How to find a sense of belonging
As Third Culture Kids mature they become Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs), some ATCKs come to terms with issues such as culture shock and a sense of not belonging while others struggle with these for their entire lives. According to statistics, 90% of TCKs feel "out of sync" with their peers.
The Challenge
A psychological sense of belonging is a greater predictor of major depression than other factors commonly associated with depression, such as social support, conflict and loneliness, according to a new University of Michigan School of Nursing study.
"Researchers tend to focus much of their attention on social support, but we found that a low sense of belonging was a much stronger predictor of depression than social support," said Reg A. Williams, associate professor of nursing and co-author of the study that appears in the July/August issue of Nursing Research
Read forum posts from TCKs
- Am I a TCK or Cross Cultural Kid?
- How do I belong anywhere?
- I blend in, but no one really knows me. Is this typical of TCKs, or do I just need therapy?
- Do TCKs fit anywhere or are we all weirdos?
- Why is it so important for me to be FROM somewhere?
- Is it common to feel older than your age?
The solution: How can Third Culture Kids belong?
Learn about Belonging
What is a sense of belonging and how do you get it? And if you never had a sense of belonging, can you ever get it?
Watch this video interview with expert Donna Musil, filmmaker of Brats: Our Journey Home, and Paulette bethel on Third culture kids and belonging, presented by Brice Royer from TCK Academy.
What is a sense of belonging?
McMillan & Chavis (1986) define Sense of Community as “a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through their commitment to be together.”
Four elements of Sense of Community
There are four elements of "Sense of Community" according to the McMillan & Chavis theory:
Membership
Membership includes five attributes:
- Boundaries
- Emotional safety
- A sense of belonging and identification
- Personal investment
- A common symbol system
Influence
Influence works both ways: members need to feel that they have some influence in the group, and some influence by the group on its members is needed for group cohesion.
Integration and fulfillment of needs
Members feel rewarded in some way for their participation in the community.
Shared emotional connection
The "definitive element for true community" (1986, p. 14), it includes shared history and shared participation (or at least identification with the history).
Take Action: Meet People Like You.
Join TCKID.
This community is about you. Sign up to show your support for TCKs and stay informed. It’s free, and supported by people like you.
Join a Local Group
Many of us go about our daily lives not knowing what’s going on in our area or the people who live around us. TCK Local Community Leaders dispel that isolation by bringing people together online and, more importantly, in the real world.
People step forward to run TCK groups because they want to make a difference in their own lives as well as the lives of others. They want to enrich, expand, and share their experiences. You’ll be able to:
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Build a Sense of Belonging and Community
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Share Knowledge
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Building Friendships
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Strengthening Communities
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Effective Change
Learn why TCKs support TCKID
TCKID is amazing and addicting!.
-Caitlin, U.S
Brice
Hello, I'm Brice, the founder of TCKID.com. I'm a French, Vietnamese and Ethiopian TCK and I live in Vancouver, Canada. A while back I discovered I was a third culture kid and wanted to help TCKs find a sense of belonging. You can too. Get involved and start making a difference. || Donate. || Volunteer ||Related Posts
2 Comments to “How to find a sense of belonging”
December 12th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Many thanks for this info. It explains a lot about why I’ve recently become a bit ‘addicted’ to TCKID. But there’s something I am totally confused about.
I understand that ‘boundaries’ and ‘common symbols’ offer a sense of ‘togetherness’. But I’m doing research on TCKs, specifically, and identity, in general, and the whole gist of my argument is: let’s get rid of these boundaries that we’ve been creating since time immemorial because it makes others feel excluded. (And that’s how so many wars get started.) Same goes with ‘common symbols’.
As TCKs, I thought that we had the privilege of understanding the detrimental effects of these ‘boundaries’ and therefore the privilege of knowing how to get rid of them and be inclusive…Am I missing something?
(Is this spam?)
December 13th, 2008 at 4:13 am
If I subscribe to your label of TCK for a minute. It seems we are an unparalleled force and full of mixture, we are beyond definition and groups.
I am a british citizen who has spent a long period of time overseas. I consider myself white, english and definitely more british than most immigrants by today’s standards.
My sense of belonging is where I have felt most wanted/desired, and that has been by Australians and British people, never in Asia. THerefore, the sense of belonging that people seek it really subjective.
(Is this spam?)