Social Network and Trust as Drivers for Nurturing Future Human Resource in Sustainable Community Development ^†

Introduction: Human resources are important assets for sustaining and propelling community development, and the educational process is one of the most effective strategies for developing these resources. In this context, we assume that particularly youth could be crucial human resources. However, it is often unclear which factor(s) in the educational process could most contribute to nurturing human resources in the community development.

Aim: The present study examines the key factor(s) in developing human resources for the next generation. To this end, we structurally map the detailed process of our research, which includes learning programmes for junior/high school and university students as well as training programmes for teachers. We scrutinise key variables that may underlie the process.

Methods: We applied a program management framework, i.e., a logic model, to our research process, which describes the relationships among resources, activities, outputs, and desired outcomes. Members of our research team performed a brainstorming session, drawing on our collective research experience to identify the key components to construct the logic model.

Results: The logic model outlined a rational framework in which the allocation of personnel and resources facilitates the design and implementation of learning programs and materials, which play a key role in advancing various educational activities. This approach can be linked to enhancing the young people’s understanding of the community, which may contribute to fostering greater community engagement among young individuals. Thus, the entire process can ultimately lead to the development of future human resources. In this framework, we identified that creating social capital, more specifically social networks and trust, perceived by the youth seemed the most straightforward factor in nurturing future g human resources for sustainable community development.

Conclusions: The previous study pointed out that there was a correlation between the creation of social capital and human resource development. However, this finding is limited to the organizational level. The present study offers an additional insight that social networks and trust can be engendered through interactive learning (co-learning), both among the youth and with various stakeholders and adults.