Developmental Assets

1
Developmental Assets

• Search Institute

2
Big question in parenting
What do children and young people need to succeed
in school, in work, as future parents, as
community members, or in life as a whole ?
3
What are developmental Assets?

• building blocks of healthy development that all
  of us have the power to bring into the lives of
  children and teenagers
• Search Institute has identified 40 of these
  building blocks (assets)

4
These assets are Powerful

• The more assets young people have, the less
  likely they are to engage in high-risk behaviors
  (using alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and other
  illicit drugs)

5
(No Transcript)
6
Protecting youth from high risk behaviour
7
Promoting Positive Attitudes and Behavious

• Developmental assets play a significant role in
  students academic achievement
• higher current asset levels, the higher their
  current GPA
• more assets students reported, the higher GPA 3
  yrs. later.
• more important than demographic factors (gender,
  family composition, socioeconomic status, or
  race/ethnicity)

8
(No Transcript)
9
Promoting Positive Attitudes and Behavious
10
40 Developmental Assets (Externals)

• Supports
• Family support
• Positive family communication
• Other adult relationships
• Caring neighborhood
• Caring school climate
• Parent involvement in schooling

11
40 Developmental Assets (Externals)

• Empowerment
• Community value young people
• Given useful roles in community
• Given opportunity to serve 1 hr. or more a week
• Feel safe at home, school, and in neighborhood.

12
40 Developmental Assets (Externals)

• Boundaries and Expectations
• Family has clear rules and consequences
• School has clear rules and consequences
• Neighborhood monitor young people behaviors
• Good adults role models
• Best friend models responsible behavior
• High expectations from parents and teachers

13
40 Developmental Assets (Externals)

• Constructive use of time
• Engage in creative activities 3 or more hours /
  week
• Spend 3 or more hours /week in community
  relationships
• Spend 1 or more hours /week in a religious
  community
• Spend 2 or less nights/week hang outs

14
40 Developmental Assets (Internals)

• Commitment in learning
• has motivation to do well in school
• actively engaged in learning
• do homework at least 1 hr./week
• proud and care about his school
• read for pleasure 3 or more hours/week

15
40 Developmental Assets (Internals)

• Positive character traits
• Caring and helping other people
• Equality and social justice (e.g. reducing
  poverty)
• Integrity (stand up for his principles and
  beliefs)
• Honesty (tell the truth when it is not easy)
• Responsibility (accepts and take personal
  responsibility)
• Self discipline (restraint of desires and urges)

16
40 Developmental Assets (Internals)

• Social competencies
• Know how to plan ahead and make choices
• Has empathy, sensitivity and friendship skills
• Comfortable with people of other cultural/racial
  background
• Able to resist negative peer pressure
• Able to resolve conflicts non-violently

17
40 Developmental Assets (Internals)

• Positive Self Identity
• I have a choice
• I feel good about myself
• My life has a purpose
• I have a great future

18
Level of Assets in American Youth

• Among 150,000 6th to 12th grade youth in 202
  communities across USA , 2003
• Grade Grade Gender
• 6th 23.0 10th 17.6 Female 19.9
• 7th 20.2 11th 17.6 Male 17.7
• 8th 18.7 12th 17.8
• 9th 17.7

19
Gap in assets among youth

• 0-10 assets 17
• 11-20 assets 42
• 21-30 assets 32
• 31-40 assets 8
• While there is no magic number of assets young
  people should have, but the data indicates that
  31 is a worthy benchmark for experiencing their
  positive effects most strongly.

20
Where do I start?

• Building strong families
• Involving in school
• Maximizing the benefits of a faith community

21
Where do I start?

• There is one asset that links to 20-25 assets
• Faith Community