Social Capital

Social Capital

Social capital is a key success factor of the two-generation approach.  Many years of research has shown that social capital manifests as peer support; contact with family, friends, and neighbors; participation in community and faith-based organizations; school and workplace contacts; leadership and empowerment programs; use of case managers or career coaches; social networks, such as cohort models and learning communities; and mental health services. Such support appears to be a powerful component in programs that help move families beyond poverty.  Social capital builds on the strength and resilience of families, bolstering the aspirations parents have for their children and for themselves.

Social capital is a key component of two-generation approaches but is more powerful when combined with both Education and Economic Supports.