A new chapter in our movement for belonging

I am excited to announce that this autumn, the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness (SCSC) will officially become the Belonging Forum.

Since 2017, SCSC has been a home for research, advocacy, and convenings – including four global symposia – and has supported more than 100 Social Connectedness Fellows. Our origins lie in a simple and urgent conviction: that social isolation is a crisis, and that fostering social connectedness is essential to human dignity. From these beginnings, our vision has grown to embrace an even greater truth – that everyone has the right to belong.

The decision to rebrand reflects two shifts:

1. Unifying our work. The growth of our UK-based Belonging Forum project, which launched the groundbreaking 10,000-person Belonging Barometer, has demonstrated the value of measuring, understanding, and strengthening belonging. We are now bringing all our global initiatives together under one clear and inspiring identity.
2. Expanding our vision. The name “Belonging Forum” captures the belief that drives everything we do: that belonging is both a right and a shared responsibility. It reflects our enduring commitment to research and fellowship, and our growing role as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and action.

This change is about more than a new name; it is about creating the foundation for a global movement. By becoming the Belonging Forum, we are signalling that our work is not confined to one centre or one geography but is instead an open and participatory space – one rooted in respect, recognition, and reciprocity – where voices from across the world can come together with care and compassion.

As we step into this new chapter, our aim is simple: to deepen collaboration and explore how we can continue building this movement together, whether through joint programming, convening spaces where belonging can flourish, or amplifying research. Our Belonging Research Lab is now beginning in earnest, bringing academic rigour to the study of social isolation and the measurement of belonging.

Our fellowship program will also carry a new name – Samuel Scholars in Belonging – honouring the Samuel family and my late father, Ernie Samuel, whose legacy continues to inspire our mission. This premier research and leadership program reflects the core values of our movement: people with both academic expertise and deep lived experience, who work across sectors to build a world where everyone belongs.

Thank you for your partnership and commitment to this movement. Together, we are proving that belonging is not only possible – it is essential. I look forward to the conversations and collaborations ahead.

With gratitude, 

Kim Samuel 
Founder and Chief Architect, Belonging Forum

Visit the Belonging Forum