Café Results
Social Capital World Cafés held throughout the Tampa Bay area provided insight on how we view, experience, and improve social capital in Tampa Bay.
Description:
Social Capital World Cafés conducted over the course of four weeks throughout the Tampa Bay area addressed two main questions. The first is how we see and experience social capital in Tampa Bay. The second is, using that knoweldge, how we improve social capital in Tampa Bay. The Cafes resulted in the following suggestions.
The ideas for creating community Social Capital included educating others about social capital. World Café participants suggested this be accomplished by hosting more World Cafés and encouraging Tampa’s organizations to host a Café, defining social capital and explaining it to community members, holding a social capital summit, teaching the social capital concept in schools, educating people about the safety of living in a city, and instructing creative economy in schools.
Another important element discussed was the creation of a climate that is conducive to social capital, specifically, physical and environmental design. Suggestions included the creation of more gathering places for people to meet, more green spaces, pedestrian friendly streets, front porches on houses, and a community designed with houses that surround a central point and parking off to the side.
Participants in the World Cafés also suggested the use of programs to support community Social Capital. Program suggestions included mentor exchange among people of all ages and skill sets, tutorial groups, volunteer service as a graduate requirement, curriculum that encourages students to be involved in community groups, interactive art parks, neighborhood watch programs, and a day of good deeds.
It is also important to share information about social capital outlets in order to increase community awareness and support. This type of information-sharing could be attained by creating a central resource listing of community events and activities, conducting networking workshops that help to connect community members with opportunities, and homeowners associations that inform residents of neighborhood issues and events.
Utilization of technology and the Internet is an essential element in the development of a community Social Capital network. For instance, emails and listservs could be used to share social capital opportunities with others. Message boards or blogs could help increase communication among people with similar interests.
World Café participants also discussed what individuals can do to increase social capital. Their suggestions included have people over to your house for dinner or other social event, increased utilization of dog parks, house or block parties, support of local business, being a “regular” somewhere, building stronger/deeper connections at work, networking with different social groups and organizations, distributing business cards, having conversations that matter, talking to strangers in stores/restaurants, taking the time to wave and say “Hi” to people, inviting someone you don’t know to lunch, writing personal notes, and calling everyone in your rolodex and inviting them to dinner.
Participants also listed what organizations and communities can do to increase social capital. Suggestions included creating more trust and communication between existing programs, maximizing resources by having board members of different organizations meet to discuss common goals and interests, conducting more community related festivals and cultural awareness events in neighborhoods, creating community forums where issues can be discussed, creating a community table in restaurants, allowing more leisure/social time in the workplace, centralized public events, inviting elected officials to homeowner associations meetings, and community movie nights.
Funding for Academic Year: 2004-05