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What is social inclusion?

I tried explaining this to my preschooler the other day. I said, you know the playground closest to our home? The one you love to take your friends to when they come to visit us? That playground is for everyone. Social inclusion is making sure that everyone gets to play and have fun together, no matter who they are or what they look like. So, it's like making sure that everyone has a fair chance to join in the games, make friends, and feel happy. We want to make sure that nobody feels left out or treated differently just because they might be a little bit different from others. It's all about being kind, sharing, and making sure everyone feels like they belong and are important.

Of course, this is an oversimplified definition of social inclusion. Uni life is often seen as a time of growth, exploration, and self-discovery. One of my best days of life will always be some of my uni days. It was a period of my life that opened up the world to me, and although it was tremendously exciting, it was also unnerving at times. There was a lot of change. I had to adjust living away from home, everything that was familiar to me. I had to learn how to live with other students who did things differently (whether it be in cleaning up or hanging the laundry etc) and were raised differently. I would have never imagined that we’d form lifelong friendships.

I asked some of you here in university what you thought would be practical ways we can promote social inclusion at campus and here are some of the things you said.

• Get to know your peers. Take the time to meet and learn about your fellow students. Engage in conversations, join clubs, and attend events that interest you. Building relationships with people from diverse backgrounds will expand your horizons.
• Challenge stereotypes and know your bias. Be aware of your own biases and stereotypes and actively work to challenge them. Encourage open conversations about these topics, as awareness is the first step toward change.
• Support inclusive initiatives. Get involved in campus organizations or activities that promote social inclusion and diversity. Volunteer for events, workshops, or initiatives that aim to create an inclusive campus culture.
• Speak up. If you witness discrimination or exclusion, don't be a bystander. Speak up and offer support to the person affected. Sometimes, a simple act of kindness can make a big difference.
• Educate yourself. Take the time to educate yourself about different cultures, identities, and perspectives. The more you understand, the better equipped you'll be to foster an inclusive environment.

Uni isn't just about learning stuff; it's also about making friends and growing into a kind, caring person who cares about the world. When we make an effort to include everyone, we're helping to make the world a more diverse and accepting place – not just for others but making it a safer place for ourselves too. What could be other reasons social inclusion is important?

• Respect for everyone. Think of it like treating everyone nicely, no matter who they are or where they come from. We all deserve to be respected and valued.
• Same opportunities for everyone. It's like making sure that everyone gets a fair chance to do things like going to school, finding a job, and getting healthcare. No one should be left out.
• Mixing things up. When people with different lived experiences, ideas, and backgrounds hang out, we learn new stuff, come up with great ideas, and make the world more interesting.
• Feeling good. Imagine how sad it feels when you're left out of a game. Social inclusion helps people feel like they belong, which is super important for feeling happy and not lonely.
• Teamwork. When everyone is part of the gang, we can all work together better, like a dream team. It makes our communities stronger and more awesome.
• Money and stuff. When everyone can learn and work, our whole country becomes richer. It's like having a super talented team that can do amazing things.
• Fair play. Social inclusion is like the referee making sure that everyone plays by the same rules. It helps fix things when some people aren't treated fairly because of who they are.
• Getting along globally. In our big, connected world, being inclusive helps countries get along and understand each other. It's like making friends with people from all over the world.
• It’s the right thing to do.

So in other words, what you said that social inclusion is all about is this - social inclusion is like making sure everyone is respected, has a fair shot at life, and can bring their unique flavor to the world. It's all about respect, fairness, and making the world a better place for everyone.