Asset Development

Developmental Assets:

Positive characteristics and factors that form the foundation of the healthy

development of children and adolescents

Risky Behaviors and Situations • Sex• Violence• Anti-social behavior• Depression/suicide• School problems• Driving and alcohol• Gambling

Thriving Indicators • School success• Helping others• Valuing diversity• Good health• Leadership• Resistance to danger• Delaying gratification• Overcoming adversity

External Assets

• Support• Empowerment• Boundaries and expectations• Constructive use of time

Internal Assets

• Commitment to learning• Positive values• Social competencies• Positive identity

Characteristics of an Asset Development Effort

• Demands a commitment from the whole community

• Should be participatory• Should be based on what’s actually needed in

the community• Should focus on the positive• Demands a coordinated, community-wide effort

Support: External Asset Needed by Kids

• Family support• Positive family communication• Other adult relationships• Caring neighborhood• Parental involvement in schooling

Empowerment: External Asset Needed by Kids

• Community values in youth• Youth as resources• Service to others• Safety

Boundaries and Expectations: External Assets Needed by Kids

• Family boundaries• School boundaries• Neighborhood boundaries• Adult role models• Positive peer influence• High expectations

Constructive Use of Time: External Assets Needed by Kids

• Creative activities• Youth programs• Religious communities• Time at home

Commitment to Learning: Internal Assets Needed by Kids

• Achievement motivation• School engagement• Homework• Bonding to school• Reading for pleasure

Positive Values: Internal Assets Needed by Kids

• Caring• Equality and social justice• Integrity• Honesty• Responsibility• Restraint

Positive Identity: Internal Assets Needed by Kids

• Personal power• Self-esteem• Sense of purpose• Positive view of personal future

Advantages to the Asset Development Approach

• It is based on extensive research• Encourages community buy-in• Makes tackling youth issues seem more

possible• Each community develops its own scheme

based on the assets it needs• Data can be analyzed in numerous ways

Advantages to the Asset Development Approach (cont.)

• Aims at long-term social change• Can address a broad range of issues• Can increase community cohesiveness• Healthy youth help foster a healthy

community

Disadvantages to the Asset Development Approach

• The data that assets are based on are limited to a largely white population and only youth

• There’s no clear guidance as to how to develop assets

• The community is dependent on Search Institute (or another entity, if you use a different system) to analyze surveys

Disadvantages to the Asset Development Approach (cont.)

• Small communities may not have large enough populations to identify assets and gaps accurately

• There is no guarantee that asset development will address the current problem

• Most adolescents do all right despite the fact that they don’t have the ideal number of assets

How do you use an asset development approach?

• Someone has to take the initiative• Form a coalition or other group to introduce asset

development (and the idea of the survey/asset assessment) to the community

• Once the community agrees to pursue use of the survey, its logistics have to be worked out

• Implement the survey• Analyze the report of the survey results

How do you use an asset development approach?

• Communicate your findings to the community• Plan your next steps• Present the plan to the community• Implement your initial action plan• Continue to monitor, evaluate, and adjust new

action plans, and to maintain the gains you’ve made

Who can take initiative?• A pre-existing coalition• Civic officials or a civic agency• A parent group• A community-based or other non-profit organization• A community-wide non-profit• A faith-based organization or clergy association• A business or business group

Questions to Anticipate Regarding Surveys

• Who’s behind the survey? What are their credentials, where are they from?

• What other communities have used the survey, and what did they do with it?

• Is the survey anonymous and confidential? What will happen to the results after they are tabulated? Can people opt out?

• What will this cost the community and how does that translate to the tax rate?

• Who will be responsible for setting up the survey and transmitting, receiving, and publicizing the results?

Examination of the Results Can Tell You:

• Which assets are most often lacking for youth in your community

• Which risk factors are greatest for youth in your community

• Which groups of youth are at greatest risk in which areas

• Which thriving indicators are most often found, and among whom

Steps in the Planning Process

• Convene a diverse, inclusive and participatory planning group representing all sectors of the community

• Determine what assets you’ll focus on• Do your research• Develop a strategic plan for building assets• Design an action plan