Building social capital through neighborhood mobilization: challenges and lessons learned

This paper describes a neighborhood-level intervention to promote the well-being of children up to five years old and their families in the City of Riverside, California. As a case study, the narrative presented here conveys how, in 2002, this city addressed the problem of youth violence through a theoretically informed approach to neighborhood mobilization. The approach is grounded in the assumption that such violence can ultimately be prevented by rebuilding social capital depleted by rapid and extensive neighborhood changes during the past decade. The theoretical premises underlying the mobilization approach are briefly summarized. Additionally, the challenge of blending theory and practice, as well as the fiscal, political, and social issues encountered in the initial implementation of this initiative, are discussed.