Belonging: Ancient Roots, Modern Relevance

In an August 2022 email, Matt Bell offered a surprising take on collaboration: it’s not a modern invention—it’s a survival instinct.

“Cooperation is a fundamental human characteristic,” he wrote. “From the very earliest stages of human evolution, cooperating with other members of our species is what has set us apart.”

This reflection wasn’t just philosophical—it was practical. Belong in Plymouth was (and is) wrestling with complex questions: How do we collaborate at scale without losing the human touch? What does it mean to build a ‘new we’?

Karen Pilkington picked up the thread: “We can’t fix it all. But we can create spaces where people feel heard—whether they’re patients at ED, local volunteers, or multi-generational families.”

These aren’t just soundbites—they’re design principles. Whether planning a neighbourhood pilot, supporting mental health initiatives, or thinking about transport poverty and refugees, the team is asking: how do we cooperate not just efficiently, but meaningfully?

From ancient survival to modern system change, one thing remains true: we’re better together. And the future of belonging may lie not in new tools, but in rediscovering the old ones—listening, sharing, showing up.