Are you passionate about fostering a more equitable and connected future? Join us for a series of engaging dialogues, interactive workshops, and collaborative co-design sessions as we embark on the next phase of our journey towards making a call for a Canada-Wide Strategy for Belonging – the Strategy for Belonging Working Group.
On This Page
What Is the Strategy for Belonging Working Group?
Benefits for S4B Working Groups Members
What Is a Working Group?
A working group is a team of people who come together around a specific topic or problem to propose solutions and make recommendations for how to solve it or move forward.
Anyone can join a working group. The main expectation is that you join with a willingness to share ideas and insights based on your own unique expertise. You can learn more about organizing working groups in this blog post.
What Is the Strategy for Belonging Working Group?
The Strategy For Belonging (S4B) Working Group is an opportunity to contribute directly to making community belonging a policy priority and outcome in Canada.
Who Should Join?
We invite all voices and perspectives to participate. Whether you're a community leader, a concerned neighbour, or simply someone who cares about building a more cohesive society, your input is vital.
In addition to people who are invested in creating a Belonging Strategy, we welcome individuals with lived experience or interest in the topic of that particular session.
To learn more about the session topic please consult the Session Overview section below. You can choose to participate in as many sessions as you wish – all of them or select ones that interest you.
Logistics
In 2025, the S4B Working Group will come together for four one-hour interactive online sessions happening on a quarterly basis. The working group is free to join and doesn’t require specialized knowledge to become a member – just a passion for taking action on building belonging on your community.
Through these conversations (in English), we will:
-
delve into the critical issues surrounding belonging, exploring its multifaceted nature and its profound impact on individuals, communities, and regions.
-
ignite action and provide recommendations on tactical strategies and solutions to collaborate across sectors, including municipalities, institutions, and residents.
Our working group sessions are action oriented. At the end of the session, the facilitator will help the group produce a one-page summary that captures insights, recommendations, resources, and collaboration opportunities.
A Session Overview is available below.
Benefits for S4B Working Groups Members
By participating in these sessions, you will help develop a comprehensive call for a strategy that prioritizes belonging as the antidote to social isolation, polarization, and loneliness.
Register below to receive updates on session dates, times, and dial-in details. Join us and help us create a future where belonging is not just an aspiration, but a fundamental right.
Our Values
We are committed to centring equity and finding common ground to create lasting, positive impact. We will honour the following aspirations:
-
Meeting in the middle by holding space for vastly different perspectives to co-exist and engage the whole person with their gifts and skills.
-
Building courageous collaborations: Governments, organizations, and institutions have a role to play as facilitators, amplifiers, and connectors. In assuming these roles, it is critical to address power imbalances by ensuring access to resources and leadership opportunities for equity-denied residents and individuals with lived/living experiences.
-
Enabling community-led change by making room for individuals to participate in decision-making processes, allowing them to take ownership of their future.
-
Stewarding a new generation of leadership by providing opportunities for skills-building and personal development. It also requires cultivating a renewed sense of meaning and purpose so that individuals are more engaged in civic life.
-
Building community spaces by enabling environments that are accessible and encourage people to come together.
-
Igniting local economic development by promoting social capital, entrepreneurship, and local business development to stimulate prosperity in places.
Spring Session | Cultivating Belonging: A Foundation for Leadership
April 29, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
This session will delve into the profound connection between personal experiences and an individual’s sense of belonging. We will examine how cultivating a strong sense of belonging within ourselves and others can foster more empathetic, inclusive, and courageous leadership. Through open discussion and shared insights, we will explore practical strategies for nurturing belonging at a personal level and how these individual actions can contribute to building a broader culture of belonging within organizations and communities, ultimately shaping current and future generations.
Summer Session | Investing in Belonging: The Role of Social Infrastructure
June 24, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Join us for a session to explore the crucial role of social infrastructure in fostering belonging. We will share examples of existing initiatives that are building belonging and creating stronger communities by bridging divides and building connections across diverse groups. We will also examine practical strategies for developing social infrastructure that supports belonging, emphasizing the importance of courageous leadership in navigating complex social dynamics.
Fall Session | Enabling Policies for Belonging
September 23, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Join us to examine how policy development efforts can centre belonging to foster stronger, more inclusive communities. We will reflect on the policy levers that can help promote belonging, such as those related to housing, education, healthcare, and community development. We will also discuss innovative policy approaches that prioritize social connection and cohesion, address systemic inequities that hinder belonging, and enable individuals to fully participate in their communities. The session will also consider the
Year-End Session | Building on Our Momentum
November 18, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
We will reflect on takeaways from our 2025 group conversations, while also looking ahead to the possibilities and strategic priorities that lie on the horizon for 2026. This session is an opportunity for participants to provide feedback on the design of our Strategy for Belonging Working Group series and identify key considerations to encourage society to make belonging a priority for wellbeing and economic prosperity. We will also identify emerging trends, anticipate potential opportunities, and define clear pathways for continued growth and impact. Join us as we bridge the past and the future, working together to shape a compelling vision for what lies ahead.
