2025 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

The City of Lyon is convinced that it is necessary to adopt additional indicators as guides for human, health, social, ecological, and democratic progress. That is why, in 2023, a participatory approach was launched to co-create a tool with the citizens of Lyon, the Well-being Compass, which aims to understand what truly matters to the people of Lyon, make well-being a central objective of municipal public policies, and guide the municipal budget towards improving the well-being of its inhabitants.

The Well-being Compass was co-constructed with the residents. In January 2023, 9 workshops were held (one in each district of Lyon, bringing together 160 participants), allowing residents to identify the main elements contributing to their well-being. Based on the contributions from the 9 workshops, a working group composed of residents, elected officials, and City agents developed the "Well-being Compass." This group was supported and guided by experts: researchers, practitioners, and elected officials. The City has committed to reporting on the recommendations made, focusing on the following well-being axes: Exercising the job or activity of one’s choice; getting around; preserving health and receiving medical care; living in a welcoming and supportive city; living together; living in safety; living in a respected public space; having access to culture, leisure, and sports; being able to eat healthily; having housing; living in a healthy and green environment; learning and flourishing as a child or adolescent.

A working workshop is planned for Spring 2025 to identify the measures to implement in response to these recommendations.
The Well-being Compass will result in a well-being budget for the City of Lyon starting in 2026.

Documentation on the approach is available on a dedicated website: https://bien-etre.lyon.fr/ (External link)