This is my place – the importance of belonging
Written for children’s mental health week 2026 by Dr Seb Thompson and some of the young people within the YMCA Robin Hood Group.
This blog is being shared as a three-part series across Children’s Mental Health Week. Throughout the week, we will explore what belonging means for children and young people, why it matters for mental wellbeing, and how we work at the YMCA to create spaces where young people can genuinely say, “this is my place.”
Most of us can remember a moment in time when we knew we belonged. It might have been in a classroom where we felt safe to speak, a team that fostered a sense of acceptance and inclusion, or with a group of people that didn’t ask us to be anything or anyone else other than who we are. Most of us can probably also remember the opposite: the feeling of being on the outside, of not quite fitting in, of wondering whether there was a place for us at all – whether or not we belonged.
This year, Children’s Mental Health Week focuses on the theme This is my place. It is a simple phrase, but a powerful one. For children and young people, knowing that there is a place where they feel safe, valued, and accepted is not just comforting; it is fundamental to their mental wellbeing. Belonging shapes how young people see themselves, how they relate to others, and how they perceive the world around them.
At a time when many children and young people are navigating uncertainty, pressure, and change, the question of belonging matters more than ever…
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