Abstract:
This study aimed to 1) analyze and synthesize the social capital as a base in community empowerment process; 2) develop a learning process using social capital- based community empowerment concept to create community identity; and 3) analyze the factors and conditions of the learning process. The study employed participatory action research (PAR). PAR was carried out in Ban Bo Hin Community, Rayong which was selected by purposive sampling. The target of study were Ban Bo Hin Community Identity Creating Working Group total 12 persons and people who participate in learning activities. The research findings revealed as follow: 1. Social capital of Ban Bo Hin community had overall potential at high level ( X = 2.62) and all categories of social capital had potential at high level, including bonding social capital, basic capital, financial capital, human capital, natural capital and cultural capital, respectively. All categories of social capital were used as a foundation for community empowerment except financial capital. Human capital and bonding social capital were reported as significant social capital in empowerment process. 2. Learning process using social capital- based community empowerment concept for creating community identity includes 11 steps: 1) visualizing problems and needs for community development, 2) building the understanding and creating the awareness of community identity, 3) planning the realization of creating the community identity, 4) community study, 5) analyzing community capital, 6) determining the community identity, 7) communicating for strengthen the understanding of community identity, 8) determining targets of developing the community based on community identity, 9) lesson learned visualizing and evaluating the creation of community identity, 10) publicizing the community identity, and 11) organizing the activities and projects based on community identity to develop community. 3. The factors and conditions leading to the success of the learning process included 1) nine significant internal factors: community leaders,community members, local intellectuals and village authorities, community members trust, positive environment and learning climate, commitments, exploitation of localism, efficient teamwork, and efficient communication network; 2) four significant external factors: expectancy of sub-district administrative organization, leraning from other community which faced the problem on changing way of life, learning network outside the community, and learning with special outside facilitator; and 3) three significant conditions: community foundation, duration and learning management.