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Assets
Assets are the building blocks that help youth
grow up to be a healthy, caring, and responsible
individuals. The more assets a person
experiences, the more successful he will be in
life. Youth can build their own assets or work
with the members of their families,
congregations, and communities to help develop
others.
There are 40
assets that are important for youth to have;
they probably already have a few of them and
don’t even know it! Researchers at the Search
Institute found that the more assets youth have,
the better they feel about themselves. The
better they feel about themselves, the better
they are likely to do in school. The
improvements in school and new self-esteem make
them less likely to get into fights, do drugs,
or drink alcohol.
What are the 40
Developmental Assets? There are both External
Assets and Internal Assets:
External Assets
Support -
Young
people need to be supported, cared for and loved
by their families and others. They also need
organizations and institutions, like schools and
congregations, which provide positive,
supportive environments. There are six support
assets:
1. Family Support
2. Positive
Family Communication
3. Other Adult
Relationships
4. Caring
Neighborhood
5. Caring School
Climate
6. Parent Involvement in Schooling
Empowerment
- Young
people need to
feel that
they are valued by their community and that they
have important ways to contribute. They must
also feel safe. There are four empowerment
assets:
7. Community
Values Youth
8. Youth as
Resources
9.Service to
others
10.Safety
Boundaries and Expectations
- Young people need to know what is expected of
them and whether activities and behaviors are
acceptable or not acceptable. There are six
boundaries-and-expectations assets:
11. Family
Boundaries
12. School
Boundaries
13.Neighborhood
Boundaries
14. Adult Role
Models
15.Positive Peer
Influence
16. High Expectations
Constructive
Use of Time
- Young people
need to spend their time in positive, healthy
ways. This included activities in youth
programs, in religious institutions, and at
home. There are four constructive-use-of -time
assets:
17. Creative
Activities
18. Youth
Programs
19. Religious
Community
20. Time at Home
Internal Assets
Commitment to Learning
-
Young people do best when they develop a strong
interest in and commitment to education and
learning. There are five commitment to learning
assets:
21. Achievement
Motivation
22. School
Engagement
23. Homework
24. Bonding to
School
25. Reading for Pleasure
Positive
Values
- Young
people thrive when they develop strong values
that guide their choices. There are six positive
value assets:
26. Caring
27. Equality
and Social Justice
28. Integrity
29. Honesty
30.Responsibility
31.Restraint
Social
Competencies
- Young people
benefit from having skills and competencies that
equip them to make positive choices, build
relationships and deal with difficult
situations. Five assets make up the category on
social competencies:
32. Planning and
Decision Making
33. Interpersonal
Competence
34. Cultural
Competence
35. Resistance
Skills
36.Peaceful Conflict Resolution
Positive
Identity
- Young people
need to develop a strong sense of their own
power, purpose, worth and promise. There are
four positive-identity assets.
37. Personal
Power
38. Self-Esteem
39. Sense of
Purpose
40. Positive
View of Personal Future
Click here
to find out the six keys to Asset Building.
Click here
to find out information on Asset Building and
the Copper Country. |
