 |
Social capital is the glue that holds a community together. It is the network of relationships among persons that can be used to get things done. Social capital is a necessary, but not sufficient, ingredient of community building. A community must mobilize its social capital and the mechanisms of its infrastructure to face and resolve collective challenges. The resources that can be assessed through informal neighborhood networks and more formal connections with human service providers, schools, churches, and others are critical in expanding opportunities available to children and parents. Recommendations for building social capital in neighborhoods suggest new roles and relationships for local governments. Creating sustainable policies will require connecting the three types of democracy found in communities: participatory, institutional, and representative. Social capital offers a way to look at the needs and potential of communities and the local governments that serve them while building a community that supports better outcomes for children and families.