Applying Social and Cultural Capital Frameworks: Understanding Employment Perspectives of Transition Age Youth with Serious Mental Health Conditions

Vulnerable transition age youth, such as those in foster care and with serious mental health conditions, are at increased
risk for lower rates of employment. Social capital is empirically linked to employment in the general population, yet little
is known about the role of social capital in employment for at-risk transition age youth. Focus groups were conducted with
young people with serious mental health conditions and their vocational specialists. Discussions reveal that both social and
cultural capital influence employment processes. Those with employment experience value the motivation to work provided through
others compared to those with no employment experience. Consistently employed describe strong working relationships with vocational
specialists and possession of self-awareness, professionalism, and work-place knowledge as critical for employment success,
while inconsistently employed describe worries about controlling emotions or behaviors on the job. Building social and cultural
capital are explored as potential service provider goals.