Intentionally Build Relationships...Celebrate Relationships
As a Youth Development Specialist, I base everything I do on positive youth
development principles. One of the most important aspects of this is
intentionally building relationships with the students you work with.
Although there are many organizations committed to building relationships
with youth, here I highlight the Search Institute. The Search Institute is
dedicated to promoting positive youth development and has developed a list of
40 essential components of youth development, called the 40 Developmental
Assets.
The Developmental Asset framework is categorized into two groups of 20
assets. External assets are the positive experiences young people receive
from the world around them. These 20 assets are about supporting and
empowering young people, about setting boundaries and expectations, and about
positive and constructive use of young people's time. External assets
identify important roles that families, schools, congregations,
neighborhoods, and youth organizations can play in promoting healthy
development.
The twenty internal assets identify those characteristics and behaviors that
reflect positive internal growth and development of young people. These
assets are about positive values and identities, social competencies, and
commitment to learning. The internal Developmental Assets will help these
young people make thoughtful and positive choices and, in turn, be better
prepared for situations in life that challenge their inner strength and
confidence. The internal assets are concrete, common sense, positive
experiences and qualities essential to raising successful, healthy, caring,
responsible young people. These assets have the power during critical
adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become
caring, responsible adults.
Parents, Teachers, and Administrators: How do you intentially build
relationships with your students??? What are you doing to support asset
development in youth???
External Assets
Support
1. Family support—Family life provides high levels of love and support.
2. Positive family communication—Young person and her or his parent(s)
communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and
counsel from parents.
3. Other adult relationships—Young person receives support from three or more
nonparent adults.
4. Caring neighborhood—Young person experiences caring neighbors.
5. Caring school climate—School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
6. Parent involvement in schooling—Parent(s) are actively involved in helping
young person succeed in school.
Empowerment
7. Community values youth—Young person perceives that adults in the community
value youth.
8. Youth as resources—Young people are given useful roles in the community.
9. Service to others—Young person serves in the community one hour or more
per week.
10. Safety—Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
Boundaries and Expectations
11. Family boundaries—Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors
the young person’s whereabouts.
12. School Boundaries—School provides clear rules and consequences.
13. Neighborhood boundaries—Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring
young people’s behavior.
14. Adult role models—Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible
behavior.
15. Positive peer influence—Young person’s best friends model responsible
behavior.
16. High expectations—Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person
to do well.
Constructive Use of Time
17. Creative activities—Young person spends three or more hours per week in
lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
18. Youth programs—Young person spends three or more hours per week in
sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.
19. Religious community—Young person spends one or more hours per week in
activities in a religious institution.
20. Time at home—Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to
do” two or fewer nights per week.
Internal Assets
Commitment to Learning
21. Achievement Motivation—Young person is motivated to do well in school.
22. School Engagement—Young person is actively engaged in learning.
23. Homework—Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every
school day.
24. Bonding to school—Young person cares about her or his school.
25. Reading for Pleasure—Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours
per week.
Positive Values
26. Caring—Young person places high value on helping other people.
27. Equality and social justice—Young person places high value on promoting
equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
28. Integrity—Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his
beliefs.
29. Honesty—Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”
30. Responsibility—Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
31. Restraint—Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active
or to use alcohol or other drugs.
Social Competencies
32. Planning and decision making—Young person knows how to plan ahead and
make choices.
33. Interpersonal Competence—Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and
friendship skills.
34. Cultural Competence—Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people
of different
cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
35. Resistance skills—Young person can resist negative peer pressure and
dangerous situations.
36. Peaceful conflict resolution—Young person seeks to resolve conflict
nonviolently.
Positive Identity
37. Personal power—Young person feels he or she has control over “things that
happen to me.”
38. Self-esteem—Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
39. Sense of purpose—Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”
40. Positive view of personal future—Young person is optimistic about her or
his personal future.
Copyright © 1997, 2006 by Search Institute, 615 First Avenue N.E.,
Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413; 800-888-7828; www.search-institute.org. All
Rights Reserved. The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute:
Search Institute®, Developmental Assets® and Healthy Communities • Healthy
Youth®.
