More Than Just an Internet Connection: Building Rural Social Capital Through Public Access

Abstract

Public access points have become potentially important community resources in rural communities. Governments and other organisations are leaning gradually more towards webbased service delivery, and information and support relating to core life concerns such as health and education are increasingly to be found online. In this environment, lack of access has significant equity implications. The exclusion of more marginalised members of the community deepens the digital divide and decreases community stocks of social capital.In exploring ways to maximise the potential of public access points to equitably provide Internet access across rural communities, we drew on a theoretical framework that emphasises the role of soft technologies, social infrastructure, and a partnership model of community development as key elements in building community social capital. Social capital is, in turn, an enabler that further facilitates community development and, specifically, in the context of this paper, successful implementation of a public access point.