Social capital is the value of the
connections between members. This encompasses both the quantity and quality of
those connections.
Over time, communities build up social
capital.
What do you do with this social capital?
You invest it in community projects. You invest (not spend) the social capital
in projects which will benefit the community in the future.
This means establishing a goal. This means
asking members to work on a task that is too complex for a single person but benefits the community in the long-term. This
might be creating a resource for newcomers, organizing a series of live events,
developing a jobs board, creating community-branded products, or campaigning
on an issue.
If you invest the social capital wisely, it
pays dividends over time. Just don’t let it build up meaninglessly over years.
Make something happen.
