New York, NY October 10, 2026 --(PR.com)-- Clubhouse International, a global mental health organization, is pleased to present, BelongingWORKS, a World Mental Health Day 2026 campaign, which highlights the powerful solution that Clubhouses offer for overcoming isolation and promoting mental health recovery: a place everyone belongs. Belonging is at the heart of the Clubhouse Model.
Loneliness is a global health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 1 in 6 people worldwide experiences loneliness. Loneliness is closely linked to mental and physical health. Research shows that people who feel lonely are much more likely to experience poorer mental health and lower wellbeing. Loneliness is also found to be linked with worse general health, including experiencing multiple health conditions.[1]
Belonging plays an important role in wellbeing. According to Stanford University’s Belonging Project, people develop a sense of belonging when they feel connected to others, particularly people who share aspects of their lived experience, interests, or goals. Environments that support belonging can promote engagement and human flourishing. According to the WHO, stronger social connections are linked to better health and a longer life.
Campaign Goal: This initiative highlights the transformative power of belonging in mental health recovery and the life-changing impact of the Clubhouse Model at 380 Clubhouses around the world. By fostering connection, opportunity and community, Clubhouses provide people with mental illness a place to belong and thrive. To mark the day, Clubhouses are bringing their communities together in a variety of ways, including open houses, art festivals, awareness walks and podcasts that celebrate the power of belonging and the Clubhouse Model.
Clubhouse International is honored to partner with the World Federation for Mental Health and 36 member Clubhouses and Coalitions from 11 countries and 13 U.S. states on this campaign. Together, we are building on the momentum of our shared work to advance effective global and community-based solutions that address the impact of mental illness - raising awareness, reducing stigma, empowering communities, encouraging greater investment by key stakeholders, and celebrating progress and accomplishments.
Hearing from the voice of lived experience, Iza, a member of Connections Clubhouse, Victoria, BC, Canada shared: “Connections Place is a safe place to come to. It is where I can find a space to be and I can slowly find the strength to become a more active member of the community. Above this, I am able to find friendships and a sense of belonging.” Kadija from Elements House, NY, NY, USA shared, “Belonging is more than having a place to go it is knowing that you are welcomed, valued, needed, and that your presence matters. At the Clubhouse, we don’t just find a community; we become part of one.”
To learn more about this campaign, visit https://clubhouse-intl.org/world-mental-health-day-2026-belongingworks/.
Clubhouse International is the only global mental health nonprofit that expands and enhances recovery opportunities for people living with mental illness by integrating our proven Clubhouse Model into community-based systems of care worldwide.
Clubhouse International trains, accredits, coordinates and connects a global network of Clubhouses that are based on the Clubhouse Model of psychosocial rehabilitation which is recognized by the World Health Organization as an example of a rights-based approach to recovery. Today, there are 380 Clubhouses operating in 30 countries that work to end social and economic isolation for people living with mental illness. Clubhouses offer resources and opportunities for recovery through friendship, employment, education, wellness, and social programming. There is no health without mental health.
Media inquiries:
Anna Sackett Rountree
Director of Communications, Clubhouse International
asackett@clubhouse-intl.org | +1 716.302.4307
Clubhouse International
600 Third Avenue – 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10016
USA
+1 212.582.0343
[1] 2026 study by the University of Bristol, Nesta and Amsterdam UMC
Contact Information:
Clubhouse International
Anna Sackett Rountree
212-583-0343
Contact via Email
www.clubhouse-intl.org
600 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10016
USA
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