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Social Networks

Social Networks studies the human interactions that influence our daily decisions and our lives. Part of the Making Connections core approach, this series of five reports looks at the definitions, research, power, practices, and insights relating the impact of social networks on family strengthening and community change.

The Frontera Asset Building Network: Building Strong Partnerships for Community Change Along the Southwest Border

This report summarizes the work of and lessons learned from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Frontera Asset Building Network, a dynamic learning community composed of local and regional border coalitions from San Diego, California to Brownsville, Texas. The mission of the network is to increase coalition members’ collective and local impact by creating and promoting asset-building vehicles for families living along the Southwest border. more >>

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Tapping the Power of Social Networks: Understanding the Role of Social Networks in Strengthening Families and Transforming Communities

This report presents the base from which the Casey Foundation has built its work on social networks. It compiles relevant definitions, key findings from the literature and their challenges, and Casey’s point of view on the potential niche for strengthening positive social networks in the context of the Foundation’s Making Connections initiative. This is the first in a series of five on social network approaches and practice. more >>

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Ties that Bind: The Practice of Social Networks

This report documents the Casey Foundation’s effort to learn from families, communities and organizations around the country about their experiences with social network strategies and approaches. Using the voices and experiences of the families and organizations visited, the report summarizes findings from these visit and helps lay the ground work for the development of a social network point of view for Casey's practice and measurement work in the Making Connections sites. This is the second in a series of five on social network approaches and practice. more >>

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Relationships Matter: How Agencies Can Support Family and Social Network Development

The document reports on the discussions and lessons learned about social networks gathered from visits with families conducted by Casey’s social network team. This is the third in a series of five reports on social network approaches and practice. more >>

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Social Networks Make a Difference: Family Economic Success

Fourth in a series of five reports on social networks, this document describes examples of concrete opportunities where a social networks approach can bolster the scope, scale, and sustainability of Family Economic Success results. It also contains some key insights about engaging particularly vulnerable families in the development of economic success measures that could enhance their opportunities to get ahead. more >>

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