Developmental Assets
In School District 17 schools are encouraged to use a framework called Developmental Assets. This researched based framework has many positive applications for youth.
What are Developmental assets?
Developmental assets were identified through years of research involving hundreds of thousands of young people in Canada and U.S. Search Institute has created a framework that schools and communities can use to help our youth succeed. The framework has 40 assets which are:
- positive things that help young people grow up to be healthy, caring and responsible
- factors that contribute to young people’s success, that go beyond the physical needs to address the social, psychological, emotional and intellectual needs
- concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities
- things everyone can build in their communities for and with youth in order to help young people grow up in the best possible way
- able to strengthen relationships between youth and adults
Research tells us that:
- on average, young people report experiencing only 18 of the 40 assets needed to help youth succeed
- youths from all walks of life have too few assets
- the more youth have, the less risky behaviors they engage in, such as drug use, violent acts, skipping school, sexual activity, etc.
- the more assets youth have, the more positive behaviors they exhibit, such as success at school, maintaining good health, valuing diversity, and controlling impulses
Information from Search Institute
To learn more about Developmental Assets see the following website http://www.search-institute.org/