COMMUNITY+FOUNDATION+FOR+MONTEREY+COUNTY+Network+mapping+and+weaving+in+local+communities

The Community Foundation for Monterey County used social network maps to visualize and understand the network of actors involved in youth development work in the city of Salinas, California.

The maps highlighted the connections and gaps in the web of providers and advocates working with young people in the area, helped people see their place within the larger system of actors, and promoted the development of new relationships between government agencies, nonprofit organizations, schools, and local funders.

When the foundation leaders took the maps out to the community, they found that simply making the network visible helped people see themselves in a new way—as part of a larger community dedicated to a common goal—and as a result, local officials and community leaders have streamlined and expanded their meetings to coordinate activities and share information in order to improve local outcomes for youth.