Staff | Building Belonging

Building Belonging as staff

Creating environments where students and colleagues feel they belong is essential to learning, wellbeing and success.

The Warwick Building Belonging Framework has been co‑developed by staff and students to help you foster sense of belonging intentionally and sustainably within your teaching, services, teams and day‑to‑day practice.

Whether you work in academia, administration, student support, campus services or leadership, this page will help you understand why belonging matters and how to embed the framework meaningfully in your context.

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Why belonging matters

A sense of belonging influences almost every aspect of the student and staff experience. Feeling valued, included and connected improves confidence, motivation, wellbeing and performance.

Research and sector practice demonstrate that belonging is not a “nice to have”—it is a foundational condition for success, engagement, and community health.

Students

Students who feel they belong are more likely to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

A lack of belonging can contribute to disengagement, loneliness and even withdrawal.

Trust between students, peers and staff underpins their willingness to participate, seek support and collaborate.

Staff University of Warwick

Belonging improves the effectiveness of learning, teaching, student support, and community‑building efforts.

It boosts participation, representation and engagement in co‑created activity at all levels.

When belonging is embedded in everyday practice, inclusive culture becomes sustainable rather than programmatic.

Belonging is everyone’s responsibility. It is built with people, not for them; something made clear through our own learning circle and co‑design work at Warwick.

Warwick Building Belonging Framework in practice

The framework draws on four interconnected elements; inclusion, mattering, empowerment and connection, all built on a foundation of trust. Use the interactive graphic to understand how these elements work together.

Participation modes

The framework encourages you to think not just about what you do to support belonging, but how you do it. It introduces three modes of participation:

For

Doing things for your audience may include actions that remove barriers, increase clarity or enhance experiences for students or colleagues, e.g.:

Simplifying processes or communications
Improving accessibility in teaching spaces
Updating teaching practices to support engagement

This mode is essential when expertise or responsibility sits with you.

With

This mode emphasises partnership and co‑design. Examples include:

Working with students to design learning activities
Reviewing services collaboratively
Involving others in shaping new processes

Co‑created practices help build trust and support the impact of your work.

This involves empowering students or colleagues to lead. Examples include:

Student‑led initiatives
Peer support communities
Staff‑led networks or working groups

This mode supports confidence, autonomy, and long‑term cultural change.

Belonging AI tool

Need help turning ideas into action? This proof‑of‑concept AI tool offers tailored guidance based on the framework to help you move from planning to doing.

Snapshot tool

This tool supports you with the design, review or participation in activities by reflecting on them through the lens of the framework.

Case studies

Explore examples of the framework being used by colleagues across Warwick to support fostering a sense of belonging for, with and by students.