Abstract:
Studies that focus on community-level factors associated with the resilience of youth and families reflect a
shift in perspective from community deficits to the potential of communities to facilitate the mobilization of
human and physical resources. Physical and social capital (both informal relationships and formal service
provision) give communities the potential to recover from dramatic change, sustain their adaptability, and
support new growth. This paper reviews key concepts such as these as they relate to how young people access
informal supports and formal services that promote resilience. A discussion of the relevant research highlights
the way protective processes function when children, youth and families are exposed to catastrophic humanmade
and natural events. Five principles are suggested to help promote community resilience. Implications
for the design and implementation of interventions are discussed with a focus on making informal supports
more available and formal services coordinated, continuous, co-located, negotiated, culturally relevant and
effective.