The Belonging Shift

The Belonging Shift podcast has conversations about the leadership, community, place and the future of belonging. This is a podcast by Belonging Co – a social and cultural inclusion consultancy established and founded by Mantej Singh in 2025. He brings 20+ years’ experience in community engagement, placemaking and inclusion, focused on systemic change and community led outcomes. Belonging Co helps executive leaders and organisations to strengthen inclusion, engagement and participation outcomes across workplaces and communities — grounded in a unique belonging approach and a community perspective. Building a society, communities, public spaces, and institutions where everyone feels included and has a sense of belonging - is a critical need in today’s world. Belonging Co is committed to helping achieve this outcome. The Belonging Shift podcast is a key tool in driving this conversation forward in our communities, workplaces and societies.

The Belonging Shift is a society podcast hosted by Mantej Singh, with 11 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Mantej Singh hosts The Belonging Shift, a society show with 11 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #12

  Belonging, Universal Design and welcoming

  Aug 19, 202629 minS1

  In this episode, host Mantej Singh speaks with Jane Bringolf, a long-time advocate, writer, and leader in universal design and inclusive practice, and a Churchill Fellow. They explore why universal design is not just about ramps, access standards, or compliance but about designing places, services, policies, and cultures where people are welcomed, considered, and able to belong without having to ask for special treatment. And why does a ramp not say "you belong"? Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Belonging and Inclusion 01:25 The Journey of Universal Design 04:47 Understanding Belonging vs. Fitting In 07:03 The Role of the Center for Universal Design 09:32 Universal Design: More Than Just Accessibility 12:28 The Essence of Belonging in Universal Design 16:21 Shifts in Inclusion and Belonging 20:24 What Leaders Get Wrong About Belonging 21:51 Key Shifts for Leaders Towards Belonging Jane’s advice for leaders and practitioners for making the #BelongingShift Shift 1: Move from access and compliance to welcome, dignity, and belonging Shift 2: Design for everyone, everywhere, every time Shift 3: Replace separate policies with one universal intersectional approach Shift 4: Go where people are. Listen and engage in everyday places Shift 5: Share power with people as contributors, not problems to be fixed Guest Bio Jane Bringolf has worked in the ageing and disability sectors for more than 40 years and has a strong interest in universal design and inclusive practice. She was a founding director of Centre for Universal Design Australia which is now managed by the Melbourne Disability Institute. She writes regularly on universal design and inclusive practice and wants to see a world where designers and policy makers automatically consider the diversity of the population and create inclusive built environments, products, policies and digital services. Connect on LinkedIn: Jane Bringolf | LinkedIn Host Bio Mantej Singh is the Founder and Principal Consultant for Belonging Co, a social and cultural inclusion consultancy based in Sydney with a belonging lens. Belonging Co helps leaders drive participation, trust and engagement. The consultancy delivers strategies, engagement, and programs for organisations and leaders wanting genuine impact across cultural inclusion, community participation and social cohesion. He founded Belonging Co in 2025 to enhance the capability, confidence, and understanding of leaders and organisations regarding inclusion and community participation. Mantej has over 20 years of experience across community engagement, placemaking, and inclusion, emphasizing that belonging is foundational to thriving communities and effective institutions. For more information on Belonging Co visit www.belongingco.com.au and www.linkedin.com/in/mantejs Make the #Belonging Shift Lets grow the conversation If this episode sparked a new idea, challenge, or possibility, share it with someone who’ll benefit. Follow and subscribe to The Belonging Shift podcast, for more such conversations. Podcast link The Belonging Shift – Conversations about community, place, leadership and the future of belonging — Belonging Co

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  Episode #11

  Belonging, placemaking and healthy people, places and planet

  Aug 6, 202630 minS1

  In this episode of The Belonging Shift, host Mantej Singh speaks with Gilbert Rochecouste, CEO and Founder of Village Well – a placemaking consultancy on belonging and healthy people, places and planet. Gilbert talks about a world facing a polycrisis of climate, economic, and social challenges and how shifting our approach to place, culture, and storytelling can transform societies. Gilbert dives into how our old stories of growth and consumption are breaking down and how a ‘new local’ movement is surfacing that emphasizes the importance of community-led, place-based initiatives that embrace diversity and foster belonging. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Belonging Shift Podcast 00:55 Understanding Placemaking and Belonging 01:50 Gilbert's Journey and the Concept of Belonging 06:31 Personal Definition of Belonging 08:23 Shifts in Placemaking and Community Engagement 13:03 Cultural Diversity and Community Spaces 16:10 Embracing Diversity in Placemaking 17:23 Defining Placemaking and Its Importance 20:06 Shifts Needed in Government and Development 24:01 Empowering Communities for Change 25:56 Messages for Developers and Government Leaders Gilbert’s advice for leaders and practitioners for making the #BelongingShift Shift 1: Create power with communities, not power over them. Shift 2: Become place-led and people-led, not planning-led, design-led or finance-led Shift 3: Create places where people can live, work, gather and connect Shift 4: Move beyond sustainability towards regeneration. Shift 5: Make the personal shift to belonging, self-organising and being community-led Guest Bio Gilbert is a globally recognised placemaking expert, known for creating vibrant and resilient places. Over the past 35 years, he has collaborated with more than 2,500 cities and communities worldwide. A sought-after speaker and master facilitator, he is skilled at unlocking potential and engaging stakeholders. Previously, the General Manager of Chadstone Shopping Centre - he pioneered the application of shopping centre management principles to main streets and went on to found Village Well, Australia’s first placemaking consultancy, and now its first Regenerative Placemaking consultancy. Host Bio Mantej Singh is the Founder and Principal Consultant for Belonging Co, a social and cultural inclusion consultancy based in Sydney with a belonging lens. Belonging Co helps leaders drive participation, trust and engagement. The consultancy delivers strategies, engagement, and programs for organisations and leaders wanting genuine impact across cultural inclusion, community participation and social cohesion. He founded Belonging Co in 2025 to enhance the capability, confidence, and understanding of leaders and organisations regarding inclusion and community participation. Mantej has over 20 years of experience across community engagement, placemaking, and inclusion, emphasizing that belonging is foundational to thriving communities and effective institutions. For more information on Belonging Co visit www.belongingco.com.au and www.linkedin.com/in/mantejs Make the #Belonging Shift Lets grow the conversation If this episode sparked a new idea, challenge, or possibility, share it with someone who’ll benefit. Follow and subscribe to The Belonging Shift podcast, for more such conversations. Podcast link.

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  Episode #10

  Belonging, Placemaking and doing

  Jul 23, 202625 minS1

  In this episode of The Belonging Shift, host Mantej Singh speaks with Dean Cracknell, Co-Founder of Doing Co and Creator of Placemaking Education, about community-led placemaking, belonging and the leadership shifts needed to create places where people feel connected, welcome and able to contribute. Dean shares why placemaking is more than murals, events or physical design. At its best, it is a mindset and process that helps people connect, contribute, lead and feel proud of the places they call home. The conversation explores how leaders can move from doing things for communities to working with communities, why trust and collaboration matter, and how reframing risk can help institutions become braver in involving people. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Belonging and Doing Co 02:04 Defining Belonging: A Personal Journey 04:11 Shifts in Placemaking: From Design to Connection 06:10 Understanding Community Engagement in Placemaking 09:00 Successful Community-Led Projects: A Case Study 12:24 Barriers to Progress: Misunderstandings in Placemaking 15:16 Practical Steps for Leaders in Community-Led Placemaking 17:40 The Broader Vision of Placemaking 21:14 Key Shifts for Leaders in Placemaking Dean’s advice for leaders and practitioners for #BelongingShift Shift 1: Start small, but start Shift 2: Collaborate instead of trying to do it all yourself Shift 3: Trust communities to contribute, shape and lead Shift 4: See placemaking as a journey of learning, not a fixed destination Shift 5: Build cultures where more leaders can emerge Guest Bio Dean Cracknell is Co-Founder of Doing Co and Creator of Placemaking Education. Dean loves helping people to create positive civic, social, economic, environmental or organisational change. He shifted from being an urban planner working in local government and local doer volunteering in my local neighbourhood to being a Doer, Dreamer, Enabler and Connector of people and ideas. He works in the gaps in between: people and places, local governments and local communities, community organising and action, social, economic and environmental improvement and top-down and bottom-up. Host Bio Mantej Singh is the Founder and Principal Consultant for Belonging Co, a social and cultural inclusion consultancy based in Sydney with a belonging lens. Belonging Co helps leaders drive participation, trust and engagement. The consultancy delivers strategies, engagement, and programs for organisations and leaders wanting genuine impact across cultural inclusion, community participation and social cohesion. He founded Belonging Co in 2025 to enhance the capability, confidence, and understanding of leaders and organisations regarding inclusion and community participation. Mantej has over 20 years of experience across community engagement, placemaking, and inclusion, emphasizing that belonging is foundational to thriving communities and effective institutions. For more information on Belonging Co visit www.belongingco.com.au and www.linkedin.com/in/mantejs Make the #Belonging Shift Lets grow the conversation If this episode sparked a new idea, challenge, or possibility, share it with someone who’ll benefit. Follow and subscribe to The Belonging Shift podcast, for more such conversations. Podcast link The Belonging Shift – Conversations about community, place, leadership and the future of belonging — Belonging Co

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  Episode #9

  Belonging, Social cohesion, local action and starting with a smile

  Jul 11, 202629 minS1

  In this episode of The Belonging Shift, host Mantej Singh speaks with Anthea Hancocks, CEO of the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute, about how Australia can strengthen belonging and social cohesion through trust, dignity, reciprocity and everyday local action. Anthea explains why belonging is not a single destination, why labels can limit people’s agency, and why leaders should avoid patronising, paternalism and pity. The conversation moves from research and public debate to very practical actions: listen respectfully, focus on the real issue, activate neighbourhood connections, support local participation and start with a smile. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Belonging and Community Leadership 02:55 Understanding Personal Belonging 05:57 Defining Belonging Beyond the Term 07:38 Economic Pressures and Belonging 09:10 Cultural Inclusion and Terminology 12:50 Avoiding Labels and Fostering Agency 13:59 Addressing Deficit Models in Organizations 15:49 Community Engagement and Local Action 20:50 Navigating Cultural Debates 23:44 Shifts for Leaders in Promoting Belonging 26:34 Encouraging Community Action for Belonging Anthea Hancocks’ advice for leaders and practitioners for making the #BelongingShift Shift 1: Move from labels to the real issue people are experiencing. Shift 2: Move from deficit thinking to dignity, agency and contribution. Shift 3: Move from pity, paternalism and patronising behaviour to respectful peer-to-peer listening. Shift 4: Move from national debate alone to practical neighbourhood connection and local participation. Shift 5: Move from waiting for belonging to be created for us to starting with small everyday gestures — even a smile. Guest Bio Anthea Hancocks is the CEO of the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute. The Institute is dedicated to making research into social cohesion accessible and understandable while maintaining the highest levels of research expertise and integrity. She has a background in leadership positions in government, professional services, academia, philanthropy and not for profit organisations. Host Bio Mantej Singh is the Founder and Principal Consultant for Belonging Co, a social and cultural inclusion consultancy based in Sydney with a belonging lens. Belonging Co helps leaders drive participation, trust and engagement. The consultancy delivers strategies, engagement, and programs for organisations and leaders wanting genuine impact across cultural inclusion, community participation and social cohesion. He founded Belonging Co in 2025 to enhance the capability, confidence, and understanding of leaders and organisations regarding inclusion and community participation. Mantej has over 20 years of experience across community engagement, placemaking, and inclusion, emphasizing that belonging is foundational to thriving communities and effective institutions. For more information on Belonging Co visit www.belongingco.com.au and www.linkedin.com/in/mantejs Make the #Belonging Shift Lets grow the conversation If this episode sparked a new idea, challenge, or possibility, share it with someone who’ll benefit. Follow and subscribe to The Belonging Shift podcast, for more such conversations. Podcast link The Belonging Shift – Conversations about community, place, leadership and the future of belonging — Belonging Co

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  Episode #8

  Belonging, worklace inclusion and systems thinking

  Jun 28, 202624 minS1

  In this episode of The Belonging Shift, host Mantej Singh speaks with Dr Varina Michaels, CEO and Founder of Paisley Group about the importance of focusing on systems and structural work across policies, processes, strategies, and leadership rather than performative and tokenistic diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work in order to improve the conditions that are essential for performance to occur. Dr Varina says this structural shift is more than just advocacy. DEI shouldn't even be a thing that we have to actively seek and advocate for. It should be something that's embedded in the core way that the business functions, in the core strategy of the organization and in the culture of the organization. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Belonging and Inclusion 02:30 Personal Insights on Belonging 05:15 Current Shifts in Diversity and Inclusion 08:32 Understanding Systems Work vs. Performative Inclusion 13:53 Misconceptions About Belonging and Inclusion 17:04 Barriers to Championing Inclusion 17:57 Successful Approaches in Inclusion Practices 21:25 Final Thoughts on Building an Inclusive Infrastructure Dr Varina’s advice for leaders and practitioners for making the #BelongingShift Shift 1: Move from performative diversity and inclusion (D&I) to systems and structural work Shift 2: Don’t rely on marginalized people to carry the change; leaders and systems must take responsibility. Shift 3: Simplify overlapping policies and build one coherent approach Shift 4: Replace assumption with consultation and genuine and regular listening Shift 5: Treat belonging and inclusion as infrastructure, not atmosphere Guest Bio Dr Varina Michaels is a globally recognised expert in intersectional DEI, culture, leadership, and ethical community engagement. Dr Michaels holds a Ph.D. in Intersectional Identities at Work, is Founder and CEO of Paisley Group, Director of the Women of Colour Safety and Work (WoCSAW) Research Institute and Head of Programs and Impact at Women of Colour Australia. Host Bio Mantej Singh is the Founder and Principal Consultant for Belonging Co, a social and cultural inclusion consultancy based in Sydney with a belonging lens. He founded Belonging Co in 2025 to enhance the capability, confidence, and understanding of leaders and organisations regarding inclusion and community participation. Mantej has over 20 years of experience in community engagement, placemaking, and inclusion, emphasizing that belonging is foundational to thriving communities and effective institutions. For more information on Belonging Co visit www.belongingco.com.au and www.linkedin.com/in/mantejs . Lets grow the conversation If this episode sparked a new idea, challenge, or possibility, share it with someone who’ll benefit. Follow and subscribe to The Belonging Shift podcast, for more such conversations. Podcast link The Belonging Shift – Conversations about community, place, leadership and the future of belonging — Belonging Co

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