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AbstractUsing Australian data, this paper proposes a three‐tiered model of overall life satisfaction as a function of socio‐economic characteristics and satisfaction with areas of life and personality traits. Mediation analysis through structural equation modelling is employed using data from the 17th wave of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. The findings provide evidence for the interconnectedness of the three tiers of the model and their joint contribution to overall life satisfaction. Personality traits have significant direct and even stronger indirect effects on life satisfaction, mediated by their effects on satisfaction with areas of life, which has been previously overlooked. Socio‐economic characteristics have significant indirect effects on life satisfaction, which are most often omitted in analyses of life satisfaction. Satisfaction with areas of life remain strong predictors of overall life satisfaction, but only alongside personality traits and socio‐economic characteristics. The findings provide new methodological insights into the factors contributing to the measurement of life satisfaction, "all things considered". Furthermore, results may support policy makers to target vulnerable groups and identify approaches to improve their well‐being.

In the well-being literature an association is commonly drawn between higher education levels and higher income, better health, better employment opportunities, or even happier marriages. Despite such objective outcomes, most socio-economic studies of well-being have identified a negative or zero relationship between subjective well-being (SWB) and higher educational achievement. However, there is little understanding of the grounds of this relationship. Some scholars, in explaining the link, have called for further research into the theoretical and empirical relation between education and well-being. Using empirical data from national surveys, this thesis explores the relation between SWB and higher educational achievement in the Australian context. In the past decade subjective well-being has become an important item on the agenda of governments and measures of subjective well-being are often used to assess the costs and benefits of policies. Most governments and international organisations (such as the OECD) regard SWB as the most comprehensive measure of wealth, replacing traditional measures like Gross Domestic Product and some social indicators.However, subjective wellbeing is a complex concept developed mainly through inferential measures, individuals being asked to evaluate their wellbeing by answering either of the two questions (or their close derivates): Generally speaking, how happy are you these days? or All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life? . Furthermore, psychologists argue that individuals have different perceptions of what contributes to their well-being. In this thesis, the relationship between SWB and higher educational achievement is conceptualised in a life-domain approach and by exploring the heterogeneity of SWB by higher education. The thesis employs cross-disciplinary theories, building on concepts from life course theory, stress research, quality of life theories, social capital theory and the capabilities approach to education. Time-series cross-sectional (TSCS) ...

AbstractRelationship‐based practice refers to approaches within human services which centralise inter‐personal relationships—either those between clients and workers or between clients and their own network—as a way to achieve positive service outcomes. Relationship‐based practice is increasingly recognised as a critical component in many areas of human services, particularly youth services. Despite increasing policy intentions for programs to adopt a relationship‐based approach, it is not always clear how services can implement this in practice. While relationship‐based skill training can be offered to individual workers, a question remains as to what can be done at an organisational and policy level to cultivate relationship‐based practice. Within this context, this paper explores how programs can be designed to foster relationship‐based practice. The paper draws on the evaluation of an intensive and tailored service for addressing long‐term youth unemployment in Australia: the your job your way pilot program run by yourtown. A key success of the program was strong relationship‐based practice, and this paper explores five features of the program's design that enabled this: (1) small caseloads, (2) intensive support, (3) staff with complementary skills and a professional and 'youth friendly' demeanour, (4) staff discretion about some aspects of program implementation, and (5) support delivered through social and group activities. The paper draws implications for how service provider organisations and governments can cultivate relationship‐based practice in human services.