Feeling Like You Belong

Ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has been an important objective in communities and workplaces around the country, but an additional concept — belonging — has emerged as a powerful goal of its own. In fact, some experts say that belonging is more important than inclusion.

Belonging essentially means that people feel welcome in a certain group, can be their authentic selves, and have a meaningful voice. The more that people feel like they belong, the more diverse and equitable a society will become.

Municipalities are making real efforts to help their residents feel truly at home.

For instance, in Carver County, MN, located just southwest of Minneapolis, eight communities are participating in a Communities of Belonging initiative designed to foster stronger connections among their residents. One city, Cologne, created a working group of local leadership and 35 volunteers.

The group surveyed adult residents and asked nine questions, including “What makes you feel like you belong in Cologne?” “Describe your relationship with your neighbors.” “What events have you attended in the last 3 years?” and “What makes you feel like you do NOT belong in Cologne?” The survey also asked about social media preferences.

Although responses were largely positive, people did want more information on community happenings — so the working group created and published the first newsletter for and about the city, and also is drafting an action plan to make Cologne more welcoming.

The idea is to create a community that epitomizes four tenets:

• Everyone feels welcomed, safe and significant, regardless of their differences.
• All people are respected, even if they disagree.
• People know each other, care about each other and take care of each other.
• Everyone works together to create a healthy, thriving, vibrant community and, as a result, everyone benefits. 

For more information about belonging, read our featured contributor blog series and/or check out a recent New York Times article that explains why “belonging” has become so important in the workplace.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay