The self-help support group : a means of fostering social capital

This paper demonstrates the important role of Self-Help Support Groups in fostering social capital. Following a briefdiscussion of key concepts,findings are presentedfrom a study which explored the experiences of young people in these groups. The young people self-identified as experiencing mental health issues and became involved in groups that met around these issues. The principalfinding suggests that the young people spoke highly ofthe sense of connectedness they had to others who shared their personal issues. This in turn gave rise to other benefits-particularly improved connectedness with people outside the group context, namely family, friends and the wider community. The paper also highlights the potential influence ofpsychological status in the development ofsocial capital. Psychological status may affect the importance awarded to particular group conditions that are believed to foster a sense of connectedness.