Social connections can provide a multiplying effect for young people

Andy Webb* is a successful manager and is recognised by his peers as a savvy networker. Using his fine-tuned networking skills, he grabbed the opportunities that came his way, shaping his work aspirations and career journey.

He owes his networking success to his mentor’s advice, which went something like this: firstly, find people doing the type of work you like to do. Then connect with them on professional networking sites like LinkedIn. The next step is a bit tricky because it involves confidence and persuasion skills: ask them to meet with you to chat about their own personal journey so you can learn from their experience. And finally, before leaving the meeting, ask them if they know other people who are useful contacts to have.

In Andy’s experience, these four steps always led him to great connections and those social networks led to work opportunities. 

Andy grew up in a middle-class home with access to computers and the internet, he went to a relatively good school, got a university degree, and was able to build and leverage his social capital every step of the way. His school and home life shaped his early experiences with adults and helped to build his confidence; and his relatives, friends, teachers, and neighbours formed an integral part of his formative social network.  

Conventional wisdom tells us that tapping into social networks can help unlock opportunities for young people and ignite their potential for social mobility. But what if the mere act of “tapping into” these networks is too costly or inaccessible?

Let’s take another young person’s experience to understand how context shapes access to opportunities. Vuyelwa Tshoto is a 28-year-old from Maclear in the Eastern Cape. She is completing her Master’s degree in Social Work at Fort Hare University, and she is the first person in her family to go to university. Unlike Andy, she feels like she is starting from scratch and doesn’t have established connections with anyone.

South Africa is one of the most difficult places in the world to find a job, especially for young people who may have dropped out of school or did not complete their tertiary education. A growing body of research has demonstrated the power of social networks and social status in shaping people’s ambitions, their trajectory and success in the labour market.

Those who do find work are often helped by family and friends who put them in touch with potential employers, connect them to work opportunities, or lend them money to keep looking for work, even when times are tough.

An expansive new study conducted in the United States shows that the secret to social mobility lies in connections that bridge the class divide — between rich and poor people. This study shows that informal ties between people from different socioeconomic backgrounds (social connections) promote economic connectedness. These ties are powerful and may even have a stronger impact on outcomes than a person’s school, home life and community.

But are these insights relevant in a South African context where class and race are intertwined with a long and painful history of racism, segregation and social injustice? They may be. We explain what we mean below.

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