Belong Hub Student Leadership Kit

What if every learner truly felt they belonged?

The Belong Hub Student Leadership Kit empowers students and educators with practical tools to co-create stronger, more connected school communities. Designed for gr 6–12, it includes seven flexible tools that can be used in sequence or on their own. It guides teams to build connections, identify challenges, design solutions, collaborate effectively, and take action.

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Overview

Information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been evaluated by HundrED.

Updated April 2025

Web presence

2025

Established

3

Countries

Students upper

Target group

The Student Leadership Kit transforms school culture by making leadership a shared act of care and co-creation—not a role for a few. When every student can help shape their community, schools become more inclusive, more responsive, and more prepared for the future we need.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

Schools are dynamic ecosystems with opportunities for students to identify community needs, collaborate, and initiate improvements. Yet, traditional models of student leadership often prioritize visible achievements—like elections or event planning—over authentic engagement and models replicate social hierarchies, sidelining less vocal or more vulnerable learners.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

The Belong Hub Student Leadership Kit guides users through a co-creative design process where students and mentoring adults collaborate to improve their community for everyone. Developed by a veteran educator and multidisciplinary designer, the 7 interactive tools within the kit foster supportive relationships, opens pathways for all students to contribute, encourages problem-solving, and promote positive communication. Users identify real needs in their community and develop strategic, tailored plans to meet these needs and then report back to celebrate and reinforce the value of their work. The result is a healthier school culture where students practice empathetic leadership and educators become increasingly attuned to their students' perspectives and potential.

How has it been spreading?

Workshops and webinars at the Education Collaborative of International Schools (ECIS), New England Academy of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), use in pilot schools (Barrie School, Washington, DC, Baxter Academy, Portland, Maine), developed in collaboration with student leaders at the International School of Helsinki

If I want to try it, what should I do?

Schools purchase a reusable Student Leadership Kit that can be facilitated by teachers in advisory programs, student leadership programs, classroom settings, or as a tool for whole school strategic planning. The flexible tools can be adapted to a range of circumstances and include digital facilitation guides.

Media

A group of students who were new U.S. citizens and English language learners felt isolated within their school community. Using the kit, they found a sense of agency by creating a school-wide football initiative that brought students together. Their collaboration with faculty opened up dialogue about their experiences and led teachers to advocate for stronger support for multilingual students.

Implementation steps

Let’s Connect: Spark Conversation and Build Community

A social card game and ice-breaker designed to build a school community. It encourages self-reflection, communication, and active listening—key leadership skills. Easy to play for all ages and backgrounds, it brings learners together through sharing their unique perspectives. The game creates a safe space for meaningful conversation and strengthening connections.

Everyone’s Voice: Gather Perspectives to Inspire Change

A digital survey tool to help schools measure student voice and leadership. It includes guidance for planning and sharing the survey, along with customizable questions to assess how included and empowered students feel. Student input can help shape future initiatives.

What Needs to Be Done: Identify Needs and Opportunities

A design sprint-style workshop that helps students and faculty identify needs and opportunities in their school community, with a focus on student voice and belonging. The workshop features three key elements—What Needs to be Done, Positive Outcomes, and Negative Experiences—that guide participants through brainstorming sessions using the design thinking process. The insights gained help teams understand what needs to be done to create a more inclusive school environment.

What We Can Do: Turn Community Needs into Project Ideas

A hands-on workshop that helps students and faculty brainstorm project ideas to improve their school community. Using three guiding prompts—How Might We? Can We? We Can—teams work together to spark and shape creative solutions. The ideas that come out of this process reflect the school community's needs and are designed to have a positive impact on students' school experience.

Team Together: Strengthen Teamwork and Trust

A set of cards designed to strengthen bonding and communication for better teamwork. It encourages learners to share their strengths, interests, and goals while discovering each other’s values. Through discussions and activities, teams develop deeper connections, improve communication, and build trust—creating a strong foundation for effective collaboration.

Collaborate to Co-Create: Plan and Manage Your Project

A project planning tool that helps teams develop and manage initiatives effectively. Using four key phases—Explore, Outline, Design, and Deliver—it provides a structured framework to organize tasks, assign roles, manage communication, and set clear milestones. This tool keeps projects on track while encouraging shared responsibility.

Share Our Progress: Reflect, Celebrate, and Inspire

This presentation template helps teams celebrate their achievements and share their work with the school community. Guided slides walk teams through telling the story of their project—from identifying a need to taking action. This process encourages reflection, strengthens communication skills, and helps teams gather feedback to improve future initiatives.