Social Capital and the Faith Community Eric Swanson

Social Capital Define Social Capital and its benefits Define Social Capital and its benefits Where faith communities fit in the larger community Where faith communities fit in the larger community What individual congregations can do What individual congregations can do How to deepen the engagement of your congregation How to deepen the engagement of your congregation

Life without Social Capital Your corn is ripe today; mine will be so tomorrow. ‘Tis profitable for us both, that I should labor with you today, and that you should aid me tomorrow. I have no kindness for you, and know you have as little for me. I will not, therefore, take any pains upon your account; and should I labor with you upon my own account, in expectation of a return, I know I should be disappointed, and that I should in vain depend upon your gratitude. Here then I leave you to labor alone; you treat me in the same manner. The seasons change; and both of us lose our harvests for want of mutual confidence and security. David Hume ( )

Social Capital is… Social capital refers to the collective value of all "social networks" (who people know) and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other (norms of reciprocity).

Benefits of Social Capital The benefits of social capital spill beyond the people immediately involved in the network and can be used for many other purposes. The more neighbors who know one another by name, the fewer crimes a neighborhood as a whole will suffer. A child born in a state whose residents volunteer, vote, and spend time with friends is less likely to be born underweight, less likely to drop out of school, and less likely to kill or be killed than the same child—no richer or poorer— born in another state whose residents do not. Society as a whole benefits enormously from the social ties forged by those who choose connective strategies in pursuit of their particular goals.[i] [i] Robert Putnam

Two types of Social Capital Bonding capital is the strength of the relationships between the members of a group of people—a family, an affinity group, ethnic group, club or church. Bridging capital is the strength between the diverse segments of society.

What are the diverse segments of a community? Business Business Arts & Media Arts & Media Science & Technology Science & Technology Non-profit organizations Non-profit organizations Congregations Congregations Government Government Education Education

Where is the energy focused? Children Schools Neighborhoods Families Business Arts & Media Science & Technology Congregations Government Education Non-profit

Collaboration Do you believe what I believe? Bounded SetCentered Set Do you care about what I care about?

The difference faith can make 350,000 “congregations” 350,000 “congregations” Spend $36 billion providing services in America each year Spend $36 billion providing services in America each year Each congregation averages $184,000 in helping others Each congregation averages $184,000 in helping others 93% of religious congregations provide at least one program of service for the community 93% of religious congregations provide at least one program of service for the community

What can congregations do? Children Children Reading Programs—Hope PresReading Programs—Hope Pres Schools Schools Adopt a school—Embrace TeachersAdopt a school—Embrace Teachers Neighborhoods Neighborhoods Adopt a neighborhood--ArlingtonAdopt a neighborhood--Arlington Families—Mariners Families—Mariners Motel familiesMotel families

Levels of engagement Money & Things Projects People

Begin with the willing Innovators 2.5% Middle Adopters 34% Laggards 16% Late Adopters 34% Early Adopters 13%

Depth of Engagement Money & Things Projects People Yearly Quarterly Monthly Weekly Frequency of Engagement

Social Capital and the Faith Community Eric Swanson