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Belonging Beyond The Background

Belonging Beyond The Background

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In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood is joined by Kate Gaskell to explore what authentic belonging means beyond one’s background, social status, or upbringing. Their conversation traverses the unspoken rules and systemic barriers that can limit social mobility, highlighting the nuanced interplay of privilege, identity, and opportunity. Joanne and Kate reflect on their early life experiences, addressing the stigma attached to socioeconomic status and the emotional journey of advancing into new spaces, from state school and free school meals to Oxford University and leading a purpose-driven business. The episode unpacks the realities of imposter syndrome, assimilation, and why contextual recruitment is crucial for genuine inclusion within organisations. Kate is the CEO of Flex Legal, where she heads the Flex Trainee social mobility scheme—an initiative dedicated to inclusive hiring in the legal sector. Drawing from her background as a lawyer, hypnotherapist, yoga teacher, sound meditation guide, and breath work practitioner, she champions whole-person wellbeing and somatic workplace wellness. Raised by a single mother after moving to England from Scotland, Kate is passionate about demystifying privilege and widening access for aspiring legal professionals from non-traditional backgrounds, using both lived experience and professional insight to mentor and uplift others. Together, Joanne and Kate dissect the pitfalls of traditional recruitment, the dangers of sanitising individuality in favour of ‘fitting in’, and the power of networks and peer support for maintaining confidence. They spotlight the importance of creating psychologically safe environments where everyone can contribute, thrive and be themselves. With practical anecdotes—ranging from surviving council estates to navigating magic circle firms—the discussion brings lived experience to the forefront and asks: are we really designing systems that allow true belonging, or merely new forms of assimilation?
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