Selected media
Selected media
Press
One in three students lack belonging - report
School belonging is a condition for learning and equity – 1 in 3 students don't have it
Research finds teacher-student relationships key driver for teacher wellbeing
Associate Professor DeLeon Gray Positions Organic Intellectuals as Experts through Collaboration on Special Journal Series
Teacher-Student Relationships Key to Teacher Wellbeing
Teacher-student relationships key driver for teacher wellbeing: new research
Research finds teacher-student relationships key driver for teacher wellbeing
First comprehensive study of young LGBTIQA+ Australians finds Gen Z experiences identity development earlier and quicker
Belonging from the very beginning
Student belonging in the first year of school
Kids reveal what really helps them feel at home at school
Can belonging really help fix behaviour, attendance and outcomes?
Won’t you be my neighbor? The power in our relationships with the people next door.
Nearly half of all high school students feel like they don’t belong. Here’s why - Lucy Carroll
What does an ideal teacher wellbeing program look like? -Allen, K. A.
Belonging: How to live fully by cultivating social connections and feeling accepted and valued by others. Interview with Dr. Victor Counted. - Allen, K. A
Teachers identify top five components of wellbeing at work. Interview with Erin Morley
School belonging and how we can foster it. Shannon Meyerkort
Student Chatbot Use ‘Could Be Increasing Loneliness.’ Tom Williams for Times Higher Education
Generative AI: A useful tool that could be making students feel lonely. Greg Chapman
Valued and seen: the critical long-term mental health benefits of school belonging. Grant Quarry
New research highlights long-term mental health benefits of school belonging. Monash University
A sense of belonging at school promotes mental health
Helping Ourselves Self-Care for Psychologists. Resource for the American Psychological Society
Getting the year off to a flier for beginning teachers and experienced hands
The Lonely Little Cactus – A Storybook For Children Interview with Kim Seeliger
Monash University’s Kelly-Ann Allen investigates the power of belonging
What pushes our ‘like’ button? The revealing science behind our friendships
Feelings of belonging at school are important for student success—and mental health with K. McKim
Boosting your students sense of belonging
Belonging to a school community increases student wellbeing
The Power of Belonging
Audio and visual media
- Visuals
Kelly-Ann Allen, an Icon of Change in Australia
Icons of Change International Awards 2026 video recognising Professor Kelly-Ann Allen as Changemaker for the Science of Belonging, Human Wellbeing and Inclusive Communities (SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being).
- Audio Podcasts
Building Belonging in Schools with Dr. Kelly-Ann Allen
Podcast interview (Season 1, Episode 67) on school belonging research and practical ways educators can help students feel connected and thrive.
- Visuals
Allen, K. A. (February, 2024). Where do you belong. Podcast with Dr Victor Counted
In this conversation, Dr. Kellyanne Allen, an educational and developmental psychologist, discusses the concept of belonging and its importance in human flourishing. She shares her personal journey and inspiration for researching belonging, particularly in educational settings. Dr. Allen emphasizes the need for individual perspectives on belonging and the role of competencies in building connections.
- Visuals
Allen, K. A. & Grove, C. (July, 2023). High Impact Wellbeing Strategies Schools Webinar. Department of Education, VIC.
Open to school leaders, teachers and other school staff. Unpack the HIWS, their practical use and connection to other department initiativies.
- Visuals
Allen, K. A. (2023). The (not quite) Psychology of Belonging. Happiness & It's Causes Conference
What if the secret to happiness and well-being lies in our ability to cultivate a sense of belonging? This presentation draws from recent research on human connection, exploring the profound impact it has on our mental health, the potential consequences of a lack of belonging, and how belonging can be nurtured. In addressing the question of what truly brings happiness, we cannot overlook belonging
- Visuals
Allen, K. A. (2022). School belonging. Podcast interview with Dr A. Seah. Strength Optimizer.
Wellbeing programs are in place in many schools to help those in the first and last years of high school, but Dr Kelly’s extensive research reveals that initiatives to foster belonging are also important in the middle years. With implications for the long-term health, wellbeing and achievement of young people, are schools on the ball about belonging?
- Visuals
Belonging in the Early Years
In this conversation with Kiindred’s Emmy Samtani, I discuss why belonging is a core psychological need from the earliest stages of life for the Victorian Government’s Early Start Kindergarten initiative and the best start best life legislation reforms. More here:
- Visuals
Interview The Power of Belonging
Professor Kathryn Riley discussess the importance of creating schools as places of belonging for young people. The video highlights work conducted in Morocco.
- Visuals
Interview on school belonging for Dansk Friskoleforening
In this second international conference on Togetherness, the power of belonging was addressed in an educational context, and the almost 200 participants from 22 nations, explored and discussed what it means to belong, how individual fulfilment can be integrated with collective action and social responsibility and how one can develop a sense of interdependence and a future in which all can belong.
- Visuals
Interview on school belonging for Psychlopaedia
The feeling of belonging can significantly impact students' mental health wellbeing, psychosocial functioning and academic motivation. So how do you help students feel they belong? Join us as we interview Dr. Kelly-Ann Allen, Educational and Developmental Psychologist and Senior Lecturer, Monash University.
- Audio Podcasts
Allen, K. A. (2024). Podcast on Bullying and belonging. Department of Education, Queensland.
Associate Professor and Educational and Developmental Psychologist at Monash University Dr Kelly-Ann Allen discusses the importance of belonging in schools and how it can help to prevent bullying.
This podcast is produced on behalf of Bullying No Way: National week of action - an initiative of the Australian Schools Anti-Bullying Collective.
- Audio Podcasts
Allen, K. A. (2024). Podcast interview with Dominique Russel from Teacher, Podcast series. The Research Files Episode 91: The long-term impacts of a sense of school belonging on mental health. ACER.
New research has emphasised the importance of adolescent school belonging as a long-term protective factor that can mitigate against later depression, anxiety, and stress. In this episode of The Research Files we speak to the lead author about the findings and the implications for schools.
- Audio Podcasts
Allen K.A. (January, 2023). The Psychology of Belonging and Connection. Night Life with Lisa Pelligrino, ABC National
Scared of being ridiculed, laughed at, or feeling stupid in front of people? You could be suffering fear of social rejection. It's the psychology of belonging and how we connect. Lisa Pelligrino with guests Dr Ali Walker and Dr Kelly-Ann Allen, discussed how a sense of belonging could increase life satisfaction and why we feel lonely without long-lasting human connections.
- Audio Podcasts
Allen K.A. (June, 2022). A Conversation About... Belonging for Young People with Lyn O’Gradey and Kelly-Ann MHPN Network
Get ready to put the research into practice about the key elements that contribute to young people feeling a sense of belonging. Discover the relationship between belonging and inclusion and find out how belonging relates to loneliness.
- Audio Podcasts
Allen, K. A. (2021). When you don’t belong at school. Podcast interview with Dr J. Coulston. Happy Families.
Topics discussed in this episode:
What does it mean to feel like you belong?
The plant metaphor
School belonging
Long term benefits of belonging
What can parents do if their children don't feel as though they belong? - Audio Podcasts
Allen, K. A. (2020). Psychology of Belonging. Sunday Mornings with Jim Mora. Radio New Zealand.|NewZealand
We all know that being part of families, schools, workplaces, and communities is vital to our wellbeing. But technology has changed the way we connect with others, and loneliness has become a global epidemic. Dr Kelly-Ann Allen is the co-director and founder of the International Belonging Research Laboratory. She's also the author of The Psychology of Belonging.
- Audio Podcasts
Let’s Hear it for School Belonging
Belonging is that sense of being somewhere you can be confident you will fit in and feel safe in your identity: a feeling of being at home in a place. In schools where belonging works, the student-teacher relationship is powerful. Young people feel trusted. They believe that their voice is heard and that what they say matters. They are happier, more confident and perform better academically. Their teachers feel more valued, and their families connected.
- Audio Podcasts
School Belonging and the Pracademic Research
In this second international conference on Togetherness, the power of belonging was addressed in an educational context, and the almost 200 participants from 22 nations, explored and discussed what it means to belong, how individual fulfilment can be integrated with collective action and social responsibility and how one can develop a sense of interdependence and a future in which all can belong.
Writing
Belonging to Humanity
Global belonging against war and division.
Report Reveals Belonging Is Not Equal for All Students
Beyond maths and science scores, the latest PISA data reveal whether students feel they belong at school. The news is mostly good, but not for every student.
Why school belonging matters: what the PISA 2025 results reveal
Free kinder in Victoria: A story of belonging for families, too
Free kindergarten is not just about preparing children for school. It can help parents and families build belonging, connection and community from the very start.
Connection counts: Teacher-student relationships matter for teacher wellbeing
Positive relationships with students do not just support learning. New global evidence shows they're central to secondary teachers' wellbeing, motivation and long-term career sustainability.
Are We Trading Convenience for Connection?
Everyday convenience is reshaping how we connect. Here is why small social moments matter, what we misjudge about others, and how to rebuild connection in daily life.
Feeling Overwhelmed by Christmas? Building Contentment Can Help
A calmer approach to the season begins with noticing what is already enough. Being content at Christmas might be easier than you think.
A Different Kind of Happiness: The Quiet Power of Contentment
Contentment offers a calmer way to feel well. This steady emotion supports self-acceptance, balance, and a gentler approach to everyday life.
Growing up visible: Gen Z's new maps of sexual identity development
A new study of LGBTQ+ Australians shows Gen Z's identity milestones arrive earlier, with timing linked to stress, resilience, and school climate.
Dance as an ode to belonging.
Dance can offer connection for people who have struggled to find places of belonging elsewhere.
The power of passing encounters: Why strangers matter for wellbeing
Brief interactions with strangers support social confidence and protect against loneliness and low mood.
Belonging starts here: Helping students feel at home.
Newly arrived immigrant students described belonging as feeling noticed, supported, and guided by teachers.
The power of neighbors: From hello to help.
Neighbourly connection supports older adults, newcomers, and those facing mental health challenges.
When school feels like home: How young children know they belong.
Teachers can create belonging through caring relationships, not just teaching.
A study reveals that school belonging influences substance use into adulthood.
A study reveals that school belonging influences substance use into adulthood.
The significance of school in protecting mental health.
In addressing the critical concern of mental health in adolescents, the role of school belonging has emerged as a focal point of contemporary research.
School belonging – students tell us what they need
Monash University researchers offer insights into what secondary school students need from teachers to improve their sense of belonging at school.
1 in 3 people are lonely. Will AI help, or make things worse?
While generative AI itself is relatively new, the fields of belonging and human-computer interaction have been explored reasonably well, with results that may surprise you.
PISA 2022 Results for Students Sense of Belonging at School
Read some salient quotes and core information
What "belonging" means around the globe: Belonging in translation: A linguistic journey.
"Belonging." A simple word bearing complex and multifaceted meanings.
Measuring school belonging: Understanding and interpreting your results
More schools are measuring belonging. Understanding the findings involves a number of considerations
Planting the seeds of belonging for parents: Exploring the integral role of parents in educational ecosystems
Engaging parents and creating social opportunities within schools may positively influence student outcomes
Australian teachers are dissatisfied with their jobs but their sense of professional belonging is strong.
Teachers around Australia are preparing to head back to the classroom for 2023. But amid excitement about a new school year, there are ongoing concerns about teacher shortages and
Maintaining our sense of belonging in writing and research: Barriers and builders in academia.
Working on your perceptions, motivations, opportunities, and competencies can build your sense of belonging.
What Does Food Have to Do With Belonging and Schools?
The relationship between food and belonging is complex, leading us to ask whether it is the rituals and traditions that surround food rather than the food itself that are important.
Do Schools Need a Policy on School Belonging?
Every school should have a school belonging policy. Focusing on these key areas could help them get started.
The Power of Relationships in Schools
How can we help students harness the many benefits associated with having positive relationships at school?
The Science of School Belonging
Schools must prioritize children's need for belonging. They can do so by putting decades of research into practice.
Your Sense of Belonging in Modern Times
Has COVID-19 challenged how you feel about your sense of belonging? Can you see it's impact in your workplace, school or community?
Boosting School Belonging
With rising rates of youth mental illness, disconnection, and social isolation, strategies are needed that can help stem the tide.
The Truth Behind School Refusal
As many as 5 percent of students experience school refusal, and the rate is much higher for students with psychological conditions like anxiety.
Lessons on Human Connection from Denmark
Educational systems in Denmark have an unmistakable influence on a sense of togetherness for their staff, students, and school community.
The Importance of Belonging Across Life
The innate need to seek out meaningful social connections and bonds with others is an enduring and persistent human characteristic throughout life.
Building and maintaining school belonging
Though there have been a few positive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the loss of traditional school routines has not been one of them.
Belonging isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the key to our kid’s education.
This week in every corner of Australia, schools, workplaces and communities will gather in various ways to celebrate Harmony Week
How to create a sense of belonging as students return to the classroom.
The last two years of COVID-19 restrictions – where children had a mix of school and home-based learning – has impacted their sense of belonging.
Here’s the cheat sheet for creating better school policies.
School policies are vital tools in creating school culture and supporting staff. They allow students to thrive but take time to write.
Do you long to belong?
We all have a natural need to feel a sense of belonging and connect with others. Feeling accepted and valued can lead to healthy psychological outcomes which are essential for adolescent development.
Free schools guide about inclusiveness and climate science is not ideological .
A recently released policy guide book for teachers and schools has been receiving some criticism. For instance, an article in the Daily Telegraph claimed:
Do you feel like you belong?
People have a natural need to connect and belong. Belonging makes a person feel good and accepted. A sense of belonging, particularly in schools, is important for young people. However, many students do not feel that they belong at their schools.
'I wouldn't be where I am today': Recognising the outstanding work of teachers.
Albert Einstein once professed: “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”
5 ways to boost students' sense of school belonging
How strongly a student feels like they “belong” at their school can shape their life, well into adulthood. So how can teachers and schools help students feel like they belong?
Book Launch Speech Transcript for Boosting School Belonging
My (Kelly's) husband once listed our old bathing box on Airbnb. At his first booking, wanting to excel in his role as a host, he offered to pick up his guests from the train station.
Making sense of belonging
Do you dread public speaking? Does the mere thought of standing on a stage behind a microphone before an audience erode your inner core? Or can you portray an air of confidence to get the job done knowing deep down you are masking an underlying anxiety?
Schools need to foster a sense of belonging
There is a global trend signalling a decline in a sense of school belonging for secondary school students.
Why Don’t Australian School Kids Feel a Sense of Belonging?
Respectful and valued relationships with teachers and the wider community are key to helping more students feel greater connection to their school, leading to far-reaching positive effects
Earlier posts
Damning stat shows how Australian kids struggle
This article by Dr Kelly-Ann Allen and Peggy Kern was first published in The Age. Read the original article here. Take a moment to...
A collective return to school, and adjusting to the 'new normal'
This article by Dr Kelly-Ann Allen was first published in Monash Lens. Read the original article here. The COVID-19 pandemic has...
Manage emotions for transition to school
This article by Dr Kelly-Ann Allen was first published in Herald Sun. Read the original article here. THE COVID-19 pandemic has provided...
COVID-19: Australia’s class of 2020 can (and will) overcome adversity
This article by Dr Kelly-Ann Allen and Dr Michael Carr-Gregg was first published in Monash Lens. Read the original article here....
Taking down online bullying starts with grown-ups
This article by Dr Kelly-Ann Allen was first published in The Age. Read the original article here. The senseless death of 15-year-old...
The Truth Behind School Refusal
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/sense-belonging/201909/the-truth-behind-school-refusal
Book Launch Speech Transcript for Boosting School Belonging
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/sense-belonging/201910/book-launch-speech-transcript-boosting-school-belonging
5 ways to boost students' sense of school belonging
By Kelly-Ann Allen Full article here https://www.monash.edu/education/teachspace/articles/5-ways-to-boost-students-sense-of-school-belonging
Making sense of belonging
Original Article by Kelly-Ann Allen Featured in InPsych Do you dread public speaking? Does the mere thought of standing on a stage behind...
In defence of technology in schools
This article by Dr Kelly-Ann Allen and Dr Tracii Ryan was first published in The New Daily. Read the original article here. Schools are...
Parents and teachers need to get along in the best interests of children
Sally Kenney and Kelly-Ann Allen, article first published in Monash Lens Last year, the principal of a Sydney school communicated to the...
Mobile phones in the classroom: A helpful or harmful hindrance?
Smartphones are proving useful educational tools - but psychological research highlights the risk of their presence in the classroom....
The rise of image-based abuse online: It’s time to stamp out the trolls
The rise of image-based abuse online: It’s time to stamp out the trolls by Asher Flynn and Kelly-Ann Allen.
Schools need to foster a sense of belonging.
There is a global trend signalling a decline in a sense of school belonging for secondary school students. This article by Kelly-Ann...
Why you should spread the Santa story.
Each year at Christmas a theme emerges in the media and online and in conversations among parents: should we tell our children about...
Is digital distraction just another modern day parenting beat-up?
The evidence is still emerging about the psychological cost of mothers and fathers being distracted by phones and tablets. This article...
Why Don’t Australian School Kids Feel a Sense of Belonging?
Respectful and valued relationships with teachers and the wider community are key. This article by Kelly-Ann Allen, Peggy Kern, Dianne...
School vision and mission statements should not be dismissed as empty word.
Vision statements outline a school’s objectives, and mission statements indicate how the school aims to achieve that vision. Schools...