Community-Based Education and Social Capital in an Urban After-School Program

This qualitative case study examined how social capital development was facilitated in an urban after-school program. Specific attention was devoted to identifying structures and strategies that helped student participants develop social capital, the types of social networks that were developed through program participation, and the outcomes that were attributed to these networks. The findings suggest that the program’s purposeful design and skillful implementation presented students with opportunities to forge heterogeneous and bridging relationships that fundamentally shaped their learning experiences and their future social, educational, and professional aspirations.