Benchmark Study on Civic Engagement and Social Networks of Youth in Hong Kong

Content of Presentation Concept of social capital Methodology –Conceptual framework –Survey enumeration results Civic engagement and social networks –Network qualities –Network structure –Network transactions Related factors –Use of community services –Participation in employment/training programmes –Family functioning –Social support network –Mental health status Analysis by age Causes and consequences of social capital Social capital indicators

Concept of social capital An attribute of individuals and communities Two main elements –Social structures (e.g. structures within family, community or nation) –Actions between people with social structures, based on trust and expectation of reciprocal treatments Represents ties and cohesive force between –Family members –Members of the same community –Members from different communities

Operational definitions of social capital Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): –“Net works together with shared norms, values and understanding that facilitate co-operation within and among groups” Australia: 3 dimensions –Network qualities –Network structure –Network transactions World Bank: 3 categories of indicators –Cognitive social capital –Structural social capital –Outcomes of social capital Framework adopted in present study: –8 components of civic engagement and social networks –3 dimensions –3 categories

Network qualities Network structure Network transactions Social capital

Network qualities Network structure Network transactions Social Capital of Youth Social trust Associational involvement Diversity of friendship Informal socializing Civic rallies Conventional politics Giving and volunteering Faith-based engagement Cognitive Social capital Structural Social capital outcomes

Network qualities Community services Employment & training Family functioning Network structure Network transactions

Mental health status Network qualities Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Network structure Network transactions

Mental health status Network qualities Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Network structure Network transactions At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work

Mental health status Network qualities Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Network structure Network transactions At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Social capital Factors affecting Social capital Personal well-being Economic well-being

Survey enumeration results Number% 1. Total number of living quarters sampled Number of living quarters found to be vacant, demolished or non-residential or without household members who could speak Cantonese Number of living quarters eligible for inclusion in the survey (1) – (2) % 4. Number of living quarters successfully enumerated % 5. Number of living quarters enumerated with youth Number of youth interviewed Number of living quarters refusing to respond % 8. Number of living quarters that could not be contacted % (Survey conducted between Sept 04 and Mar 05)

Index of social trust by economic activity status

Associational involvement: % participation by economic activity status

Index on diversity of friendship by economic activity status

Informal socializing: social activities with friends, classmates and colleagues in past 12 months by economic activity status

Conventional politics: % registered as voters (18-24 age group) by economic activity status

Civic rallies: % participation in past 12 months by economic activity status

Giving and volunteering: % participation by economic activity status

Giving and volunteering: index on attitude towards volunteering by economic activity status

Faith-based engagement: % with religious belief by economic activity status

Faith-based engagement: % distribution by extent of devotion by economic activity status

Social capital of youth: observations Social trust –Quite high : 4.8 in a scale of 7; Trust in people, higher: 5.1;Trust in institutions, lower: 4.6 Associational involvement –Low, 33% participation in civic associations Diversity of friendship –Quite high: 5.3 in a scale of 7 Informal socializing –High: 78% weekly social activities in past 12 months Conventional politics –Average: 50% of those aged registered as voters Civic rallies –Very low: 16% participated in past 12 months Giving and volunteering –High: attitude, 5.1 in a scale of 7 –Average: 48% participation in volunteer work –Average: 59% donations in past 12 months Faith-based engagement –Low: 25%

Use of community services: % participation by economic activity status

Employment and training programmes: % participation by economic activity status

Index on availability of help from friends by economic activity status

Index on rendering of help to friends/neighbours by economic activity status

Index on family relationship by economic activity status

Index on parent-child relationship by economic activity status

Index on mental health by economic activity status

Index on self-esteem by economic activity status

Index on perception in life by economic activity status

Social Support Network & Personal well-being: observations Availability of help –High : 5.3 in a scale of 7 Rendering of help –Low: 2.0 in a scale of 5 Family relationship/parent-child relationship –High: 3.8 in a scale of 5 Mental health –High: 3.2 in a scale of 4 Perception in life –Average: 3.5 in a scale of 6 Self-esteem –High: 3.0 in a scale of 4

Analysis by age: Index of trust in people

Analysis by age: Index of trust in institutions

Analysis by age: Index of diversity of friendship

Analysis by age: Index of attitude towards volunteering

Analysis by age: Index of availability of help

Analysis by age: Index of rendering of help

Analysis by age: Index of mental health

Analysis by age: Index of perception of life

Analysis by age: Index of self-esteem

Analysis by age: Index of family relationship

Analysis by age: Index of parent-child relationship

Analysis by age: observations Increases with age –Diversity of friendship –Rendering of help Decreases with age –Trust in people –Trust in institutions –Attitude towards volunteering –Perception of life Double-dip pattern (1 st dip: around 17-19; 2 nd dip: around 21 – 23) –Trust in people –Trust in institutions –Attitude towards volunteering –Availability of help –Mental health –Self-esteem –Family relationship –Parent-child relationship

Mental health status Network qualities Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Network structure Network transactions At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work

Mental health Social trust Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Associational involvement Attitude towards volunteering At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Self-esteem

Mental health Social trust Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Associational involvement Attitude towards volunteering At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Self-esteem

Mental health Social trust Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Associational involvement Attitude towards volunteering At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Self-esteem

Mental health Social trust Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Associational involvement Attitude towards volunteering At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Self-esteem Uniformed/ Social services groups

Mental health Social trust Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Associational involvement Attitude towards volunteering At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Self-esteem Uniformed/ Social services groups

Mental health Social trust Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Associational involvement Attitude towards volunteering At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Self-esteem Uniformed/ Social services groups Religious belief (devoted/ quite devoted)

Mental health Social trust Community services Employment & training Availability of help Family functioning Associational involvement Attitude towards volunteering At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Self-esteem Uniformed/ Social services groups Religious belief (devoted/ quite devoted)

Mental health Social trust Community services Employment & training Availability of help Family relationship Associational involvement Attitude towards volunteering At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Self-esteem Uniformed/ Social services groups Religious belief (devoted/ quite devoted) Parent-child relationship

Mental health Social trust Community services Employment & training Availability of help Family relationship Associational involvement Attitude towards volunteering At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work Self-esteem Uniformed/ Social services groups Religious belief (devoted/ quite devoted) Parent-child relationship

Total impact on social capital, social support network and mental health status Factors Family functioning Community services Employment or training programme Social trust Associational involvement Volunteering Availability of help Self-esteem Mental health

Mental health status Network qualities Community services Employment & training Social support network Family functioning Network structure Network transactions At schoolAt work Not-at-school Not-at-work

Self- esteem Social trust Community services Employment & training Availability of help Family functioning Associational involvement Network transactions At school At work Not-at-school Not-at-work 15 – 19 years old Perception in life

Self- esteem Social trust Community services Employment & training Availability of help Family relationship Associational involvement Network transactions At school At work Not-at-school Not-at-work 20 – 24 years old Perception in life

Overall observations Social capital of youth –Higher level of social trust, diversity of friendship and attitude towards volunteering Need to translate social capital, at the cognitive level, into action (e.g. participation in civic association and volunteering) –Not-at-school/not-at-work Lower –“Double-dip” pattern Attention required for youth, at the ages of 17 – 19 and 21 – 23, probably during transition from school to work/further education Personal wellbeing and social support network –Good family functioning, mental health and self-esteem –Not-at-school/not-at-work Lower –“Double-dip” pattern –Attention required: Relatively lower perception in life Low willingness to render help to friends/neighbours

Causes and consequences of social capital: observations Family functioning is most important –Not only for early adolescents, but also late adolescents –Involvement of family Not just limited to home-school cooperation But also college-home or training institutions-home cooperation Community services also important –Attention needed Decline in participation with age Low participation of those employed and not-at-school/not-at-work Impact of employment and training programmes on social capital of youth? –Enhancing social capital of youth should be made an important objective and component of programmes.

Social capital indicators Network qualities (cognitive social capital) –Index of trust in people –Index of trust in institutions –Overall index of social trust Network structure (structural social capital) –Index of diversity of friendship Network transaction (outcomes of social capital) –Index of attitude towards volunteering Other factors –Index of family relationship –Index of parent-child relationship –Index of availability of help –Index of rendering help –Index of mental health –Index of perception in life –Index of self-esteem

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