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Over the last few months, a dedicated group of volunteers has continued to meet and support the strengthening of my local community, centered on the topic of climate action. As climate change continues to cause pain around the world, the act of community building continues to be one of the most important investments we can make.
One of our local organizers sent an article around lately by George Monbiot that talks about a successful community project in London that has built a lot of social capital.
In community life, according to academic researchers, there are two kinds of social networks: bonding and bridging. As the article states: “Bonding networks are those created within homogeneous groups. While they can overcome social isolation, they can also foster suspicion and prejudice, while limiting opportunities for change. Bridging networks bring people from different groups together. Research suggests that they can reduce crime and unemployment and, by enhancing community voices, improve the quality of government.”
Creating community, also called social capital, has a number of benefits. Robert Putnam, who wrote Bowling Alone, has identified at least 4 benefits to social capital:
- Information – we learn new things from each other.
- Reciprocity – people help each other more.
- Collective Action – as a group, you work together for greater impact.
- Our Identity/Sense of Empowerment – feeling that we belong to a community.
Connecting with others and building community does take time, effort and thought. In a society that is more individualistic than collectivist, building community starts with intention. In this time of goal-setting, do you have a section or goal area for community/civic life?
How would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being not satisfied at all, 10 being totally satisfied) if you thought about your contributions to building your community?
How do you define your community? Do you see it in terms of your geographic boundaries? Is it your family? Your friend?
And, how might you want to contribute to its health?
“A society that relies on generalized reciprocity is more efficient than a distrustful society, for the same reason that money is more efficient than barter. Trust lubricates social life. Networks of civic engagement also facilitate coordination and communication and amplify information about the trustworthiness of other individuals.” … Robert Putnam