In Chapter 6 the idea of how learning new ICT skills at the local CTCs could enhance social capital within Grimethorpe community was discussed. The findings demonstrated that although aspects of social capital91 were demonstrated at the centres it was not evident among excluded groups within the community at large; mainly because no one forms Grimethorpe was actually using the centres. When discussing this fact with the participants from Grimethorpe they could see no reason for learning about or using ICT and had never considered attending a centre either at Grimethorpe or elsewhere (apart from Tom’s fleeting visits to the GEVH to obtain information from Gary). Moreover, none owned a computer at home and only Tom demonstrated an interest in this area 7 wouldn’t mind having a computer at
home for the kids, but we can’t afford one’. Asked about purchasing a cheap
one from Gary, Tom was insistent he could not afford one.
However, ICT policies implemented by the government and Objective 1 South Yorkshire were designed to help people just like Tom and other digitally excluded people. For example, developing the ICT skills of individuals would help increase social capital within Grimethorpe by enhancing new forms of online interaction and communication and creating stronger social networks (DFES, 2002). The Internet is a natural medium for providing opportunities of
this kind and for developing linking social capital (Foley and Alonso, 2005). The obvious lack of ICT skills among the participants clearly limits the success of such ventures. Nevertheless, this did not mean that social capital was not present in, or relevant to, the participants. If anything there was a good demonstration of bonding social capital and some degree of bridging social capital, but very little in the form of linking social capital (Putnam, 2001). Participants were very aware of their own social networks and how these helped and supported them in their everyday lives.
For example, Tom’s father, mother and two younger brothers all lived in the village along with his grandmother. His grandfather and father had both worked at Grimethorpe colliery until his grandfather retired and his father was made redundant when the pit closed. His mother and father lived a few doors down from him whilst his two brothers lived in homes owned by housing associations further across the village; all within easy walking distance. He said he was in regular contact with all of his family in the village, often ringing his brothers and meeting them at his parents' home at weekends. When speaking of his parents, Tom said he had relied on his mother a great deal when the children were young and still did when his wife was at work and he was on an afternoon shift and did not finish until 10pm. His wife is a cleaner at the local school so every third week the children would go to his mother's house after school until she picks them up after completing her work. Similar reliance on parents, particularly the mothers, was also expressed by the other participants. Grace was asked if she was close to her parents and she responded 7 wouldn’t know what to do without me mother....she’s round
everyday making sure I’m alright and phones me most nights to see how I am’.
This was echoed by the other participants who all relied on their mothers to help them with childcare, cooking, cleaning and financial assistance - as Karen demonstrated ’If I’m skint I can always ask me mother to lend me some
money’.
When asked how they got on with their neighbours several of the participants were all very complimentary. Tom emphasised how ‘he knew everyone in the
roW and that they ‘were all sound’ but there were ‘some right twats living next
door to his brotherJ. He went on to say how a family had recently moved in on
the street where his brother lived and were causing a great deal of trouble for those living there. He pointed out how the family were always ‘shouting and
swearing, getting pissed and off their heads on drugs’. When asked where the
family had come from but he couldn’t remember although they were not from the village. This was interesting because Ian, the volunteer tutor at the GEVH, also made a comment about families being ‘shipped in’ from other places to fill vacant houses in Grimethorpe; houses that nobody else wanted:
You’ve got here quite a bit of old colliery housing that nobody wants to live in, terrace houses. So, they’re vacant and they’re cheap. Housing associations take
'em over, which is a good idea, but these housing
associations then want to fill ’em. And if they’ve got a problem family somewhere else like Wakefield or Leeds, it’s where can we put ’em where it’s cheap enough for ’em to afford - well there’s some at Grimethorpe let’s bang 'em in theer. it doesn’t need many like that, you know, before you’ve got problems affecting all o’ village.
Grace, who lived in the same row as Tom, also commended the people who lived around her saying ‘they’re lovely’. She pointed out how you could always rely on them for help if you needed it ‘Well, I had no bread yesterday and [the lady] across the road gave me half a loaf to put me on’. Sheila was also complimentary about her neighbours, but she did point out not knowing everyone on her street, and not wanting to know a couple of the families who she considered to be ‘nothing but trouble’ and ‘didn’t give a shit about their
kids’.
Karen and Denise were old friends who lived practically next door to each other and were always popping in and out of each other’s homes; helping each other out with childcare whenever possible. While they did not know all of the people on their street they got on well with ones they did. Similarly, Chris knew most people on her street to say hello to and many more around the village, but felt it was her family who she relied on the most if she needed help. It would seem that regarding bonding and bridging capital all of those
interviewed were very secure in the knowledge that they had a lot of contact, help and support from family and friends living in close proximity to them. However, this was not to say that everything was perfect in Grimethorpe.
As a group the participants were well aware of the problems the village had, particularly in relation to drugs, anti-social behaviour and underage drinking. As Tom pointed out 7 could take you places now where they’ll be half a dozen
teenagers sat up a tree drinking, smoking, taking drugs’. Chris also identified
pockets of what she called ‘troublemakers' highlighting how a few older teenage kids were often the cause of disturbances where she lived. She said the week before a wooden sandpit had been set on fire in the middle of her street and the kids had run off when a neighbour confronted them. Yet, this did not seem to deter how she all felt about the village. Sheila was perhaps the most troubled by ‘neighbours from helf pointing out how there were two families where she lived that were ‘out of control with people often fighting and drinking and ‘going there to buy drugs’. These were identified as families not from the village originally but who had moved in from outside the area. She commented on how the police were there most weekends and sometimes during the week but nothing ever seemed to get done about it. However, in direct contrast to this, she also said she loved living where she was and had friends and family close by who she could rely on. A view echoed by several other participants.