A case study of youth-adult partnerships in the development of youth & adult social capital : SW Missouri, 4-H engaging youth, serving community project

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand and describe the ways in which youth and adults participating in the Engaging Youth, Serving Community grant project are building bonding social capital by working together on various community service-learning projects through a youth-adult partnership in Barton County, Missouri. Qualitative interviews were conducted consisting of two focus groups with five adults and four youth, and two individual interviews with one adult and one youth. Interviews were used to determine how community-service learning projects are developing bonding social capital in youth and adults. Data were collected through non-participant observations, as well. It was discovered that Engaging Youth, Serving Community service-learning projects are developing bonding social capital between youth and adults by providing opportunities for youth and adults to work closely together. When youth and adults are able to work closely together on activities that promote civic engagement, they begin to build community cohesion, a key component in bonding social capital (Emery, 2006).