A sense of belonging is a fundamental human need. It indicates that you feel connected to, affiliated with and accepted by a specific social context. This could be a country, a city or neighborhood, an organization like a school, a team or a classroom, or a family.
A sense of belonging indicates that there is some kind of shared identity and a sense of inclusion.
At student level, a sense of belonging for pupils or students might mean that they feel personally accepted, respected, included, and supported by others in the school social environment.
At staff level, a sense of belonging might mean that every staff member feels recognized and that their opinion is valued and taken into account.
At local partner level, a sense of belonging might mean that parents and other stakeholders feel recognized as partners in providing (the conditions for) and contributing to the best education possible.
A sense of well-being contributes to well being, mental health and can help to avoid loneliness and feelings of exclusion.
In the section with additional tools, suggestions are given to strengthen the feeling of belonging of pupils/students, staff members, parents or local partners.
Several schools provide inspiring examples of how they create conditions where pupils/studens, staff members, parents or local partners can develop a sense of belonging.