Social Capital: Similarities and Differences Between Future Educators and Urban Youth Leaders

This study examines differences in social capital between two demographically disparate groups: future education professionals and youth leaders living in urban communities. This is important because there is growing scholarly evidence of a positive relationship between social capital and student achievement. Social capital, defined as a constellation of privileges, is parallel to “the concepts of financial capital, physical capital, and human capital—but embodied in relations among persons” (Coleman, 1988). The impact of the varying access to social capital and its attendant resources may have profound implications on the interactions within the classroom; thus, this study measured this construct in a sample of students in education preparation programs (n = 145) and a sample of youth leaders living in urban communities (n = 119). There were significant differences between groups in: community participation, value of life, and feelings of trust and safety. Educational and consultative strategies to develop cultural competence and diversity sensitivity are discussed, with a particular focus on training future school professionals.