Gatherings Create Social Capital

People are meant to come together; we are social beings. We have been gathering together from the moment we were born. First in our families, in playgrounds and at schools. As adults in churches, business meetings, parties, funerals, conferences and weddings. Gatherings are a huge part of our life. They are part of the human experience.

Gatherings create social capital; the wealth generated by relationships. Social capital fosters reciprocity and inclusion, builds mutually respectful relationships, connectedness and trustworthiness among people and improves the overall well-being of the community.

Tips for Building Social Capital

Meet Strangers — make time and get comfortable with making introductions with people who don’t know. Take the time to meet people and learn about them and what they care about.

Say Yes — you start to build relationships by saying yes to invitations to participate in your community, whether it is a party, as a volunteer, or by joining a community group.

Community Focus — while we build social capital at work through our relationships, we need to also put the same effort into our community. During our covid lockdowns, we needed to turn to our community as our workplace was taken away from us. Make some time to invest in your community.

Be grateful — Expressing gratitude strengthens connections and deepens the relationship and trust. People want to be around others who see them, appreciate them and value their contributions

Offer Help — Just as you rely on others for help, invitations, introductions, and favours; your community will also rely on you to do the same. Offer to mow a lawn, share some homegrown produce, and hold a community gathering.

Community gatherings cultivate common ground and create an environment for neighbours to connect and know more about each other. If you would like to host a gathering in your community to build social capital, here are a few tips. More tips can be found in Priya Parker’s book The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters as she asks us to reimagine our approach to gathering.

Gathering Tips

Purpose — the reason what you are gathering is important. It sets expectations and gives participants more chances to connect and not be disappointed.

Plan — a planned gathering is more successful than a quickly thrown-together gathering. Even if you are trying for a chilled gathering, some level of planning is best.

Introductions — facilitate introductions, share their name and a little about them in the context of the gathering. The introduction then becomes a conversation starter.

Hosting Rules — a couple of high levels rules help manage the gathering. Some rules may be no running on slippery surfaces, no smoking inside, children need to be supervised around pools, and separate rubbish for better recycling,

Show Up — If you indicated you were attending, then show up. If you said you would bring something, then bring it. Your host will take you at your word and plan around it accordingly.

Show Gratitude — thank you host for their efforts. It takes energy to host a gathering and showing your appreciation is a simple way to show gratitude.

Building relationships, connections and social capital takes time. It also requires constant efforts, showing up consistently, extending invitations and accepting invitations, meeting new people and learning more about the people in your community.

Social capital is built through hundreds of actions, large and small, that we take every day. Consider ways you might work at being part of the ‘glue’ that holds your community together. Build trust in your neighbourhood. Build connections with people. Get involved.