Cheryl Lewis-Fitzgerald RMIT Learning Networks
"People become what they think of themselves": William James
Lyda Judson Hanifan was the first to use the term 'social capital' in his discussions or rural school community centres in 1916. Social capital, he said was 'those tangible substances [that] count for most in the daily lives of people' . The theme has since been developed by several people since that time, but probably the recent works of Robert D. Putman, have put a great focus on social capital.
Since September 2001 I have been employed by RMIT Learning Networks to be the Project Manager for the whereveruni project. Whereveruni develops skills in people who are marginalised from learning and social participation. This is achieved by exciting these people into realising the potential that lies within them, through an educational experience that is facilitated by technology. The program has been established by RMIT, Salvation Army's Urban Heart Mission and Maremont Recovery and Accommodation Centre.
In this paper I will be discussing how the whereveruni project while contributes to social capital, and takes a new approach to learning, it is still important that Adult Learning Principles and Freirean Principles are applied in the learning program. I will also explore other how community capacity building takes place in projects such as whereveruni, and how this assists the process of social capital.