Sense of belonging and student societies

Sense of belonging and student societies

Alice Caton and Mateus Ferreira, supervised by Abigail Smith, Bridgette Bewick and Niamh Mullen

About the student researcher

I’m Alice Caton, a recent graduate with a degree in Psychology (Industrial) from the University of Leeds. My university journey began amidst the COVID-19 lockdown measures, resulting in an unusual and challenging first year. Initially, I felt disconnected from the university community, but joining a student society transformed my experience. It allowed me to meet new friends and try a new sport, significantly enhancing my university life and finally feeling as if I belonged. I am passionate about understanding students’ experiences and perceptions, especially those that are negative, to help the university and LUU improve societies and ensure inclusivity for all members. I am eager to expand on the qualitative research skills I developed during my degree and apply them to this meaningful project. This invaluable experience will provide me with insight into a potential career path in research.

My name is Mateus Ferreira. I am currently intercalating in Psychology after completing my second year in Medicine. As a first-generation Black student and an immigrant, I understand the challenges and opportunities that come with navigating a university environment. Having faced the complexities of finding my place in a new social environment, I understand the importance of the feeling of belonging for mental well-being, academic success and overall integration. The participation in student societies can have a great impact on student’s sense of belonging, which is something I am interested in. This research placement gives me the opportunity to delve into an area of interest and learn valuable skills that I will carry forward in my studies.

Project overview

Research has shown that student societies play a crucial role in enhancing students’ sense of belonging, which is linked to improved academic and social outcomes (Skoglund, 2024; Fenton et al., 2023; Gopalan & Brady, 2019). However, there is limited research on the specific ways in which these societies contribute to students’ sense of belonging. This project aims to explore the perceived benefits of participating in LUU societies on students’ sense of belonging. To begin, we conducted a scoping literature review to summarise existing evidence on the topic. Following this, semi-structured interviews with students were carried out, focusing on their experiences and perceptions of student societies. These interviews were transcribed and will undergo thematic analysis. We will also analyse recent survey data to further understand how students feel their involvement in societies has impacted their sense of belonging. The planned outputs of this project include a peer-reviewed article and a creative output, which will be determined later. Our findings will provide insights and recommendations for LUU and the University of Leeds to enhance students’ sense of belonging through student societies.

If you are interested in finding out about the project findings, please contact the project supervisor.