That's the Thing with Community: Social Networks and Asset Development

This study explores the role of social networks in the lives of participants in an asset building program. Focus groups were conducted with parents whose children hold accounts in a multi-site demonstration project of Children's Savings Accounts. The study's research questions were: 1) How can the social networks of parents' be understood? Do they have both supportive and leveraging relationships? 2) How do parents' social networks influence their participation in asset building programs? 3) How does participation in asset building programs influence parents' social networks? Four major findings were identified. First, parents described networks rich in supportive relationships but lack leveraging relationships. Second, parents' reported that their social networks influenced their ability to save as well as their participation in program activities. Third, parents reported that participating in program activities influenced their social networks, although there were no similar reports of the accumulated savings in the accounts themselves influencing social networks. Finally, parents spoke of a desire for community. Implications for practice, policy, and research follow