Why Does Social Capital Matter?
Social Capital refers to all the different relationships you have with other people that allow you to be more successful. Collectively, all of the people in your life who provide different types of support make up your social capital. So why does social capital matter? Social capital is similar to having money in a bank and can translate into resources that make you more successful. Here are some examples of social capital at work:
Building Academic Success
Dennis became friends with another student in his math class, and she helps him every time he gets stuck on his homework.
Advancing Extracurricular Goals
Leslie becomes close with a martial arts instructor who has a friend who can connect her to a job, and the instructor puts in a good word for Leslie when she applies.
Advancing Career Goals
Danny’s best friend’s father is an electrician – a job that Danny thinks he might want to do one day. So, his friend’s dad agrees to let him shadow him for a day to see what the job is like.
Remember that relationships are a resource, just like any other kind of “capital.” So, it’s important to invest in your relationships, so that they’ll grow in quantity and quality over time. This course will teach you more about how to invest in relationships with mentors who can serve as a kind of social capital that help you figure out what your goals and interests are, encourage you, and assist you if you are struggling at school or with something else that interferes with your goals.