News

HORTWEEK | The Belonging Forum’s 2026 Belonging Barometer has found nearly one in three (32%) people who report good mental health list gardening as a hobby, compared with just 16%… view full article >>

LBC | A community garden can be one of the last places where people meet without needing to buy something, prove something or perform for anyone, writes Kim Samuel. READ. view full article >>

RADIO JACKIE | According to the Belonging Forum which surveyed 10,000 adults across all current constituencies, South West London, and particularly, Richmond Park is apparently the best place in the… view full article >>

GLASGOW LIVE | Mid Dunbartonshire was highest in the UK for life satisfaction, as areas of Glasgow had the highest loneliness. READ view full article >>

THE HERALD | Mid Dunbartonshire ranks as the highest constituency in the UK for life satisfaction, according to a survey on feelings of “belonging”. READ. view full article >>

WIRRAL GLOBAL | A WIRRAL constituency has been ranked among the top 10 in the UK for life satisfaction and low levels of loneliness, according to a major new national… view full article >>

YORKSHIRE EVENING POST | Around three-quarters of residents in the area reported high life satisfaction. A Leeds town has been named among the UK’s best for life satisfaction and community… view full article >>

THE STANDARD | London accounts for half of the ten constituencies where people are most likely to say they often feel lonely, with deep pockets of isolation within the city.… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Picture the dinner table on any given Tuesday. One parent is answering one last text from a long day. Another is thinking about tomorrow’s schedule. Their six-year-old… view full article >>

TIMES | Men are much more likely than women to lose touch with friends and far less likely to seek mental health support, even though they account for the majority… view full article >>

COVENTRY TELEGRAPH | RISING costs are affect­ing people’s abil­ity to social­ise and feel con­nec­ted, accord­ing to research. READ. view full article >>

Over the past two days, the Belonging Forum joined global leaders at the United Nations in Geneva to discuss the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons. We emphasized a… view full article >>

CHURCH TIMES | At a time when more and more of life is pulled into our own homes, and on to our phones and feeds, according to our personalised algorithms,… view full article >>

MORNING STAR | Rising costs are the number one reason why people are unable to socialise and feel connected, a survey has found. READ. view full article >>

LBC | The everyday building blocks of community life have steadily, and then suddenly, been pulled beyond the reach of millions. Since the pandemic, 86% of people in the UK… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | In her latest for Psychology Today, Founder and Chief Architect, Kim Samuel, explores how algorithms shape our lives and steal our focus and how rituals can help… view full article >>

THE GLOBE AND MAIL | As artificial intelligence reshapes the future of work and civic life, a bigger question is emerging: how do we strengthen shared purpose and meaningful participation… view full article >>

LBC | Pubs are a vital and increasingly inclusive social infrastructure, writes Kim Samuel. READ. view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Walk through an airport bookstore, scroll the podcast charts, or listen to a leadership keynote, and it’s easy to reach a simple conclusion: we’re living in the… view full article >>

THE GROCER | Morrisons secured extensive coverage and national TV adoration – courtesy of Good Morning Britain – for its launch of so-called Talking Tills last weekend. READ. view full article >>

INTEGRATED CARE JOURNAL | With recruitment challenges mounting and retention at crisis point, new research reveals caregivers aren’t just underpaid – they are under-supported. A deficit of belonging is driving… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | In her latest article for Psychology Today, Kim Samuel lays out a distinction between solidarity and orthodoxy: whether people feel included and respected in decision-making. She also draws on our experiences during… view full article >>

LBC | Housing is not just an economic transaction but the foundation of security, stability, and connection, writes Kim Samuel. view full article >>

HR REVIEW | Belonging at work isn’t a perk; it’s performance infrastructure. It’s what makes people stay, stretch and create. Yet retention remains a pressing problem: in 2024, 51 per… view full article >>

EXPRESS | Bishop Sarah’s nomination has sparked fury in some quarters – here’s why her critics are wrong. view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | This year, an OpenAI study reached a troubling conclusion: Heavy ChatGPT users are more likely to report loneliness than non-users. Still, in Silicon Valley, tech titans are making the opposite… view full article >>

LBC | Today, the House of Lords faces a grave responsibility. Its second reading of the Assisted Dying Bill is not just another parliamentary exercise. view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | This summer, researchers at the University of Derby in the UK published research showing that humanity’s connection to nature has declined by more than 60 percent since 1800.… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | The world’s leading medical authorities have reached a consensus that loneliness and social isolation increase the risk of heart disease, depression, and scores of other health challenges.… view full article >>

LBC | Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are a vital benefit that doesn’t just help disabled people manage the extra costs of daily life – it helps them stay connected to… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | This spring, researchers at Harvard released the first wave of data from the Global Flourishing Study, a five-year survey of more than 200,000 people in 22 countries.… view full article >>

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN | Seventy years ago, the philosopher Hannah Arendt described how loneliness inflames the connective tissues of a society, creating the conditions in which totalitarianism can take hold. Contemporary medical… view full article >>

TIME | This month, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg argued that AI will solve the loneliness crisis. “I think people are going to want a system that knows them well and… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Finding belonging can be the work of a lifetime. Yet the work of building belonging doesn’t always have to be slow. Recent psychology research shows that quick,… view full article >>

THE SCOTSMAN | The Scottish Government’s favourability dropped with Scots during 2024, according to new research. view full article >>

THE GLOBE AND MAIL | True belonging doesn’t come from walling ourselves off from the poor or the vulnerable. Belonging is hollow when it’s all about exclusion. view full article >>

DAILY RECORD | A roundtable discussion with The Belonging Forum focused on tackling social isolation and loneliness and could lead to the creation of an Ayrshire-wide forum. view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | In a new Psychology Today article, Kim Samuel, our Founder and Chief Belonging Officer, argues that belonging isn’t a political battleground—it’s a fundamental human need. READ. view full article >>

THE TIMES | Fears around the march of AI, social media harms and layoffs are distant concerns in the UK’s regions, where the sector is expanding rapidly. view full article >>

FUTURE OF WORK | A new study has highlighted how remote and hybrid working have influenced social connections across the UK. The research, by loneliness and isolation group the Belonging… view full article >>

THE GROCER | A till where staff are encouraged to converse with customers proved popular in the Belonging Forum survey. view full article >>

ITV | Almost half of young women in the UK report feeling lonely, according to a landmark new MRP poll of 10,000 adults living in the UK. view full article >>

INDEPENDENT | One in 10 UK adults report having no close friends, according to research looking into social isolation and loneliness. People in the North East and middle-aged were the… view full article >>

BIRMINGHAM LIVE | 48 percent would prefer to be served by a human rather than self-service, Belonging Forum found. view full article >>

EXPRESS | Read Nearly half of Brits are more likely to return to a shop if they are served by a human rather than a computer, according to a new… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Freedom is the most popular buzzword in politics.  It’s perhaps the one slogan that unites movements—left, right, and center—across the world. But what if “freedom”—in the sense… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | In the age of AI and automation, many companies are advertising the promise of the “frictionless customer experience.”  Retailers argue that robotic checkout counters and AI-bot customer… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | In her new piece for Psychology Today, our founder and Chief Belonging Officer, Kim Samuel, writes about how Arendt’s insights from 70 years ago can help us… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Kim Samuel, Founder of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, talks about how a pervasive mental health challenge—chronic stress is driving the crisis of loneliness and isolation.… view full article >>

LBC NEWS | Millions have been impacted by the sudden disappearance of bank branches from Britain’s fading high streets—none more so than older people, who, with the winter fuel allowance… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | In her latest article for Psychology Today, our Founder and Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel, explores the question: How do we build a politics of belonging? READ view full article >>

PREVENTION MAG | “I am very proud to be the age that I am, but it’s not the most interesting thing about me.” view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Kim Samuel, Founder of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, invites you to put yourself in the shoes of an older person in a long-term care home… view full article >>

CHURCH TIMES | Angelicans are more likely to say that they are satisfied with their lives, and many older churchgoers say that they never feel lonely, a new survey has… view full article >>

EXPRESS | Let’s all unite to savour the excitement of our summer of sport, says Kim Samuel view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Time alone is fleeting in our modern world, but it’s key to social connection. view full article >>

BUCKS RADIO | 29% of people in Buckinghamshire report feeling lonely often, always, or some of the time, it can be revealed for the first time, ahead of National Loneliness… view full article >>

ODD ONE OUT | London is one of the world’s most diverse cities, with an estimated 9.74 million people speaking over 300 languages. It also regularly tops rankings of best… view full article >>

SUSSEX WORLD | A staggering 44% of people in the southern constituency, represented by Green Party Caroline Lucas MP, answered “not strongly” when asked about whether they feel like they… view full article >>

SCOTTISH SUN | Despite it being the largest city in the country, 17 per cent of residents in the area reported having no close friends. view full article >>

HEXAM COURANT | According to the survey, a significant 40% of residents reported their satisfaction with their lives is at an eight or higher out of 10. view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Kim Samuel, Founder of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness and the Belonging Forum, discusses how a major new study reveals how to reconnect to people, place,… view full article >>

THE STANDARD | Founder of the Belonging Forum says poll suggests there are ‘real issues’ in London with social connection. view full article >>

METRO | A new study has revealed an isolation epidemic throughout the UK, with 29% of the British population claiming they feel lonely often or some of the time. view full article >>

PROPERTY REPORTER | Just 43% of renters (including private, local authority, and housing authority) say they know their neighbours, compared to 69% of those who own their homes outright. view full article >>

YAHOO FINANCE | A ground-breaking new poll of 10,000 Brits examines social isolation and how to foster a sense of belonging in the UK. view full article >>

DAILY EXPRESS | Rob Virtue highlights that 40% of people living with disabilities experience loneliness, evidencing data released by the Belonging Forum. view full article >>

THE WALRUS | Reporter Toula Drimonis writes about how a dirt path changed Canadian immigration policy forever. READ view full article >>

THE TELEGRAPH | Camilla Tominey examines research from the Belonging Forum which shows that women just starting out in their adult lives are feeling almost twice as lonely as the… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | In Psychology Today, Kim Samuel argues that our society needs a fundamental rethink about the role or screen time and social media in our children’s lives. view full article >>

LBC | Kim Samuel writes about re-discovering the love for our communities on Valentine’s Day. view full article >>

LBC | Following the ground-breaking ITV series based on the British Post Office Scandal, Kim Samuel discusses the collective power of people and community to bring about change. view full article >>

DAILY EXPRESS | Kim Samuel writes about the march of self-service and the automation in the public sphere, calling for banks in the UK to bring back real branches and… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | In Psychology Today, Founder Kim Samuel writes that Trump’s statement about institutionalization for people with mental health issues breaks sharply with 60 years of official policy consensus.… view full article >>

Habits of Leadership | On the Habits of Leadership podcast, SCSC Founder and Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel explores the four dimensions of connection which amount to belonging – people,… view full article >>

DAILY EXPRESS | With the growing popularity of Halloween amongst young Brits, Kim Samuel highlights its positive community aspects and why it should be embraced with positivity. view full article >>

DAILY EXPRESS | Kim Samuel shares her thoughts on why high street banks in the United Kingdom are an essential service and vital part of communities. view full article >>

Talk@7 | SCSC Founder & Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel joins Zakia Ahmed Siddiqi on Talk@7 to discuss connectedness, belonging, and her book, On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age… view full article >>

IOL | IOL covers the South African launch of SCSC Founder & Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel’s book, On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation. view full article >>

USA TODAY | The post-Covid in-person work push excludes millions of workers with disabilities, writes Kim Samuel. view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Applying teachings from the legendary Zen master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh and others, Kim Samuel explains how mindfulness is a pathway to building belonging. view full article >>

TIMES LIVE | SCSC Founder and Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel launches her book, On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation, The in South Africa. READ view full article >>

DAILY MAVERICK | Applying teachings from the legendary Zen master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh and others, Kim Samuel explains how mindfulness is a pathway to building belonging. view full article >>

THE ADDY HOUR | SCSC Founder and Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel joins Dr. Nii Addy, Yale professor, neuroscientist, and mental health advocate, on his podcast to talk about belonging… view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Kim Samuel rethinks the meaning of connectedness in the age of social media. She argues that people must foster feelings of solidarity, respect, and appreciation for others. view full article >>

GREEN TEMPLETON COLLEGE | SCSC Founder and Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel is a Visting Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Green Templeton College. They sat down with her… view full article >>

CityNews Montreal | CityNews Montreal reports on the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness event in Montreal, Quebec in Canada – “Stories of Seeking Asylum: Launching Hopes, Homes, and Havens” WATCH view full article >>

KUENSEL | In Bhutan’s national newspaper, Kim Samuel argues that gross national happiness measurement framework is a model for governments everywhere. view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Kim Samuel presents an argument that we are living in an age of “othering.” She looks to psychology, literature, and her own research and experience to explore… view full article >>

INDEPENDENT | Kim Samuel shares her thoughts on how to tackle the crisis of social isolation and build belonging. view full article >>

TIME | SCSC Founder and Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel shares her perspective on the importance of building community in the workplace READ view full article >>

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | Kim Samuel explores how belonging isn’t just a need, as Abraham Maslow posited, but a right. She looks to an essential lesson that she received from Nelson… view full article >>

Canadian Business | SCSC Founder Kim Samuel sheds light on the impacts of remote work on mental health and social isolation. READ view full article >>

TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION | Kim Samuel writes about how universities can take proactive steps to create more caring classrooms and foster belonging on campuses. view full article >>

STYLIST | Kim Samuel explains three ways that we can combat loneliness and isolation in a fragmented world. view full article >>

The Church Times | The Church Times interviews SCSC’s Founder Kim Samuel about her new book ON BELONGING: FINDING CONNECTION IN AN AGE OF ISOLATION. READ view full article >>

Monocle Radio | SCSC Founder & Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel is interviewed by Monocle magazine about what inspired her to write her book, the meaning of belonging, the impact of othering,… view full article >>

Purposeful Empathy | SCSC Founder & Chief Belonging Officer, Kim Samuel, speaks with Dr. Anita Nowak on the Purposeful Empathy podcast about the role of empathy in building belonging. LISTEN view full article >>

THE BOSTON GLOBE | This article by Kim Samuel in the Boston Globe explores the impact of the Friendship Bench, an organisation founded by psychiatrist Dixon Chibanda, dedicated to bridging… view full article >>

MACLEAN’S | Kim Samuel writes about isolation as one of the biggest liabilities to business and how workplaces need to help build belonging for employees. view full article >>

THE GLOBE AND MAIL view full article >>

STANFORD SOCIAL INNOVATION REVIEW | On the hermeneutic of generosity, the iron cage of rationality, and accompaniment. view full article >>