Developing social capital through participation in organized youth programs: Qualitative insights from three programs

Organized youth programs can serve as a context in which youth are connected to resource-bearing adults in the community who promote the development of social capital. This article explores the process of how this happens and what types of resources are gained by youth. Qualitative interviews were conducted with adolescents in three youth programs over a three- to four-month period. Two key findings emerged. First, relationships with community adults were found to develop in stages, with youth moving from a stage of suspicion and distrust, to a stage of facilitated contact, to a stage of meaningful connection. Second, these relationships provided youth with access to adult resources, such as information, assistance, exposure to adult worlds, support, and encouragement. The three programs facilitated this process of social capital development by linking youth to suitable adults, structuring youth-adult activities around common goals, and coaching youth on these interactions.