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Focusing on children and youth: The role of social capital in educational outcomes in the context of immigration and diversity

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Abstract

Social capital matters for young people, especially for immigrant and minority youth; however what counts as social capital for young people is poorly specified. This paper reviews recent studies on the influences of parents, communities and schools; then focuses on youth social networks that begin to reveal how young people form, develop and use social capital. In light of this knowledge base, we address social and educational policy-making, making suggestions for capacity building for future policy and research. We conclude with recommendations toward a model of social capital accumulation.

Résumé

Le capital social importe pour les jeunes, surtout pour les jeunes immigrés et minoritaires; cependant, ce qui compte en tant que capital social pour les jeunes a été très peu spécifié. Ce papier fait la recension des études récentes sur les influences des parents, des communautés et des écoles, pour ensuite mettre l’accent sur les réseaux sociaux qui commencent à révéler comment les jeunes gens forment, développent et utilisent le capital social. À la base de ce savoir, nous nous adressons à la formulation des politiques sociales et éducationnelles, offrant quelques suggestions vers la création de capacités pour la politique et la recherche à venir. Nous concluons avec des recommandations portant sur un modèle de l’accumulation du capital social.

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  1. University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada

    Yvonne Hébert, Xiaohong Shirley Sun & Eugene Kowch

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  1. Yvonne Hébert
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Hébert, Y., Sun, X.S. & Kowch, E. Focusing on children and youth: The role of social capital in educational outcomes in the context of immigration and diversity. Int. Migration & Integration 5, 229–249 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-004-1011-0

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