Want to win happiness – guaranteed? You can if you participate in Father Bob’s latest project.

To participate people are encouraged to make a donation at winhappiness.com and tell the Father Bob Foundation ‘how they find happiness’.

cummins&partners helped the Father Bob Foundation put the campaign together.

Third prize is one of five amazing flat screen TV’s.  Second prize is an amazing five night stay at one of the ritziest, coolest hotel chains around. But it’s the First prize that’s interesting. First prize is ‘happiness – guaranteed. Or more specifically, the winner will be awarded a ‘Week volunteering in a Soup Kitchen’. Yes first prize is a volunteering for a week, in one of Father Bob’s Soup Kitchens. The winner will be helping others by serving up meals to the homeless’ – and in the process they’ll be making themselves happier. We guarantee it.

The unusual first prize is based off the insight (and backed up with loads of academic studies) that shows that we are happier when we give. Giving something of ourselves makes us happier – whether it be time, money or volunteering.

Further, the winner will be able to complete a pre and post questionnaire measuring their happiness levels. If they haven’t gone up after a week working in the soup kitchen the winner is welcome to stay on volunteering until happiness levels are improved. Happiness guaranteed.

THE THINKING BEHIND THE PROJECT

In the recently released 2014 Organisation of Economics Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Better Life Index, Australia was ranked the happiest industrialised nation for the fourth consecutive year. However, during this time both depression and homelessness rates have continued to rise (45% of us will experience a mental illness, the most common of which are anxiety and depression, whilst staggeringly 105,000 of us are homeless – right now).

Father Bob Maguire believes the reasons behind these conflicting statistics are due to Australians not understanding what actually makes people happy.

“Too often people try to get happier via the superficial things in life; the money you earn, the clothes you wear or the car that you drive. Although economically sound, I believe we, as a nation can find a deeper and longer lasting happiness via an alternative route. We want to prove to people that giving to others, that helping others out – is actually the best way to make yourself happier. This is well supported by both common sense and science” said Father Bob Maguire.

As part of Father Bob’s mission to help Australian’s find happiness, The Father Bob Foundation is running an experimental project – giving people the chance to actually win happiness guaranteed. Or more specifically Father Bob is offering people the chance to work in one of his soup kitchens.

A large meta-study recently completed, looking at the impact of helping others and found that actively volunteering improves ones mental health, makes one happier, reduces depression, and can even make you live longer.  Consumer psychologist Adam Ferrier is at the forefront of customer behaviour and reinforces the study, suggesting helping others is a better way to get happy rather than going for a quick win and buying something for yourself.

“We make a lot of mistakes estimating the amount of joy possessions actually give us. On most occasions, when we make purchases or contribute our time to experiences that benefit others, we are left feeling far more rewarded and these memories stay with us for a lot longer,” said Adam Ferrier.  “Forget the cars, or bigger, flatter TV’s, a week’s worth of memories supporting the less fortunate is an experience that will provide you continued joy for the remainder of your years” .

Father Bob Maguire said “We’re excited to conduct this experiment and look forwards to giving someone the chance to win happiness. I’ll be by your side as your serving meals, and receiving happiness in return.”