Seven Strategies for Building Belonging

Why Does Belonging Matter in Higher Education?

Belonging is essential for student success and wellbeing. When students feel connected to their institution, they are more likely to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. For wellbeing teams, fostering belonging means creating an environment where every student feels valued and supported.

1. Start with Inclusive Communication

• Use inclusive, diverse language in all student materials.
  • Build a diverse review team, review all content, and adopt inclusive language standards (e.g., “chairperson” instead of “chairman,” “people with disabilities” instead of “the disabled”). Prioritise Accessibility by adding alt text, captions, and transcripts, and ensuring colour contrast for readability. Gather input from employees, students, and stakeholders through surveys or focus groups and schedule regular audits and stay updated on evolving norms.
• Make wellbeing resources accessible and visible to all students, including underrepresented groups.
• Offer multilingual or culturally sensitive messaging.

2. Create Safe Spaces for Connection

• Provide physical and virtual spaces for students to share experiences without judgment.
• Create peer support groups and wellbeing forums to help students connect. 
  • You could use your university app for this, as students will already be using it to access timetables etc, they will be more likely to engage. What's more, you will be able to moderate the forums.
• Support student-led initiatives so they own their community
  • Reach out to the student unions and ask them to create a wellbeing student group to provide ideas and feedback

3. Embed Belonging in Orientation and Transition Programs

• Introduce wellbeing services at the start of a student's journey.
• Include activities that build social interaction and cultural exchange.
• Train staff to spot isolation and act early.
  • Investing in technology that helps staff identify problems early on can be a significant benefit. Ensure that all your student record systems are fully integrated, so that no student information is missed and nothing slips through the cracks.

4. Leverage Data to Identify Gaps

• Use surveys and feedback to find where students feel disconnected.
• Analyse engagement to tailor interventions for each group.
• Act on insights immediately. Students notice real change.
  • Prioritise quick wins, if you're missing a resource (e.g., mental health hotlines), update the app or website asap. Push notifications or social media updates can announce new initiatives instantly. Give wellbeing teams authority to implement small changes without lengthy approval processes. Launch quick pilots for new ideas (e.g., virtual wellbeing forums) and refine based on  feedback.

5. Collaborate Across Departments

• Collaborate with academic teams, student unions, and diversity offices for a unified approach.
• Launch joint campaigns on mental health and belonging to increase impact.
• Share success stories to inspire and normalise seeking help.
  • Post stories on the university app, social media, and wellbeing pages. Include them in newsletters and freshers' materials. Don’t forget to ensure you feature diverse voices and experiences to show that seeking help is normal for everyone. Frame stories as journeys, not just problems. Regularly update stories to reflect current issues (i.e. Exam stress) and evolving student needs.

6. Celebrate Diversity and Individuality

• Host events that highlight various cultures, identities, and perspectives.
  • Organise a “Global Campus Day” where students showcase food, music, and traditions from their home countries. Create ‘Storytelling Nights’ where students share traditional tales from their country or culture. Why not invite students to teach their own extracurricular classes, demonstrating how to prepare traditional dishes, or lead traditional dance classes etc.  
• Encourage students to share their stories to build empathy and connection.
  • Run themed weeks like “LGBTQ+ Awareness,” “Disability Inclusion,” or “International Student Week” and ask students to share their stories as part of this. Showing films from different cultures or about identity issues, followed by guided discussions, will help students open up.
• Recognise and reward those who build community.

7. Make Wellbeing Visible and Accessible

• Promote wellbeing services on social media, at events, and in learning platforms.
• Offer flexible support, like online counselling or drop-in sessions.
• Remind students that seeking help shows strength.

Final Thoughts

Building belonging is ongoing. Wellbeing teams must listen, adapt,  and create spaces where every student matters. When students belong, they flourish. That is the ultimate goal of higher education.