Social Capital

Summer… just that word makes me feel relaxed, makes me think about vacation time, think about time with my friends, family, neighbors. During the school year we are all busy; school/work, daily duties – so some of us forget how it is important to have a good connection with people in our network, how it is beneficial to have a big network, how it is good to be able to reach people in other networks. That is why we should invest time during summer in our social capital.

What is social capital? Social capital is the connections within and between social networks. Something like glue that holds our society and institutions/groups together. Just as a printer (physical capital) or an education (human capital) can increase productivity (both individual and collective), so do social contacts affect the productivity of individuals and groups.

For example, if we have a task to do something, and thru our social network we can reach people who can provide us with ‘know how’ to solve that task, the task will become ‘a piece of cake’. Furthermore, social relationships and the social environments of school, family, and neighborhood influence students with respect to school performance. It influences adults too.

So, what do you plan to do with your social capital?

A few nice articles about social capital are linked in Tutor/Mentor Exchange Links Library: T/MC Links Library : Research, Resources : Social Capital

So, let’s check a few of them.

Social Capital article at InfEd.org (a site dedicated to promote and support INFormal EDucation) is a great way to start. The article (http://www.infed.org/biblio/social_capital.htm) provides all the most important data about social capital in plain English. Social capital for starters, Types of social capital, The decline in social capital, The benefits of social capital are just a few of interesting sections of that article. Find more about social capital at: http://www.infed.org/biblio/social_capital.htm

A New Conceptualization of Social Capital is an article that attempts to improve the conceptualization of social capital by incorporating a number of new factors that have previously not been considered

Read more at: http://www.gnudung.com/improvedconceptualisation.html

Conceptualizing Social Capital among Young People is an article written by Nicole J. Schaefer-McDaniel and focused on new theoretical framework of social capital among young people.

The author describes social capital among young people to consist of three components:

1. Social networks/interactions and sociability;
2. Trust and reciprocity; and
3. Sense of belonging/place attachment.

Find more about beneficial outcomes of social capital at http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/14_1/articles/article6full.htm.

What are your thoughts about those articles? Of course, you can fine much more links about social capital at T/MC Links Library : Research, Resources : Social Capital

I am very enthusiastic about your comments here or at Cool Links and Cool Cash >> Social capital,

Networking & Fund Raising

Hi,
Last week we had 28 posts in Cool Links – Cool Cash. Fantastic! It is the second time we’ve had participation over 20%. Great job and great posts!
So, let’s continue, let’s make even better results this week. Right?
And, do not forget that Cabrini students will be rewarded with $2 for each post!
OK; ready?

This is a fundraising week - we will have a Fundraising meeting for volunteers on Wednesday and Thursday. Therefore let’s check out the Networking and Fund Rising category in the Links Library (T/MC Links Library : Event Information : Networking & Fund Raising)

scottwallard.com/blog/ is a blog about social policy and poverty in America maintained by Scott W. Allard - an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration. Professor Allard is a passionate supporter of the social safety net.

What it the social safety net? The social safety net refers a collection of services which prevent individuals from falling into poverty beyond a certain level. For example, if single mother unable to work has several children, she and all her kids can be caught up in the hopelessness of extreme poverty.

However, by receiving money to support her children, along with universal health care and free education, she and the society (social safety net!) can provide her and children a better chance at becoming successful members of society, a better chance to become successful taxpayers…

In his blog Professor Allard wrote:

With more than 50 million Americans living near or below the poverty line and need on the rise, it becomes important to have an accurate grasp of what the safety net is, how it functions, and where the gaps in assistance are most severe. The written work presented here address challenges facing today's safety net.

Find more at: www.scottwallard.com/blog

UmbrellaMag.com is an online magazine devoted to charity events, volunteering and philanthropy in the USA. At this moment UmbrellaMag.com has 6 editions for 6 USA cites – including Chicago. Umbrellamag.com serves as a volunteering and philanthropy stock market. You can search for charity events or volunteering opportunities or you can promote your own volunteering event.

Find out more at www.umbrellamag.com

The Social Marketing Institute is being created to advance the science and practice of social marketing. Social marketing is a marketing process where the primary goal is ‘social good’. In classical, 'commercial marketing' the goal is primarily 'financial'. For example, Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection marketing strategy is focused on marketing of mentoring programs – because each mentoring program is a social good that benefit kids’ lives and communities.

Find more about social marketing and the Social Marketing Institute at: http://www.social-marketing.org

What are your thoughts about these sites, about these issues?

I am very enthusiastic about your comments; here or in the Cool Links and Cool Cash forum.

Leadership Strategies

Leadership is one of the most important aspects of the organizational context. Where to go, how, who, what for… are just a few of questions challenging leaders. Leadership can be a role of one prominent person or role of groups, associations or even whole countries can be leaders. Each of us can/should be a leader as an individual or can be a member of a group that is leading school, club, corporation or… world into the better future.

In Cabrini Connections, we are trying to nurture future leaders; leaders that will help us build a society where everybody has a chance, where success is a choice – not something young people will or will not inherit from their immediate surroundings; a society that helps the development of each individual – to her/his full potential.

Here are a bunch of very interesting Leadership Strategies, which are well described at http://tutormentorexchange.net/leadership-strategies.
Can you check a few of them and send your comments. What do you think about those strategies?
Do you know a leader you would commend or… what would you do/are you doing as a leader?

I am very enthusiastic about your comments!