A concern with building community involves a recognition that we live in relationship with others and that friendships are fundamental to our wellbeing. Community is built through cultures which encourage collaboration. An inclusive view of community extends attachment and obligation beyond family and friendships to a broader fellow feeling. It is linked to a sense of responsibility for others and to ideas of public service, citizenship, global citizenship and a recognition of global interdependence.

An inclusive school community provides a model of what it means to be a responsible and active citizen whose rights are respected outside school. Inclusion involves developing mutually sustaining relationships between settings and their surrounding communities. A concern with community leads to an understanding of how progress in shaping institutions can be best achieved when people join their actions together.