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DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS

The 40 Developmental Assets listed in the table below are based on research performed by the Search Institute. When these concepts are incorporated into the lives of children and youth the result is a healthier community! The exciting thing about assets is that everyone--parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, friends, youth workers, employers, youth, and others--can build them! 

Our Georgetown schools incorporate Assets into their district-wide calendar.  Click here to view the featured asset for this month!

Asset Building

Developmental Assets are the key building blocks necessary for young people to become healthy, caring, resilient, and successful. There are external assets (such as feeling support from caring adults and peers, having useful roles in their community, and using free time constructively), and internal assets (such as motivation to learn, a positive set of values, and good social skills).

Research conducted by Search Institute® in Minnesota shows that the more assets a young person has, the more likely he or she is to succeed in school and be helpful, healthy, and productive citizens. There is a proven link between the number of Developmental Assets and academic achievement. Furthermore, the same research shows that young people with more assets are less likely to be involved with drugs, alcohol, or other risky behaviors.

The asset framework is not a program that someone is supposed to do. It's a path that anyone can take - a way of relating to kids that anyone can choose. This framework lets individuals and groups immediately set out to assist young people. Alone or together, their actions will really help kids. Every child and teen needs positive connections with many supportive adults and peers. Asset Building provides a way to celebrate and improve on how we relate to young people.

The Georgetown Project works in schools, with youth-serving programs, and with the entire city to promote the shared responsibility of all members of the community to build assets in all young people. Asset Building provides the foundation for all of TGP’s Community Engagement efforts.


Some key principles of Asset Building:

  • It's about relationships. Asset building is about helping people build good relationships with children and teenagers. Peter Benson of Search Institute says, "It's time to move beyond programs to figure out practical, easy ways more adults (other than professionals) can get involved in helping young people thrive."
  • All children need assets. Nearly all children and adolescents could use more assets than they now have. Children with special problems deserve special attention, but the community-wide effort to help all kids grow up will benefit everyone.
  • Everyone has a role to play. Different people have different things to offer children. Along with parents, children can be positively influences by other throughout the community, including their peers.
  • The process is ongoing. Every stage of a child's development is important. Each one builds on experiences from the previous stage. It is never too early to build assets, and it's never too late.
  • No single asset is the answer. Focusing on building particular assets is not really the point. The more assets a child has, the more likely that child will succeed.
  • Small things count. Simple, everyday actions can acknowledge a child's presence and invite contribution. Over time these small things provide a solid foundation for growth and support.
  • Repetition is good. Youth need to hear and see and experience positive messages often and from a lot of different people.

The 40 Developmental Assets®

What is Asset Building?

Research has proven the direct link between assets and student achievement. No matter where or under what circumstances a child grows up, the more assets that child has, the more likely they are to succeed. The wonderful thing about Asset Building is that every member of the community can help to build them in youth. The Georgetown Project promotes the shared responsibility of all members of the community to build assets in kids, and thus help to nurture successful adults.

Assets are the key supportive strands in a young person's life that help them grow to be strong, caring and capable adults. The more assets a young person has, the more likely they are to succeed in school and be helpful, healthy and productive citizens. At the same time, the more assets, the less likely young people are to be involved with drugs, alcohol or other risky behaviors.

The 20 external assets and 20 internal assets are shown below, adapted with permission from Search Institute®. Click on the title of each asset to view ideas for building that asset.

 

 

External Assets

 

 

 

Support:

 

1. Family support - Family life provides high levels of love and support.

 

2. Positive family communication - Youth is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents and extended family.

 

3. Other adult relationships - Youth receives support from several non-parent adults.

 

4. Caring neighborhood/community - Youth experiences caring neighborhood and community.

 

5. Caring school climate - School provides a caring, encouraging, environment.

 

6. Parent involvement in school - Parents are actively involved in helping youth succeed in school.

 

 

 

Empowerment:

 

7. Community values youth - Youth believes that community adults value young people.

 

8. Youth given useful roles - Youth are taught and given useful roles in community.

 

9. Youth volunteers in the community - Youth gives one or more hour per week to serving the community.

 

10. Safety - Youth feels safe in home, school, and neighborhood.

 

 

 

Boundaries and expectations:

 

11. Family boundaries - Family is clear about rules and consequences for youth.

 

12. School boundaries - School provides clear rules and consequences.

 

13. Neighborhood boundaries - Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring youth.

 

14. Adult role models - Parents, Elders, and other adults model positive behavior.

 

15. Positive peer influence - Youth's close friends model responsible behavior.

 

16. High expectations - Parents and teachers encourage youth to do well.

 

 

 

Constructive use of time:

 

17. Creative activities - Youth is involved in three or more hours per week in creative or cultural activities.

 

18. Youth programs - Youth spends one hour or more each week in sports, clubs, or other school or community organizations.

 

19. Religious community - Youth is involved in one or more hours per week in religious services or spiritual activities.

 

20. Time at home - Youth is out with friends "with nothing special to do" two or fewer nights per week.

 

Internal Assets

 

 

 

Commitment to learning:

 

21. Achievement motivation - Youth is motivated to do well in school.

 

22. School engagement - Youth is actively engaged in learning.

 

23. Homework - Youth reports doing one or more hours of homework per day.

 

24. Bonding to school - Youth cares about his or her school.

 

25. Reading for pleasure - Youth reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.

 

 

 

Positive values:

 

26. Caring - Youth places high value on freely helping other people.

 

27. Equality and social justice - Youth places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.

 

28. Integrity - Youth acts on convictions and stands up for beliefs.

 

29. Honesty - Youth tells the truth even when it is not easy.

 

30. Responsibility - Youth accepts and takes personal responsibility for his or her actions.

 

31. Restraint - Youth believes it is important not to be sexually active or use alcohol or drugs.

 

 

 

Social skills:

 

32. Planning and decision-making - Youth has skills to plan ahead and make responsible choices.

 

33. Interpersonal skills - Youth has empathy, sensitivity, communication and friendship skills.

 

34. Cultural competence - Youth knows and is comfortable with people of different cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.

 

35. Resistance skills - Youth can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous community influences.

 

36. Peaceful conflict resolution - Youth seeks to resolve conflict without resorting to violence.

 

 

 

Positive identity:

 

37. Personal power - Youth feels in control over "many things that happen to me."

 

38. Self-esteem - Youth reports having high self-esteem.

 

39. Sense of purpose - Youth reports that "my life has a purpose."

 

40. Positive view of personal future - Youth is optimistic about his or her personal future.

 


Permission to reproduce this chart is granted for educational, non-commercial purposes only. Copyright © 1996 by Search Institute, 700 S. Third Street, Suite 210, Minneapolis, MN 55415. For information on asset building and Search Institute's national Healthy Communities · Healthy Youth initiative, call 1-800-888-7828. Or visit our web site at http://www.search-institute.org

Featured Asset

   
#28 - Integrity -
Young people do what they believe is right.

#31 - Restraint - Young people believe it is important for teenagers to abstain from sex and from using alcohol or other drugs.

#38 - Self-Esteem - Young people feel good about who they are.

#40 - Positive View of Personal Future - Young people are  hopeful and confident about their future.

A - Advocating 
S - Spending time 
S - Showing that I care 
E - Encouraging and Valuing 
T - Teaching and Modeling


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The Georgetown Project
[1003 Ash Street - Williams Annex ] P.O. Box 957 • Georgetown, TX 78627
512.943.5198 • 512.943.5194 fax