In this episode of The Belonging Shift, host Mantej Singh speaks with Aleem Ali, CEO, Welcoming Australia. Aleem says that the term "social cohesion” is a bit of a buzzword - it's grossly used and misused at times, and also deeply contested.

At its core, it's really about the strength of relationships within a society. So, how well people trust each other, how much they feel like they belong, how much they can participate meaningfully, and how much they can interact effectively. The conversation explores the concept of belonging, social cohesion, and the challenges of creating a sense of belonging in diverse environments.

The conversation also delves into the core Australian value of “Fair Go” and how it needs to be applied fairly to everyone. Aleem also talks about his personal experiences, and the impact of economic strain on belonging, and the role of leaders and institutions in fostering belonging. The episode emphasizes the importance of simple acts of kindness, and the need for principled leadership in creating a sense of belonging for all.

In this episode of The Belonging Shift, host Mantej Singh speaks with Melissa Monteiro , about belonging, migration and settlement. Melissa Monteiro is Chief Executive Officer of the Community Migrant Resource Centre and Chair of the Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA).

Melissa shares her insights from over 25 years working with migrants, refugees, and diverse communities, emphasizing that belonging is foundational, sincere, and must be intentionally cultivated. She highlights how in order for migrant and refugee groups to thrive in Australia, belonging becomes the most important element in their settlement journey.

Melissa says that there are major shifts occurring in this space right now. Communities are more diverse, people are traveling more, there is more mobility, people are being more digitally connected, our identity is very layered, people belong to local communities, but at the same time we are part of this larger global family. There's economic pressures, there is misinformation, there's racism, there's radicalization that is spreading even more. All this is countering social cohesion, and hindering our sense of belonging.

In this episode of The Belonging Shift, host Mantej Singh speaks with In this episode of The Belonging Shift, host Mantej Singh speaks with Zizi Charida, Founder and CEO of Zahia Pty Ltd and Community Minded Kids, about belonging and community development.

In this insightful interview, Zizi shares her three decades of experience in asset-based community development, emphasising the importance of genuine belonging, systemic change, and authentic leadership.

She draws on her extensive experience of working with young people and communities and says that if we don't create the environment or the soil in which young people and communities feel like they are connected to something that's important and that accepts and embraces them, they will look for something or someone that does that. And that something or someone may not be healthy for them.

Zizi and Mantej talk about how belonging is an ongoing practice rather than a destination, and why genuine inclusion requires more than policies, quotas, or symbolic gestures. Zizi discusses how leaders and organisations need to move from performative action to authentic, on-the-ground belonging - to focus more on having a culture of belonging rather than on tick boxing the policy and practice of belonging