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Saturday, February 23, 2008
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WHO ARE WE? Survey looks at the lakes area Senior Reporter Happy and trusting of people? Then you fit right in.
How happy and healthy lakes area residents feel and how much they trust each other and the people they come in contact with was one of the questions in a survey about social capital.
Social capital refers to the interlaced relationships that give people a sense of connection, belonging and community that is expected to translate to a better quality of life overall.
Results from a recent survey here help shed light on attitudes from the lakes area.
The social capital survey was designed by the Saguaro Seminar at Harvard University. Robert Putnam, a Harvard University professor and author of "Bowling Alone," says Americans are more socially isolated than they were 20 years ago and less involved in their communities. He pointed to declining memberships in clubs, decreasing blood donations and charitable giving. Putnam reported significant drops in social interaction between people from family suppers to dinner parties to civic meetings.
"I think that Putnam's right from his "Bowling Alone" book that we are slowly losing these connections and that is costing us something," said Murdock Johnson, UpFront Consulting of St. Joseph. Johnson's firm conducted the survey and generated the report on the results. Johnson said his interest is in the quality of life, which research indicates is in greater abundance in communities with higher social capital.
The Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation was the driving force behind the survey, adding area partners to help fund the $15,000 project.
"It's kind of a look at attitudes and acceptance and quality of life," said Mike Burton, Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation affiliate coordinator. The results are expected to help across a broad expanse of community study such as whether resources match needs and if needs are properly addressed.
Burton said the results show residents here are doing pretty well in the sense of community. But it highlights a young group of people who feel less connected. And at a time when a school levy referendum has divided people in the community, Mark Ronnei, BLACF board member, said use of this survey may help in bringing people together.
Some of the suggested ways to increase social capital sound simple - like saying hello to strangers on the street. Organizers say its not just about being nostalgic for a past that slipped away when small town middle American lives grew more hectic and more innocent times of past decades were lost. Instead they point to its value for reinforcing a stronger, safer community that fosters greater economic growth in a healthy place to live. Meaning if your car breaks down on the side of the road on a cold winter night, you can expect several sincere offers of help.
About the series
- Today: Trust and happiness.
- March 2: Politics and community involvement. Are residents engaged politically? Do they think of themselves as liberal or conservative? Are they involved and active in the community?
- March 9: Religious and charitable activity. What percentage of residents attend religious services weekly? How many donate to charitable causes?
- March 16: Where do we go from here?
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So what did the survey show here?
Residents were asked if most people can be trusted or if you couldn't be too careful in dealing with people. In the lakes area, 63 percent of residents thought people could be trusted compared to 47 percent nationally.
"Right off the bat that hit me as a real important thing," Johnson said. "First of all I see that trusting people in the region is a real strength of the Brainerd lakes area. I think that's real fascinating. It's sort of the Minnesota Nice thing. Maybe in Minnesota we're nice because we trust each other."
UpFront Consulting did a social capital survey in St. Cloud in 2004. Study results here were compared to St. Cloud and a city in Michigan that closely parallels the Brainerd area in population, demographics and seasonal population. Additionally, the results here were compared to those established nationally in 2000.
Lakes area residents are generally trusting of others - neighbors, police, government and people who work in stores where they shop. Residents are a little less trusting of tourists or weekenders. Life-long residents are trusted the most, tourists the least. Older people, age 65 and older, are trusted the most. While young people, age 24 and younger, are trusted the least. Whites are trusted more than blacks, Hispanics or American Indians, but the gaps were small. While residents generally tend to trust people with a lot of money, they have a little more trust for those without.
"That was intriguing," Johnson said of the responses to trusting people with money or without. "I didn't think it would necessarily turn out that way."
In a percentage ranking, respondents trust older people the most following in declining numbers by whites, blacks, Hispanics, poor people, American Indians, rich people and, finally, young people.
Burton said the information is helpful as the area becomes more diverse. And, he said, the trust in older people is a positive sign in an area that demographers predict will grow dramatically as a segment of the population.
DeAnn Barry, executive director of the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center in Brainerd, said perhaps the older generation's focus on being informed, voting, military service and efforts in the community all work together to create trust.
"Maybe it's that you've lived a long time," Barry said, noting those experiences do add to a person's wisdom.
In the survey, people were asked if they trust a lot, some, only a little or not at all. And the highest percent of "trust them a lot" responses were for the police.
Brainerd Police Chief John Bolduc was pleased to hear that result. Bolduc said the department goes to great lengths to take character into the highest consideration when hiring people. "I think we've done a good job with that over the years."
While crime is often the most noteworthy part of the job, Bolduc said it isn't the majority of an officer's work.
"Two-thirds of our calls are not crime-related," he said. "They are service-related. That builds trust. We're not perfect but we try the best we can."
The lakes area survey results were closer to central Minnesota and the region, which also were higher than the national average for trust. Differences widened showing greater trust here for police or people working in stores.
The survey found lakes residents in the area were very trusting (71 percent) of law enforcement in their communities compared to the national results of 51 percent. Here 57 percent of people trusted people who work in the stores where they shop "a lot" compared to 29 percent nationally.
One question asked here that was not asked for regional or national surveys was how residents trusted tourists, weekenders and new residents. Area residents are more inclined to trust weekenders - ones who typically own property here - than they are to trust tourists.
Interestingly, they are a little more likely to trust weekenders than new residents. But people who are new residents to the community are generally trusted. Almost all people who responded to the survey trust people who have lived here all their lives.
Trust tends to decline with age. Mid-life residents are the most trusting. Residents 34 and younger generally are the least trusting of any age group.
Burton said the statistical data will help reflect the fiber of the lakes area communities of today and how well the area is prepared for the future.
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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