Title: RYASAP Catalyst for Community Change
12008 PROFILE OF YOUTHTOWN OF TRUMBULL
- Presented By
- RYASAP Catalyst for Community Change
- Bridgeport, CT
- In Cooperation With
- The Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN
- duBay Horton Associates, Bridgeport, CT
- October 2008
22008 PROFILE OF YOUTHDEMOGRAPHICS
- 470 youth surveyed, an 18 sample of youth
grades 7 12 in Trumbull. - Racial and ethnic breakdown
- 84 White
- 3 African American
- 5 Hispanic
- 4 Multi-racial
- 4 Asian/Pacific Islander
- 1 Native American
3DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETSEXTERNAL ASSETSPositive
experiences and support a young person receives
fromformal and informal connections to the
community
4DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETSINTERNAL ASSETSThings a
community and family nurture within youth sothey
can contribute to their own development
5SETTINGS FOR POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
6ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ASSETS
- Individuals do not need the entire range of
assets to thrive. Combinations of assets across
domains reflect equally positive adolescent
development. - Having more assets is better than having a few.
Having strong assets in one category can offset
weak assets in another. However, life is easier
to manage if one has assets in all domains. - Continued exposure to positive experiences,
settings and people, as well as opportunities to
gain and refine life skills, supports young
people in the acquisition and growth of these
assets.
7HIGHLIGHTSTOWN OF TRUMBULLASSETS
- The average number of assets increased from
17.7 of 40 developmental assets in 2005 to 20.3
in 2008. assets increased in every grade with the
largest increases of 2 points or more in the 7th,
8th and 10th grades. - There were increases in all asset categories
with 36 of 40 developmental assets either
increasing or remaining the same. This was the
strongest improvement in the greater Bridgeport
region. The strongest asset categories were
Support, Boundaries and Expectations, Positive
Values, Social Competencies and Positive
Identity. 28 of 40 developmental assets increased
5 or more with increases of over 10 in Caring
School Climate, Positive Family Communications,
Service to Others, available Youth Programs,
Bonding to School, School Engagement, Equality
and Social Justice, Caring, Sense of Purpose,
Self Esteem, and Personal Power. All 8 Thriving
Indicators increased with Maintains Good Health
(12) and Values Diversity (10) leading the
indicators. - The only developmental assets to show a decrease
in Trumbull were Personal Safety (-6), Time
Alone at Home (-3), and one hour or more of
Homework per day (-4). - The Town of Trumbull demonstrated the largest
per pupil increases in developmental assets of
any the greater Bridgeport communities.
8ASSETS 1998 2008TOWN OF TRUMBULL
9ASSETS BY GRADE LEVEL
10THRIVING INDICATORSThose indicators that predict
future thriving behaviors
11THRIVING INDICATORSMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS
12SUPPORT
13SUPPORTMINICIPAL COMPARISONS
14EMPOWERMENT
15BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS
16BOUNDARIES ANDEXPECTATIONSMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS
17CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME
18COMMITMENT TO LEARNING
19COMMITMENT TO LEARNINGMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS
20POSITIVE VALUES
21POSITIVE VALUESMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS
22SOCIAL COMPETENCIES
23SOCIAL COMPETENCIESMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS
24POSITIVE IDENTITY
25POSITIVE IDENTITYMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS
26HIGHLIGHTS1998 2008RISKY BEHAVIORS
- Only 8 of Trumbull teens smoked tobacco in the
last 30 days with less than 3 smoking more than
one-half pack a day or more. - 33 of teens drank alcohol in the last 30 days a
reduction of 6 over 2005. 16 a 9 decrease
since 2005 had more than 5 drinks at a time
which included 38 of high school juniors and 33
of seniors. 17 of Trumbull teens smoked
marijuana, a reduction of 6 since 2005. - All forms of risky behavior decreased from 2005
to 2008 showing a very positive trend. All forms
of violent behavior carrying a weapon, used a
weapon, hurt someone, group fighting and bullying
behavior decreased by 6 overall. - All Predictive deficits decreased by 4 or more.
- 23 of Trumbull teens have had sexual
intercourse including 53 of high school seniors. - 8 of youth attempted suicide, a 3 decrease
from 2005 and 9 of youth reported being sad or
depressed most of the time, a 5 decrease from
2005.
27YOUTH REPORTING RISKY BEHAVIORS
28RISKY BEHAVIORSMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS
29RISKY BEHAVIORSMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS
30YOUTH REPORTING PREDICTIVE DEFICITS
31ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND MARIJUANA30 DAY USE
32TOBACCO, ALCOHOL MARIJUANA30 DAY USEMUNICIPAL
COMPARISONS
33ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGSAGE OF ONSET
34PARENTAL APPROVALALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND MARIJUANA
USE
35PEER APPROVALALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND MARIJUANA USE
36CONCLUSIONS
- Trumbull showed major gains in all major asset
and thriving behaviors categories. It has the
highest number of assets in Greater Bridgeport in
15 of 40 developmental asset categories. These
improvements are directly attributable to its
work through the Trumbull Partnership Against
Underage Drinking or TPAUD. RYASAP recommends
that TPAUD document its methods and successes in
order to replicate this coalition in the greater
Bridgeport region. - Trumbull had similar reductions in all substance
abuse categories, proving the Search Institute
hypothesis that the more assets young people
have, the less likely they are apt to be involved
in risky behaviors. - Peer disapproval of alcohol and marijuana use was
the highest of any community. Peer driven
programs like PARTY, which includes Trumbull
youth and peer-driven gambling education
programs in Monroe and Fairfield have been very
successful and should be expanded to address
increasing all developmental assets and reducing
all risky behaviors. - Although all of the risky behaviors and
developmental asset indicators are moving in a
positive direction, there is room for improvement
in the areas of binge drinking, hours of homework
per day and public safety.