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Community Capacity for Positive Human Development: The Role of Social Service Agencies

Hicks, Ashley A.

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2011, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Human Ecology: Human Development and Family Science.
A long standing tradition of research has shown that communities do affect human development. A number of community characteristics have been shown to either, “undergird or undermine positive human development” (Sampson, 2001, p.3). A community’s capacity to positively or negatively affect the development of children, adolescents, and families is dependent upon a number of social mechanisms and processes, such as social capital. A community’s social capital, network of trust and relationships that creates benefits for the community, is a key indicator of its capacity to promote positive development. The institutional component of social capital is the resource stock of the neighborhood organizations and their linkage with other organizations both within and outside the community (Morenoff et al., 2001; Sampson, 2001, ). Venkatesh (1997) presents a three tier hierarchical framework for understanding the institutional capital that exists in poor urban communities. The current study utilizes Venkatesh’s framework and survey data on 80 social service agencies, serving youth and families in a targeted area of Columbus, OH, and their 423 partners to analyze the institutional resources and relationships that are available to that community. Descriptive results reveal over 647 partnerships that exist between agencies serving this targeted area. GIS mapping reveals that a large number of agencies serving the target area are not located within its geographical boundaries. Social network analysis reveals that despite the large number of partnerships that exist, relationships more frequently exist between agencies that fall within the same tier structure (i.e. organizations with the same hierarchical structure, size and capacity, social networks, and community relations). The knowledge gained from this study reveals that there is a large social network of agencies serving the target area. However these social networks appear to be rigid and somewhat closed based upon resources and reputation. Therefore it is important for intentional steps to be taken to bridge the gaps across tiers in order to provide the most effective services and strategies to deal with the number of social dislocations plaguing the area. Intentional horizontal and vertical integration of service providers is necessary to help build the institutional capacity of the neighborhood and help promote positive development within this community. An increase in the level social and institutional capital available to community residents may help to reduce the levels of social isolation and disorganization that oftentimes lead to crime and violence within urban communities.
Deanna Wilkinson, PhD (Advisor)
Anastasia Snyder, PhD (Committee Member)
87 p.

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Citations

  • Hicks, A. A. (2011). Community Capacity for Positive Human Development: The Role of Social Service Agencies [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306516714

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hicks, Ashley. Community Capacity for Positive Human Development: The Role of Social Service Agencies. 2011. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306516714.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hicks, Ashley. "Community Capacity for Positive Human Development: The Role of Social Service Agencies." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306516714

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)