A Sense of School belonging: Brief interventions for creating a place to belong for students
Dr Kelly-Ann Allen, Senior Lecturer, MGSE, University of Melbourne

Abstract: There is a common understanding that a sense of school belonging is vital for children and adolescents to perform optimally at school. School belonging occurs in multiple ways. Many experts advocate preventive and proactive approaches that target multiple systems within a school. This workshop aims to present a series of brief interventions aimed at fostering school belonging. Harnessing peer-, teacher- and classroom-level strategies, each brief intervention will be driven by theory and supported by research. 

Biography: Dr Kelly Allen is a board endorsed Educational and Developmental Psychologist. She is a senior lecturer within the Faculty of Education, Monash University (Educational Psychology and Inclusion) and is an Honorary Fellow of the Centre for Positive Psychology, University of Melbourne. She is nationally and internationally recognised both as a researcher and practitioner in the field of school belonging and for her translation of this expertise within educational contexts. Dr Allen is an associate editor of three journals (Educational and Developmental Psychologist, the Australian Journal of Psychology and the Australian Community Psychologist), and is a board director for two not-for-profits, namely, the Homeless Project and Early Childhood Intervention Australia VIC TAS, a peak body for early intervention in Australia. Kelly’s interest in belonging has led her to author and edit a number of academic and non-academic publications in the field including, School Belonging in Adolescents: Theory, research, and practice (Springer), Pathways to Belonging: Contemporary research in school belonging (Brill), and Boosting School Belonging in Adolescents: Interventions for teachers and mental health professionals (Routledge).