Finding belonging in a coworking community

Finding belonging in a coworking community, or any community is not always easy. Community is built into the way we do things at Tribe. At this point often feels so natural it goes unnoticed. 

Our Tribe

As a team, we are often struck by and deeply grateful for our coworkers and their willingness to show up, contribute, and shape Tribe. It’s that shared energy, care, and creativity that makes Tribe what it is. We feel incredibly proud to be part of it. Our anniversary dinner, in particular, was a magnifying glass on how needed community is, and how a gathering place can become integral to our wellbeing.

Over the past ten years, Tribe Porty has taught us that real community is not something you purchase or perform. It is something you practice. It lives in small, often unseen moments: how we arrive in shared space, how we listen, and how we respond to difference, discomfort, or change.

This is why we want to write a book about community. Not to offer a formula, but to share what it feels like to belong to a place which in today’s climate is ever more important to individual wellbeing and community wealth. 

Nurturing community 

Community is never static. It evolves, expands, and reshapes itself over time, shaped in part by the events and experiences that we both share and hold as individuals.

As an established community, many things now happen naturally. Connections form with ease, conversations flow, and a sense of belonging often emerges without much effort. 

Our team’s focus has increasingly shifted towards how we welcome and integrate newcomers. We want every person who walks through our doors to feel seen, valued, and included. Never like they’re standing on the edges looking in. But we can’t expect this to happen on its own. 

There’s an interesting balance to navigate here. Over time, strong bonds form between people, and what might be perceived as “cliques” can actually be a sign of something positive. Friendships that have deepened and extended beyond the workspace, a gift only time gives. At the same time, we recognise that these close-knit dynamics can unintentionally make it harder for new members to find their sense of belonging. Our role is to gently bridge that gap, creating opportunities for connection that feel natural rather than forced.

Coworking and Community

We continue to nurture our community through shared spaces, intentional social time, and, most importantly, a genuinely warm invitation to belong. None of this would be possible without the care and dedication of our team. And it raises an important question: why does this matter in a coworking space?

Because we are more than just a building with desks, walls, and Wi-Fi. We believe that when community and wellbeing is prioritised, everything else follows: productivity, creativity, collaboration, and overall happiness. By creating the right environment and offering thoughtful tools and support, we empower individuals not only to do their best work, but to support one another along the way.

As we grow, we’re also thinking about how to make this sense of community accessible to everyone. This thinking includes those who are more introverted, or whose schedules don’t allow for regular social events like coffee mornings or social lunches. Community shouldn’t be limited to those who can attend at a certain time or feel comfortable in larger group settings.

A Culture Guide  

We’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to create a space where people feel genuinely held. For many of us, life no longer happens surrounded by extended family or long-standing community. We live far from where we grew up, our lives are full, and sometimes fragmented. 

What can be missing is something simple but essential: knowing there are people around you who notice, who care, and who have your back in small, everyday ways. We don’t think this comes from programmes or pressure. It comes from culture. And culture is shaped, quietly and powerfully, through language. The words we use, the tone we set, the way we name things. 

These all signal what matters here, what’s welcome, and how we treat one another. We’re beginning to shape something we’re currently calling a Culture Guide, a small, thoughtful, handcrafted book that reflects how we care for ourselves, each other, and this shared space. It won’t be a rulebook. More of a living document. A way of making visible the quiet agreements that already exist; how we check in, how we look out for one another, how we create a space that feels safe, steady and human. At its heart, this is about something very simple: creating a place where you don’t have to do it all alone.

Alongside this, we’re considering a few more ways to deepen connection and wellbeing across the community:

• Gentle, low-pressure ways to connect
• Peer support groups like Tribe Men
• Quiet times and meditation mornings for those who need space to recharge during the day
• Short, accessible and off the cuff sessions that can fit into different schedules like stretching, walks

Most importantly, we want to hear from you. What do you want to see more of, or even less of to make your time with us foster the best version of you. 

Tribe Talks

We already have this in practice with our ongoing Tribe Talks series around the Body & Mind. Our next free talk is with SoberBuzz Scotland on Thursday 2nd April. 

All are welcome to join us for a talk with founder Kirsty Mulcahy, on exploring a different relationship with alcohol. Kirsty  introduces the idea of sober curiosity and explores how experimenting with alcohol-free or alcohol-lighter living can support self-love, mental wellbeing, and a deeper connection with yourself and others.

This talk is for anyone who’s ever wondered whether alcohol is really adding what it promises, or if life might feel lighter, calmer, and more joyful without it at the centre. 

Through warmth, humour, and real-life stories from the SoberBuzz community, Kirsty creates a space rooted in compassion rather than judgement. This is not about labels or quitting forever, it’s about tuning into your body, listening to what you truly need, and making choices that feel kind, empowering, and supportive.

A relaxed, inclusive conversation that welcomes everyone, whether you drink, don’t drink, or are simply curious about doing things differently. Click here to find out more and book your free spot. 

As always we’d love to connect and hear your thoughts, let us know what you think and what you want to see more of at Tribe Porty. You can read our latest Annual Report here. 

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