GroUPS  MATTER

Some people like a group, some don't, and others are on the fence. If you're new to an area, had a baby, are recently separated, or feel lonely or down, it might be good to join a group. Some research even suggests that joining a group will half your chance of dying in the same year!

There's a science to groups; it's not just about putting people in a room and hoping they'll get along because they might share a common interest. Groups, designed effectively, can be powerful and play an essential part in your health and well-being.

Research tells us that people cope better with life's struggles when they feel they belong to a group. This is for several reasons: an opportunity to meet people and learn about them and what they do, means that in times of need, a person has someone to turn to who can provide resources. Giving a chance to contribute one's knowledge, skills, experience, and strengths to a group also helps with forming a positive identity about oneself and the value this holds for group members.

We're passionate about designing interventions with this in mind. One Big Happy is a grassroots movement, listening to what people tell us they need and thinking about how a one-off or ongoing group can meet a community's needs. People who come to us feel better because, at the heart of our project, we genuinely desire to know one another and create places where people feel they belong to something special.


'For not only young children but human beings of all ages are found to be at their happiest and able to deploy their talents to best advantage when they are confident that, standing behind them, there are one or more trusted persons who will come to their aid should difficulties arise.........' John Bowlby, Attachment Theory.