderne gennem 24 møde- og sparringssituationer med det rigtige mindset og dydsuniverset for øje. Herefter trænes ledergruppen i gode greb indenfor proces- og mødefacilitering. Voluntas hjælper med at bygge fiskestangen, så Ydelsescentret kan fange sine egne fisk i det lange løb.  

6

 Meningsfuldhedsundersøgelsen udrulles på ny, og dyderne testes

Til efteråret udruller Ydelsescentret den årlige Meningsfuldhedsundersøgelse. Udover værktøjets faste fokus på driverne af mening i hverdagens korriderer, tilføjes skræddersyede spørgsmål om dyderne: Om de 105 sjæle i huset kan spejle sig i formuleringen, og i hvor høj grad, de reelt støtter medarbejderne i arbejdet. 

Weaving meaning into the fabric of sustainability

Weaving meaning into the fabric of sustainability

Meaningful Organizations

Weaving meaning into the fabric of sustainability

In a quiet corner of central Denmark, the hum of machines in Ege Carpets’ factory is not merely the sound of production; it is the rhythm of a deeply meaningful journey. Since its founding in 1938, Ege Carpets has been creating textiles that are as beautiful as they are functional. But in recent decades, the company has embraced a mission that transcends aesthetics—a commitment to sustainability and meaningfulness that touches every thread of its work.

Ege’s story begins with an ambition as audacious as it is inspiring: to design carpets that respect the planet and enrich the lives of those who create and use them. By the mid-1990s, this ambition evolved into action when Ege began systematically reducing its environmental impact. From minimizing water consumption to transforming waste into raw materials, the company’s efforts culminated in products certified as cradle-to-cradle—a stamp of ecological rebirth.

But sustainability at Ege Carpets was never just about environmental metrics. As Morten Albæk argues in One Life, true meaning lies in integrating our work and our existence into a coherent whole. For Ege, this meant ensuring that their journey toward sustainability was as much about people as it was about products. How could their employees feel a genuine connection to the company’s purpose? How could leadership become a source of inspiration rather than mere instruction?

Nicolai E. E. Iversen

nei@voluntas.com

Jacob Mittun

jmi@voluntas.com

Jeppe Fischer

jfi@voluntas.com

Situation

Ege Carpets, a Danish carpet manufacturer since 1938, sought to align their timeless designs with a future of sustainability and meaning, embracing both environmental responsibility and employee well-being.

Challenge

The company faced the dual challenge of drastically reducing their environmental footprint while ensuring their employees found purpose and alignment in their work—a delicate balance of innovation and human connection.

Solution

Ege implemented groundbreaking sustainability practices, such as using recycled yarns and cradle-to-cradle certification, while embedding their virtues—beauty, respect, and quality—into every aspect of leadership. Through initiatives like their “Meaningfulness Survey,” they ensured alignment across their team, creating a workplace driven by purpose and pride.

The answer lay in crafting a strategic narrative—a story that wove together Ege’s virtues of beauty, respect, and quality. These virtues were not abstract ideals; they became the foundation for nine leadership principles, carefully designed to align every decision and action with the company’s higher purpose. As one employee put it, “If the job makes sense, people are much more likely to stay.”

In the heart of this human-centered approach was a bold innovation: the annual “Meaningfulness Survey.” Unlike traditional performance reviews, this survey asked employees a profound question: Does your work feel meaningful? The results were not just metrics for HR; they were reflections of the company’s soul. Leadership teams used these insights to act as role models, embodying the values they championed.

For Ege, sustainability and meaningfulness became two sides of the same coin. Around 40% of the yarn they use now comes from recycled materials like fishing nets and old carpets. Their carpet backings are made from used water bottles. These innovations are not just environmentally conscious; they reflect a broader philosophy that waste is not just a physical byproduct but a missed opportunity to create something new and better.

The results have been transformative. Ege Carpets is not just a workplace but a community where employees feel seen, valued, and aligned with a larger purpose. Clients, too, are drawn to Ege not just for their products but for the story behind them—a story of resilience, creativity, and responsibility.

Like the patterns of their carpets, Ege’s journey is rich and intricate. It is a story of how a company can redefine success—not as profit alone but as the creation of beauty, respect, and quality in every aspect of its being. It is a reminder, as Voluntās often emphasizes, that the most profound success is one that harmonizes with the planet and the people who inhabit it.

Ege Carpets has shown us that it is possible to weave meaning into every fiber of our work. Their story inspires us to ask not only, “What are we making?” but “Why are we making it?” In answering that question, we might just find the threads that make life truly meaningful.

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The Dreams of the Youth 2024

The Dreams of the Youth 2024

Meaningful Societies

The Dreams of the Youth 2024

Voluntās has supported The Tuborg Foundation in conducting a comprehensive and representative study titled “Unges Drømme 2024” (The Dreams of the Youth 2024), providing deep insights into the dreams, hopes, and concerns among 1,507 young Danish people aged 16 to 29. 

Key Findings:

  • Young people dream of starting a family: When asked openly, their main dreams revolve around having children, finding a life partner, and creating a loving home. Supporting this conclusion, 64% of respondents ranked “spending time with close relationships” as either their first or second most meaningful activity in life.
  • Young people want less pressure and perfection in education: Many young people dream of an inclusive education system with less performance pressure. When asked broadly to suggest one initiative for a hopeful future, most focus on rethinking education to reduce stress and better prepare them for life, including teaching practical skills like personal finance, taxes, and digital literacy.
  • Young people are concerned about climate and war: The climate crisis emerged as the top concern for 27% of respondents, followed by fears of war and global instability (17%)
  • Mental well-being and welfare are most important to prioritize: When asked about various areas, 62% of young people believe that “Mental well-being and welfare” should be the top priority. Additionally, just under half of young Danes consider the most important areas to be “Human rights” (48%), “Physical well-being” (46%), “Climate change, sustainability, and biodiversity” (46%), and “Education and research” (44%).

Nicolai E. E. Iversen

nei@voluntas.com

Jacob Mittun

jmi@voluntas.com

Rasmus Hjalgrim

rhj@voluntas.com

Situation

The Danish foundation, Tuborgfondet, wanted to better understand the aspirations and concerns among young people across the country to shape initiatives that truly resonate with them. They partnered with Voluntās to conduct an extensive survey involving over 1,500 young people between the ages of 16 and 29, aiming to explore their dreams for the future, the issues that matter most to them, and how these vary across different demographics.

Challenge

The challenge lay in ensuring that the findings accurately represented the diverse voices of Danish youth while also uncovering the deeper patterns in their hopes and concerns. There was a need to gather not only quantitative data but also meaningful qualitative insights to provide a full picture of their perspectives. 

Solution

Voluntās developed a research design that included both survey questions and open-ended responses, allowing young people to express their individual views. To maintain neutrality, Tuborgfondet’s name was kept anonymous during data collection, ensuring the responses were free of potential bias. With data analysis and in-depth interpretation, Voluntās provided a clear, representative narrative of what the future looks like to Danish youth.

The Tuborg Foundation provides opportunities for young people to collectively create a hopeful and sustainable future. The Tuborg Foundation was established in 1931 to benefit society, with a particular focus on supporting Danish businesses. Over time, this purpose has been translated into concrete actions, with respect for both the founder’s intent and the current societal challenges and opportunities that shape the foundation’s work.

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A Call to Action: Elevating Youth Meaningfulness in the Global Mental Health Crisis

A Call to Action: Elevating Youth Meaningfulness in the Global Mental Health Crisis

Meaningful societies

A Call to Action: Elevating Youth Meaningfulness in the Global Mental Health Crisis

Fanny Marchand

fma@voluntas.com

With world leaders having just gathered at the Summit of the Future and the United Nations General Assembly in New York, we now have a unique opportunity to rethink our approach to addressing the mental health and well-being of young people, particularly those in conflict-affected and fragile environments. The global challenges of today—armed conflicts, social inequality, and climate change—demand more than just addressing immediate survival needs.[1] To truly support future generations, as articulated in the Declaration on Future Generations, we must ensure that young people are not only heard but that their experiences inform policies that foster meaning and fulfillment in their lives.

The Declaration on Future Generations that was just adopted as an outcome of the Summit recognizes youth as agents of change and emphasizes the importance of engaging them in intergenerational dialogue to shape future policies. Beyond participation, we must focus on using the subjective experiences of young people to inform the design of more effective policies that enhance their mental health and well-being. The ultimate goal is to provide young people with the agency to shape environments that enable them to realize their full potential, thereby laying the foundation for future healthier, more sustainable societies.

While UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling for “meaningful” youth engagement,[2] and great efforts have been made to consult young people on issues like education and employment, we are simultaneously confronted with alarming statistics on school violence, substance abuse, and online bullying.[3] Although we live in an age of unprecedented wealth, the mental health crisis—especially among youth—has never been more severe. Are we truly listening to them? Are we asking the right questions, creating the right platforms for expression, and, most importantly, acting on what they tell us?

[1] Niklas Kabel Pedersen. Voluntās. Beyond Basic Needs: Redefining Social Impact for the Realization of Human Potential. (2024).

[2] Antonio Guterres. Launch of the Common Agenda policy brief Meaningful for Youth Engagement in Policymaking and Decision-Making Processes ahead of the Summit of the Future. (April 2023).

[3] World Health Organization. One in six school-aged children experiences cyberbullying. (2024).

FOSTERING EMOTIONAL WELLBEING AND RESILIENCE

Through Feeling-Inspired Policies

We argue that the feelings of individuals are facts by virtue of their existence. They should not be suppressed in favor of reason, particularly when creating policies for young people who grapple with emotional complexity. In crisis settings, the focus on basic needs often leaves little room for mental health considerations. Programs still tend to prioritize measurable outputs—how many children attend school, how many kits are distributed, how many trainings are completed, etc. At most, we ask people whether they were satisfied with the assistance, rarely questioning whether it truly addressed their deeper needs.

What if we asked young people what matters most to them in their own words? What if we asked them what cheers them up when they are sad and gives them hope?  What if we designed programs that enabled them to experience purpose, dignity, and connection within their communities? Beyond fulfilling basic needs, we should aim to foster environments that promote emotional well-being and personal growth.

Research consistently shows that youth who report a sense of meaning in their lives demonstrate better psychological health, higher life satisfaction, and greater resilience.[4] Social connectivity, purpose, self-care, and physical and cognitive engagement are key drivers of this meaningfulness. Policies aimed at supporting youth must account for these factors.

The main challenge remains: how do we “measure” how children feel and how they experience meaning? The Youth Meaningfulness Index (YMI), developed by Voluntās and its partners, provides insights into the subjective experiences of youth. Supported by our academic advisory board and our youth advisory committee, and drawing from our work on the Global Meaningfulness Index, we first conducted research with several thousand children to identify the drivers of meaning in their lives and then developed a tool to measure these across geographies and at scale. In partnership with UNICEF, UNESCO, and grassroots organizations, we are now measuring the level of meaning experienced by children in Algeria, India, Kenya, Morocco, Norway, Peru, and Ukraine. But it is not just about collecting data—it is about translating those insights into actionable policies and programs that promote emotional resilience and personal growth for institutions, school organizations, governments, and the global community.

[4] For example, Krok, D. When is Meaning in Life Most Beneficial to Young People? Styles of Meaning in Life and Well-Being Among Late Adolescents. J Adult Dev 25, 96–106 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-017-9280-y
For example, Brouzos, Andreas & Vassilopoulos, Stephanos & Boumpouli, Christina. (2016). Adolescents’ subjective and psychological well-being: The role of meaning in life. Hellenic Journal of Psychology. 13. 153-169.

At Voluntās, we have witnessed how young people’s involvement in shaping their environments leads to greater resilience and hope. In Ukraine for instance, where youth face the profound challenges of war, applying the YMI has revealed that young people find meaning through community involvement and personal agency. These findings highlight the critical importance of creating environments where youth can engage in meaningful activities, not only to improve their mental health but also to empower them to navigate challenges and build resilience. This initiative is now being expanded with UNESCO and a cadre of Young Researchers of Meaning, where youth-led engagements across the country are helping to better understand how the lives of more children can be filled with meaning. This effort will subsequently lead to the identification of youth-led local initiatives to be implemented in 2025 with the same goal.

The insights gained from tools like the YMI offer a valuable foundation for designing policies that go beyond traditional metrics. Meaningful policy development requires systems that allow youth to overcome challenges while fostering their ability to lead self-directed, purposeful lives. This approach is not just beneficial for youth—it is essential for building resilient, socially cohesive, and sustainable societies.

REDEFINE SUCCESS IN HUMANITARIAN  AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS

Thanks To Meaning-driven Programs

As the Summit of the Future comes to an end, we must continue to rethink how we approach youth in crisis and development settings. The Declaration on Future Generations calls for intergenerational solidarity and a responsibility to safeguard the well-being of future generations. This responsibility extends to ensuring that today’s youth are provided with the opportunities and environments to experience meaning in life. By incorporating their perspectives into decision-making, we can design policies that reflect what truly matters to them—policies that foster emotional, social, and cognitive growth.

We need to redefine success in humanitarian and development efforts. The future of development strategies must shift from addressing basic needs to creating meaning-driven programs.

At Voluntās, our mission is to ensure that every human being and every young person has the opportunity to live a meaningful life—one filled with purpose, self-awareness, and engagement. By prioritizing meaningfulness and mental health, we can help young people live more fulfilled lives and create a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

Get in touch with the Youth Meaningfulness Index

Do you want to hear more YMI and how to use it for your work?

The Youth Meaningfulness Index (YMI) aims to explore and measure how youth experience meaning in their lives. Young people are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. At the same time, research indicates a growing trend among youth towards conscious living a meaningful life. We believe that the YMI will be a powerful tool for policy makers to help young people increase meaning in their lives.

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Beyond Basic Needs: Redefining Social Impact for the Realization of Human Potential

Beyond Basic Needs: Redefining Social Impact for the Realization of Human Potential

Meaningful societies

Beyond Basic Needs: Redefining Social Impact for the Realization of Human Potential

Niklas Kabel Pedersen

nkp@voluntas.com

The international development sector has long prioritized addressing the immediate needs of crisis-affected populations. Providing lifesaving assistance is undeniably crucial, but this focus has much too often led to an underlying assumption that impact of programs and projects can be measured almost solely on progress related to physical well-being, thus overlooking more subjective factors that contribute to individuals living meaningful lives. At Voluntas, we argue that understanding, providing for, and measuring these subjective needs is not only as important, but should be considered a fundamental right.     

Recognition of this broader perspective has gained momentum in recent years. UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently highlighted the need for a paradigm shift in how we measure progress, “so that we can capture data on the activities and outcomes that societies truly value, and then use the data to better inform our policy and financial decisions.”[1]

Having lived and worked in some of the most challenging and fragile contexts over the past 15 years, I have witnessed firsthand the need to rethink our approaches. Human beings have a fundamental need to feel hope and dignity in their lives. My experiences in Iran, Jordan, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine, and Yemen have shaped my belief in the importance of ensuring that crisis-affected populations have a voice in decisions shaping their future. This inclusion is essential because it fosters feelings of agency and meaning.

[1] Valuing What Counts: Framework to Progress Beyond Gross Domestic Product | LinkedIn

“At Voluntās, we call it “meaningful societies”. However, in reality it is our commitment to having a positive impact on the meaning people feel in their lives by upholding the fundamental dignity and rights of every individual, regardless of their circumstances.”

Niklas Kabel Pedersen, Senior Partner & COO

DIGNITY, HOPE, AND MEANING

Evolving Metrics of Well-being

The measurement of societal progress, welfare, and quality of life has evolved significantly over time. Initially centered on economic, financial, or material well-being, Simon Kuznets introduced Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between the Great Depression and World War II to comprehensively capture economic production.[2] In the 1970s, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen criticized GDP’s limitations, advocating for a measure of societal welfare based on the freedom to pursue what individuals value, known as the capabilities approach.[3]

[2] Fioramonti, L. (2013). Gross domestic problem: The politics behind the world’s most powerful number. Zed Books.

[3] Sen, A. (1999). Development as freedom. Knopf.

This perspective led to the creation of the United Nations’ Human Development Index (HDI) and the Global Happiness Index, which attempt to capture a broader spectrum of human-centered well-being. However, these measures face conceptual and methodological challenges. Happiness is a transient state and not something that can be sustained perpetually. Furthermore, the capabilities approach does not always account for internal barriers to freedom – i.e., it doesn’t fully acknowledge psychological limitations of human beings. Recent indices, such as the Human Flourishing Index and the Subjective Well-Being Index, focus on evaluative and affective dimensions but often overlook eudaimonic aspects such as feelings of purpose and meaning.[4]

[4] VanderWeele, T. J. (2019). On the promotion of human flourishing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(31), 8148-8156. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1702996114 and Diener, E., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Beyond money: Toward an economy of well-being. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 5(1), 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2004.00501001.x

According to these existing indices, globally, we have unprecedented levels of wealth and material prosperity. While not evenly distributed, since 2010, global GDP has increased by nearly 70 percent.[5] Simultaneously, human development as measured by the UN has reached new heights across most societies.[6] Despite this, significant levels of conflict and war persist, and numerous studies document the severe and increasing impact of stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders on societies. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability, and suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds.[7] In conflict and adverse humanitarian settings, this is even more pronounced.[8]

These statistics highlight the shortcomings of conventional measures of societal well-being, which often overlook less tangible yet crucial aspects of development. Addressing these gaps requires a more holistic approach to measuring what truly matters for humans, incorporating elements of dignity, hope, and meaning into our understanding of societal progress.

[5] GDP (current US$) | Data (worldbank.org)

[6] Human Development Index | Human Development Reports (undp.org)

[7] Mental health (who.int)

[8] Murthy, R. S., & Lakshminarayana, R. (2006). Mental health consequences of war: A brief review of research findings. World Psychiatry, 5(1), 25-30.

GMI compared to HDI

Source: www.globalmeaningfulness.report

[9] https://voluntas.com/centers-of-curiosity/people-culture/

[10] https://voluntas.com/foundation/#gmi

[11] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/youth-meaningfulness-index_we-are-happy-to-announce-the-publication-activity-7226851052334047232-ceYY?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

[12] CDA-UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent. (2024, June 5). UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent. Retrieved from https://developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu

[13] Steger, M. F., O’Donnell, M. B., & Morse, J. L. (2021). Helping students find their way to meaning: meaning and purpose in education. In The Palgrave handbook of positive education (pp. 551-579). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

PURPOSE, LEADERSHIP, BELONGING, AND PERSONAL GROWTH

Measuring Impact Through Meaning

For the past decade, Voluntas has been dedicated to creating human-centered, meaning-driven metrics that offer a more comprehensive measure of impact. Initially, our focus was on assessing the sense of meaning felt by employees within organizations and corporations. Based on collaboration with academic institutions and research involving input from hundreds of thousands of individuals, we saw that the primary drivers of meaning can be defined as feelings of purpose, leadership, belonging, and personal growth.[9]

This focus has since evolved to measuring levels of meaningfulness within societies and communities at large. In 2023, we published the world’s first Global Meaningfulness Index (GMI) report,[10] which surveyed 20.000 respondents across 24 countries on how they experience meaning in their lives. Understanding this sense of meaning will provide insights to inform policies on both micro and macro levels. In 2024, the GMI will be even bigger as we reach more than 30 countries. Findings from these studies indicate that we are onto something. In fact, our data shows an inverse correlation between the general sense of meaning in life of a country’s citizens and the Human Development Index (HDI) score of that same country. In other words, as a country’s HDI score increases, the average level of meaning felt is likely to decrease. This challenges our common assumptions about societal well-being.

Similarly, we developed the Youth Meaningfulness Index (YMI) – a tool which examines how children and youth experience meaning in their lives – based on data collected from over 7.000 children in Denmark, India, and Norway. The tool has subsequently been applied among youth in war-torn Ukraine.[11] Research has demonstrated that youth and adolescents who report their lives as meaningful tend to have better psychological health markers, higher life satisfaction, and overall emotional well-being.[12] Finding meaning in daily activities and corresponding purpose in life is associated with greater emotional well-being, academic success, and resilience.[13] As a result, meaningfulness is a metric that better reflects human well-being and societal progress for youth.

Such innovative metrics should also be applied to programmatic activities to ensure that impact is measured and accounted for comprehensively.

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