Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe and understand the lived experience of Latinos from the West Town and Humboldt Park neighborhoods who attended settlement houses and felt that they were affected by this participation. Interview guides were used to conduct interviews in which each of the participants shared their experiences with settlement houses.

The participants identified themselves as experiencing some form of neighborhood isolation: some because of cultural or linguistic differences and others because their parents tried to protect them from turmoil in the neighborhood. Whether the participants experienced cultural or physical isolation due to their surroundings, they unequivocally described the settlements as a haven to be at and to play in a safe setting.

Additionally, the participants disclosed several neighborhood barriers, such as gangs, violence, poverty, and poor living conditions. The study uncovered some roles the settlement houses played in helping participants to overcome neighborhood barriers. For example, the lack of social networks within the neighborhood was mediated by the settlements. Because the settlements exposed them to possibilities within the external world, the participants described them as a conduit. In particular, the settlement houses provided a social network that bridged gaps in the neighborhood support systems. There are implications of the study at both the neighborhood and societal levels. For the neighborhood, lack of social networks, adult role models, and safe places can be alleviated by settlement houses specifically, and by social programs in general. There are implications for policy and practice development in the areas of social work, education, and urban planning. The most significant social implications point to the need to create and sustain social capital that in turn will advance human capital in poor neighborhoods.