News & Views – Belonging Forum

Opinions

The Timms review shows welfare is broken. Blaming the sick will not fix it

LBC | Welfare reform must begin with the truth that PIP is not an out-of-work benefit, and the people who rely on it are not the enemy, writes Kim Samuel.… view full article >>

We can’t just ban phones – we must teach young people how to exist online

Children & Young People Now | The government’s plan to ban mobile phones in schools and restrict children’s access to social media is an opportunity to prepare young people for… view full article >>

The Chelsea Flower Show reminds us that the outdoors belongs to everyone

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 >>

News

Disability Pride Month: Nearly half of LGBTQ+ disabled people experience frequent loneliness

Attitude | Belonging Forum has outlined guidance as to how communities, the workplace, and institutions can help benefit LGBTQ+ disabled people in July and beyond. Read. view full article >>

Two-thirds of disabled people feel poorly represented by the UK Government

Learning Disability Today / Europe Says | Two-thirds of disabled people feel poorly represented by the UK Government. One in three (34%) disabled people do not feel they belong in… view full article >>

The best apps, games and platforms for teens amid the UK’s under-16 social media ban

Living360 | With TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube set to be out of bounds for under-16s under new government plans, experts reveal alternative ways for teens to spend time online. Read. view full article >>

Blogs

Global Charter Signing in Malawi

As we marked International Albinism Awareness Day on 13 June, advocates, community leaders and partners came together in Malawi to sign the Global Charter for Belonging. This coincided with the… view full article >>

The Walrus Talks: Power and Belonging

The Walrus Talks Power and Belonging Every year, new studies show continual erosion in the public trust in institutions and society in Canada. Democracy feels fragile, and many people feel… view full article >>

Rethinking Development at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

Diego is a researcher with the Belonging Research Lab who completed the MPhil in Development Studies at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on socio-environmental conflicts in Latin America,… view full article >>

Publications

Reimagining educational gardens: art, sensory design, and place-based pedagogy

Environmental Education Research | This paper explores a novel approach to educational botanic gardens through a case study of the Eden Project Cornwall (EPC), a visitor attraction that challenges the pedagogical… view full article >>

From Isolation to Integration: Building a Sense of Belonging in a New Environment

Soraya Amiri is an experienced media professional and women’s rights advocate with over five years of journalism experience in print, radio, and television in Afghanistan and Canada. In 2022, Soraya… view full article >>

Measuring Social Connectedness in Multidimensional Poverty Surveys

MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY PEER NETWORK (MPPN) | JULY 21, 2024 Our founder and Chief Belonging Officer Kim Samuel, alongside senior researchers Dr. Prenika Anand and Samuel McQuillen, discuss the critical role… view full article >>

Press Releases

Disabled people nearly twice as likely not to feel they belong in their communities, major UK study finds

London, UK, [JULY 2026] – Disabled people are almost twice as likely as non-disabled people not to feel they belong in their communities, according to a new report published by… view full article >>

Scotland’s belonging divide: Mid Dunbartonshire ranks highest in the UK for life satisfaction

London, UK, 1 May 2026 – Scotland contains some of the UK’s strongest communities for a sense of belonging, but also some of its most disconnected places, according to new… view full article >>

London’s belonging paradox: capital has strongest friendships but some of UK’s loneliest communities

London, UK, 30 April 2026 — People in London are less likely than anywhere else in the UK to say they have no close friends, with the proportion reporting zero… view full article >>