Networks of Belonging

The image that you see below is the product of an activity called the “Networks of Belonging” exercise, which some members of the group took part in both at the beginning and the end of the project. This activity is all about finding common ideas and words associated with aligned lived experiences, to map feelings of belonging within a community. This exercise was not created by the co-curators on this project, and has been used in many different contexts before, but in this case the exact form of it was adapted to create a more permanent record of the networks mapped between community members, and to be more accessible for those experiencing symptoms related to cancer treatment.

During the exercise, with a particular theme or concept in mind, one person says a word, and draws a line as they say it, passing the pen to somebody else in the group as they do so. When that person receives the pen, they say another word that encapsulates aspects of their experience whilst drawing a line as they pass the pen to another member of the group. Once each person has had the opportunity to take part, group members write a word that resonated with them on a Post-it note, and at the end of the exercise members stick the notes anywhere on the paper covered in lines, perhaps where some lines intersect, or just anywhere that feels right.

The lines come to represent moments of communication and connection between community members, and the words on the Post-its are resonances within the group.

In these examples, the group was guided by thinking about the breast cancer journey in relation to Past, Present, and Future. Each time designation is demarcated by a different colour:

Green – Past
Pink – Present
Orange – Future