Linking social capital: disentangling how stakeholder organizations network to activate and sustain partnerships for girls’ sport participation

The research investigates how stakeholder organizations network and form partnerships providing school-aged girls with opportunities to participate in and remain involved in organized sport. The material context for our inquiry was an annual ‘Women’s Sport Roadshow’ (WSR) that aims to construct a safe, aspirational context for school-aged girls to try new sports and engage with women who are sporting role models. The development of ‘Linking social capital’ through network resources and structures including social bonds, trust and reciprocity remain under explored and underpin the study relevance. Three themes emerged and are positioned as a commitment to work together to enable sport for girls, using networks to provide girls with access to female sporting role models and moving beyond one-off activities. Recommendations for scaling up include approaches to strengthening and expanding network ties to broaden social trust, engage multiple network champions, and strategies to increase program visibility.