Social Capital: Working towards a community that is open to all

Issue title: Social Capital

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Curran, Jamie

Affiliations: Manager, Outcome Support Team, Community Living Mississauga, 6699 Millcreek Drive, unit #1, Mississauga, Ontario L5N 5R8, Canada. Tel.: +1 905 542 2694; E-mail: jamiec@clmiss.ca

Abstract: This article focuses on Community Living Mississauga (CLM) and the support provided to people in the Mississauga, Ontario community. The article provides an introduction to the organization, followed by an exploration of the agency's experience with the theory of Social Role Valorization and the accreditation process of the Council on Quality and Leadership Canada. The article looks at results of past quality reviews, highlighting strengths and discussing strategies to improve the quality of supports provided. At the center of quality improvement is a focus on building social capital for both the organization and the people it supports. This article examines strategies to do that, highlighting ways in which CLM educates its employees and works with people who have disabilities in the community. The article will conclude by describing CLM's social capital pilot project and ideas for future supports.

Keywords: Social capital, people with disabilities, social networks, employment

Journal: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 179-183, 2008