Organizational leadership's influence on social capital accumulation through community-based volunteer programs

Municipal recreation leaders, in their effort to provide recreational programming to constituents, have an important role in developing a sense of community. Through their transformational leadership processes, they are able to engage citizens in their community in a variety of programs including the solicitation of volunteers as a means of expanding community recreation opportunities. Such opportunities bring citizens together in a coordinated effort that through networking can lead to enhanced social capital in a community. A survey of leaders and volunteers in five recreation agencies in Northern California was conducted to examine if a correlation between organization leadership processes and the development or accumulation of social capital existed. The results revealed that such a correlation exists between recreation leader attributes and community social capital as surveyed through volunteer samples. The effect of how transformational leadership can engage volunteers within recreation agencies, and how that engagement can lead to a higher level of community social capital is discussed.