A sense of belonging can begin in the simplest of ways. A conversation. A shared activity. A warm welcome. For many people, those everyday moments are the first steps towards feeling part of a community.
National Inclusion Week (14–20 September 2026) celebrates the importance of creating communities where everyone feels welcomed, valued and able to participate. Across Essex, charities are helping make that happen every day, creating spaces for people to connect, build confidence and feel that they belong.
The feeling of belonging is something many of us take for granted. Yet for others, barriers can make it harder to connect with the people and communities around them. Inclusion is about far more than simply being present. It is about feeling accepted, respected and able to take part in everyday life.
While National Inclusion Week shines a spotlight on these issues, for charities across Essex, creating inclusive communities is a commitment that continues throughout the year.
Essex Community Foundation (ECF) supports many of the charities and voluntary organisations helping communities across Essex thrive. Working with donors, businesses and charitable partners, it supports organisations rooted in the communities they serve. Over almost three decades, ECF has seen how local knowledge and trusted relationships help organisations respond to the needs of local people. The organisations featured here are just some of those supported by ECF, reflecting the many ways charities across Essex are helping people connect, participate and belong.
Creating Opportunities
For children and young people with disabilities, inclusion means having the chance to play, learn, make friends and develop confidence alongside others. It means creating opportunities that allow every child to reach their potential while giving families the support they need.
BOSP (Brighter Opportunities for Special People) provides specialist activities, respite care and support for children and young adults with disabilities and complex needs across Essex. By creating safe, inclusive environments where young people can build friendships, independence and life skills, the charity helps ensure they are not defined by the barriers they face, but by the opportunities available to them.
Jodie Connelly, Chief Executive Officer of BOSP, believes inclusion should never be treated as an occasional conversation.
“Inclusion isn’t just a ‘nice’ to have and something we think about for one week of the year. I believe humans inherently want and need to belong, and have a sense of connection. Article 23 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child also cites the rights of a child with a disability to live a full and decent life and to play an active part in the community. We provide this at BOSP and see the life-changing difference our services make to the wonderful young people we support, their families and their futures.”
For others, belonging begins with finding somewhere welcoming to go, meeting new people and taking part in shared experiences.
Trust Links creates those opportunities through its Growing Together community gardens, where people come together through gardening, nature and shared experiences. These welcoming green spaces encourage people to build friendships, improve their wellbeing and rediscover confidence, purpose and connection.
Matt King, Chief Executive Officer of Trust Links, sees that sense of belonging flourish every day.
“At Trust Links, we see belonging grow every day in our Growing Together community gardens. These are safe, welcoming green spaces where people can connect with others and nature through meaningful activities, regardless of their background or circumstances. For many of the people we support, belonging means feeling accepted, valued and able to be themselves without judgement. By planting seeds, nurturing wildlife and caring for shared spaces together, people develop friendships, confidence and a sense of ownership and purpose. There is something profoundly hopeful about helping something grow, and in the process discovering that you too are a valued and valuable part of a community.”
For some people, belonging begins with rebuilding life in a new community.
Starting again in a new country can bring uncertainty, unfamiliar surroundings and language barriers. Finding opportunities to meet people, take part in local activities and feel accepted can make an enormous difference to rebuilding confidence and creating a sense of home.
Refugee, Asylum Seeker & Migrant Action (RAMA) supports people as they rebuild their lives in Essex by providing practical advice, guidance and opportunities to connect with others. One initiative that demonstrates the power of inclusion is its dedicated refugee football team, where a shared love of the game brings people together regardless of language or background.
Maria Wilby, Operational Lead at RAMA, explains why football has become such a powerful tool for inclusion.
“Football is a unifying force that enables people with little shared language to communicate allegiance, passion and to engage with others both when playing or watching a match. At RAMA we have a dedicated Refugee football team who have been made welcome at venues across Colchester. A yearly friendly against the council adds to a sense of belonging and inclusion that players value. Knowing you have the right to join in is not to be underestimated.”
Whether through specialist support, community gardens or a football team, each organisation reflects a different way of helping people feel connected to the communities around them.
National Inclusion Week offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of inclusion, but for charities across Essex, that work continues every day. Through shared experiences, everyday acts of welcome and opportunities to take part, they are helping people build connections and feel part of the communities they call home.