Introduction to community social work

¶ … Social capital refers to those aspects that promote cooperation and therefore improve the community. Communities with significant amounts of social capital are more capable of meeting their individual and community needs. Community development on a global level has been defined in numerous ways (Dominelli, 2011). International community development may be described as both a process and a goal. The initiators of development efforts can be local community leaders, local government, or other players on the international scene, including other governments and non-profits (Brown & Hannis, 2007).

One goal of international development is to facilitate the community's ability to meet its basic human needs. Yet, before this can reasonably take place collectively, individual households must have moved beyond basic survival mode. Most marginalized rural and urban communities in developing countries struggle to meet the most rudimentary basic needs of food, shelter, clothing and minimal material goods to sustain life. Few community members will be involved in community activity while they are struggling to meet their basic survival needs (Brown & Hannis, 2007).

All people possess individual capital such as skills, knowledge, experience and time. And all have the potential for being brought to the community table as social capital. However, as will all other forms of capital, there must be a perceived surplus before individuals are prepared to invest this capital in external endeavors. If people believe that all their individual capital must be invested in the struggle to meet their elemental needs, minimal investment will be made in voluntary communal activity (Brown & Hannis, 2007).

In order to evaluate the social capital of the residents of Villa El Salvador it is important to first look to see if their basic human needs are being met. If they are then the potential for them to express social capital will be higher and then can be looked at. In a study done by Lough, McBride, Sherraden & O'Hara (2011) interviews were done with volunteers in an organization that was working with residents of Villa El Salvador. The volunteers identified four areas in which they helped residents with practices and process. These areas included acting as an acting pair of hands to address immediate labor shortage needs, providing tangible resources, philanthropy and social capital, introducing new ideas and increasing intercultural competence, and transferring technical skills.

The volunteers described the extra pair of hands as helping with childcare and care and companionship for the elderly and disabled. The area of providing tangible resources and philanthropy included providing such things as paint, crayons, paper, books, games, used clothes, shoes and vitamins. The introduction of new ideas included such things as exchanging ideas about cooking, eating, music and dancing. The transfer of technical skills included providing technical and professional skills in education, health, social services and business.