Belonging

What do we mean when we say belonging?

Belonging refers to how connected we feel to our local communities and is a key way of combating loneliness, with its consequent health and wellbeing risks. A sense of belonging could come in the form of joining community events or a local social media group, or it could simply be about knowing our neighbours and saying hello. Neighbourhoods should provide opportunities for people to connect with each other to allow a sense of belonging to emerge.

The notion of belonging ties into feelings of social connectedness. More specifically, it ties into how connected people feel on a personal level to their neighbourhood and community. It is important to allow all members of a community to feel a connection to their community, regardless of background. Access to a variety of different perspectives, be they cultural or otherwise, is an essential part in helping to foster strong ties between people and within their communities, and we believe that diversity is a big part of creating happy and healthy neighbourhoods.

Photo of a community notice board advertising lots of events and groups

How does this affect health and wellbeing?

Community events can particularly enhance a sense of belonging or pride through celebration of a shared identity, collective empowerment, civic participation and knowledge and cultural exchange. [108] Such events are an essential part of tackling issues of social isolation and loneliness, which has been shown to lead to social isolation and worse health outcomes. [109] More specifically, isolation and loneliness are connected to a wider range of negative health outcomes, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, dementia, coronary heart disease, cancer and an overall increased susceptibility to infectious disease. [110] Additionally, volunteering has been shown to have a strong association with better health outcomes, for example lower mortality, better functioning, life satisfaction and a decrease in depression. [111], [112] Diversity within communities is also an important factor, particularly as communities that are mixed across different ages, ethnicities, disabilities and tenure can help prevent stigmatisation and isolation. [113]

Case study

Connected communities: Portobello, Edinburgh

Voted the best neighbourhood in the UK and Ireland at the 2020 Urbanism Awards, the seaside suburb of Portobello is home to a very socially diverse population.