Transformative Belonging Thru Inclusion
“Belonging is rooted in relationships,” says Dr. Erik Carter. “Having people in our lives who know us, like us, accept us, need us, miss us, and love us is at the heart of our well-being.”* Belonging like this can create a healing experience, especially for those on the margins. As Carter also shares through the 10 Dimensions of Belonging - This feeling of true belonging is more than being included or invited. Someone’s presence is not only allowed but wanted. They are not only invited but needed. This healing sense of belonging happens when the world welcomes someone in and fully accepts and loves them for who they really are. This need for belonging is not a special need, but rather a universal need. Even though the need for belonging is universal, students with intellectual and developmental disabilities can have an especially hard time finding spaces of true belonging. For instance, isolation and separation often keep our Capernaum friends at arm's length from their peers and