A conceptual model of social cohesion for community renewal and health

The aim of this study was to develop, test and refine a conceptual model of social cohesion for community renewal and health. Undertaken in three phases, the context for the study was the Community 2168 community renewal project that has been operating for over 10 years in a disadvantaged area in south-west Sydney. Phase 1 of the study reviewed the Australian and International literature in order to develop a preliminary conceptual model of social cohesion. Phase 2 involved a secondary data analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with 17 stakeholders involved in Community 2168. Analysis was based on a realist evaluation framework and identified the mechanisms operating within Community 2168 to build social cohesion. Phase 3 of the study compared and contrasted the preliminary conceptual model developed in Phase 1 and the findings of Phase 2 in order to develop a refined conceptual model of social cohesion for community renewal and health.The result of Phase 1 was a conceptualisation of social cohesion as “the capacity of a society or community to ensure the wellbeing of all.” Thus, social cohesion is a societal or community level construct and is comprised of two core dimensions: social capital and social inclusion. The results of Phase 2 revealed 5 mechanisms that operate within Community 2168 to bring about changes in social cohesion. These are the “ripple effect”; “drawing together”; “sharing”; “commitment”; “reaching into the community”; and “advocacy” mechanisms. Whether these mechanisms “fire” to bring about changes in social cohesion was dependent on a range of different contextual factors identified by stakeholders. Phase 3 brought together the findings of Phase 2 to refine the preliminary conceptual model developed in Phase 1. The refined conceptual model is based on the following three principles: a) maintaining a tension between social capital and social inclusion approaches; b) an ecological perspective; and c) the importance of contextual factors in developing social cohesion.The refined conceptual model provides a firm basis for understanding how Community 2168 activities bring about changes in social cohesion and is also useful for further research to refine a theory of social cohesion