Designing spaces for belonging: how we’re shaping networks that hold

Inclusion can feel like a lofty word. It appears in strategies, mission statements, and policies. But for many of us, what really matters isn’t what’s written down — it’s how a place feels. Whether you can breathe. Whether you’re seen. Whether there’s somewhere safe to go when you need it.

At Adur & Worthing, we’re learning that inclusion doesn’t just happen in the big moments. It happens in how we design spaces. How we train and support. And how we make belonging part of the everyday fabric of working here.

This fortnight, our Inclusion Lead has been doing just that — weaving inclusion into the structures, decisions and relationships that shape how people experience their work.

1. 🛠 Making inclusion part of everyday decisions

We’re supporting equalities impact assessments. It’s not just about policy compliance. It’s about making sure the future of our public spaces works for everyone who uses them — not just those whose voices are loudest.

2. 🛡️ Creating safer systems through safeguarding

Inclusion also means recognising harm — and building trust to prevent it. Over the past two weeks, we’ve:

• Taken part in Prevent training with the Home Office
• Attended a session on Domestic Abuse and MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences) with West Sussex County Council
• Developed Safeguarding Adults Self-Assessment across districts and boroughs to meet statutory requirements and create a shared, learning-based safeguarding approach

These aren’t tick-box exercises. They’re part of building a culture where staff and residents are safe — and where teams know what to do when they’re not.

3. 🤝 Designing networks that hold people, not just policies

We’re also shaping the next phase of our Staff Networks and Equality Champions programme.

These aren’t performative groups. They’re safe spaces. Creative spaces. Spaces for people to speak up, to connect, to be supported. They’re being co-designed, not imposed. That matters — because belonging can’t be mandated. It has to be made.

As we shape these networks, let’s think about:

• What helps people feel safe enough to speak honestly?
• What power and resource do these networks need to shape change?
• How can we link staff experience to wider organisational decisions?

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s presence. It’s being available. And it’s noticing when people need space to feel held.

4. ♿ What’s next: leading with lived experience

We’re also preparing for our Disability Confident event (5 June) — co-hosted with the Department for Work and Pensions.

The event will:

• Help employers build inclusive, accessible workplaces
• Centre the lived experience of disabled people in work
• Share practical advice and reflection for councils and partners

It’s another example of how we’re not just talking about inclusion — we’re building the conditions for people to feel it.

5. 🌍 Who we’re learning from

We’re inspired by organisations who treat inclusion as infrastructure — not just initiative:

🇬🇧 Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Their Everyday Experiences of Inequality framework reminds us to build trust through everyday practice, not just policy.

📖 JRF — Inequality and Place

🇬🇧 Bolton at Home

Uses co-created staff and community networks to embed trauma-informed, anti-racist practice — shaping both HR and service delivery.

🇺🇸 City of Portland, Oregon

Their Office of Equity integrates equity leads into every department — making equity work practical, accountable and embedded.

🇬🇧 Camden Council

Their Disability Equality work is co-led with staff networks and disabled residents, shaping everything from digital access to town centre planning.

💬 Why this matters now

Inclusion isn’t a side project. It’s a question that touches every part of how we work:

• How do people experience power?
• Where do they find safety?
• Who gets to speak — and who gets heard?

You can’t fix that with a policy. But you can design systems that make it easier for people to belong. That’s what we’re trying to do — through audits, safeguarding, networks, and events that feel like real invitations.

It’s slow work. Quiet work. But it’s the work that holds everything else up.

🤝 A call to connect

If you’re shaping inclusion in your council, workplace or organisation — we’d love to connect:

• What spaces are you creating to build safety, voice and connection?
• How are you weaving inclusion into everyday planning and delivery?
• What’s helping your inclusion work go beyond policy into practice?

Let’s learn together — and hold each other up.

Thanks to everyone designing spaces that help people feel safer, more seen, and more supported. It matters — more than you know.