Fictive Kin and Social Capital

Abstract

In this article, the authors suggest that peers have the potential to create fictive kin networks, and in this role, peers become a social support that helps enable a culture of success. Discussing peer counselors and their role in helping students understand financial aid, the authors’ purpose is to suggest that peer groups—as social relationships that cut across classroom connections—create a viable solution that helps youth attain access to college. Findings from focus groups, observations, and interviews suggest that students benefit from the socioemotional and informational aspects of participating in peer counseling programs.