To analyze the relationship between the format of the networks of a low-income community and the probable effects on the performance of district voluntary associations (community groups and NGO' s). How can we explain why some inhabitants start as simple consumers of the services offered by the district associations to later become participants in the management of those organizations. The explanation for the amount of involvement in these voluntary groups has frequently been attributed to, either psychosocial features of the people taking part (which would lead to different levels of motivation) or to characteristics to do with individual attributes (sex, age, marital status, income, etc.). I argue that features concerning the networks' design (centrality, multiplexity, predominance of strong or weak relations, territoriality of social ties, etc.) are also important elements to be taken into consideration. Thus, the sustainability of a community organization - i.e. the fact that these organizations have a strong support from the community - would in part be due to the structuring of the participant network. These hypotheses are tested empirically based on the information extracted from the networks of inhabitants of the Comunidade Chão de Estrelas, in Recife. Two hundred and fifty questionnaires were applied, on a random sample from a total of 1131 households.
Social networks; Voluntary associations; Recife