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Through this study, we found that agency and empowerment are among the strongest predictors of young people’s sense of belonging in their communities. This finding is especially significant because young people are often denied opportunities to express their agency, despite the clear benefits of doing so. This insight informs a key recommendation from the study: young people should be trusted and respected as co-designers of the spaces in which they participate. When they help shape these environments, the process of co-creation fosters feelings of value and ownership, which are essential drivers of both academic engagement and mental well-being. By cultivating spaces of belonging, we provide a vital buffer against the current youth mental health crisis, creating supportive environments where students feel more able to take risks, stay curious, and succeed in their learning journeys.
These outcomes are particularly meaningful for the most diverse generation in U.S. history, whose trust in democratic institutions has fallen dramatically. For this cohort, belonging is not just a personal comfort but a prerequisite for democratic civic engagement. As these young people navigate a society marked by profound fragmentation, the ability to co-create inclusive spaces teaches them the essential skills of listening, empathy, and collective action across lines of difference.
Belonging is particularly meaningful for young people in 2026, a time when many seek connection through screens rather than deepening relationships with those around them. Existing research also suggests that in-person connection and belonging are especially critical for youth who experienced key developmental periods during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s young people have also come of age amid profound global challenges, including climate change, rising fascism, and political upheaval. In the face of these collective pressures, it is more important than ever that young people feel empowered to shape their communities — learning not only that they are capable of enacting change, but practicing it in their own spaces, their communities, and the world.
