Introduction to Belonging: Online Course

Want to help build a school, workplace, or community where everyone truly belongs? This free online course from OBI (Othering & Belonging Institute) University walks you through a clear, 10-principle framework for doing exactly that. In about 33 minutes of video, you can earn a certificate and pick up practical ideas you can use right away.

The course teaches a belonging framework built on 10 principles, including two foundational pillars. Course guide Ashley Gallegos leads you through what it means to become a 'belonging-builder' — someone who helps co-create structures that work for every person, not just most people. The course is open to all experience levels and includes four writing exercises to help you apply what you learn. You earn a certificate when you finish.

Set aside about 33 minutes for the videos — roughly the length of a lunch break. Work through the four writing exercises as you go; they help you connect the ideas to your own school, job, or neighborhood. Once you finish, download your certificate and share what you learned with a colleague or team. Even one principle from the framework can be a starting point for a real conversation in your workplace or community group.

If you work in Houston-area schools, nonprofits, or civic organizations, this framework fits right into equity and inclusion conversations already happening here. Local educators, HR professionals, community organizers, and city planners can all apply these principles to their everyday work.