I am proud to be an Iraqi, Scottish and British woman. My three children are also Scottish, British and Iraqi.
When I came to Scotland with my late husband in the 1980s, Glasgow welcomed us with open arms. I studied at the Veterinary School at Glasgow University and my three children were all born in Scotland. Over the past few decades, I’ve become very aware that my children’s sense of belonging is different from my sense of belonging, and it shows in our daily lives.
As humans, we all have an innate desire to belong, to feel valued and included within our families, friends and local community groups. A sense of belonging involves more than simply being acquainted with other people but rather is centred on gaining acceptance, attention, and support from fellow members of our groups.
A sense of belonging is recognised as an important factor in both our psychological and physical well-being, so much so that the Scottish health board, NHS Lothian, called their 2011-2016 mental health strategy “A Sense of Belonging” in recognition of this very view.
Research has shown that sense of belonging has increased in recent years in Scotland although important variations exist between cities and among certain ethnic groups. On the other hand, low levels of a sense of belonging have been associated with higher rates of depression, lack of effort to integrate and participate.
Experiences of discrimination/intolerance, as well as the loss of relationships with the community, undermine feelings of belonging although a sense of belonging tends to increase with the length of residency and that has been my experience.
Our need to belong is what drives us to seek out stability and long stable relationships with other people. It also motivates us to participate in social activities such as clubs, sports teams, religious groups, community organisations and to be fully a member of the community.
A 2020 university study conducted by students found a positive link between a sense of belonging, greater happiness and overall well-being, as well as an overall reduction in the mental health outcomes including:
From a personal point of view some of the steps I took to increase my sense of belonging included:
I practised patience, effort and acceptance every day until it became an integral part of my life.
Watching my children grow up in Scotland I have seen them negotiate and develop their own identities and sense of belonging within their local communities, groups and wider society. Although they faced certain difficulties, they were very different from mine.