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40 Developmental Assets® Search Institute has identified the following building blocks of healthy development that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. For printable version, click here External Assets Support - Family support—Family life provides high levels of love and support.
- Positive family communication—Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parent(s).
- Other adult relationships—Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults.
- Caring neighborhood—Young person experiences caring neighbors.
- Caring school climate—School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
- Parent involvement in schooling—Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.
Empowerment
- Community values youth—Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
- Youth as resources—Young people are given useful roles in the community.
- Service to others—Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
- Safety—Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood.
Boundaries & Expectations
- Family boundaries—Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person’s whereabouts.
- School boundaries—School provides clear rules and consequences.
- Neighborhood boundaries—Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.
- Adult role models—Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
- Positive peer influence—Young person’s best friends model responsible behavior.
- High expectations—Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
Constructive Use Of Time
- Creative activities—Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
- Youth programs—Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.
- Religious community—Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.
- 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 - Achievement motivation—Young person is motivated to do well in school.
- School engagement—Young person is actively engaged in learning.
- Homework—Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
- Bonding to school—Young person cares about her or his school.
- Reading for pleasure—Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
Positive Values
- Caring—Young person places high value on helping other people.
- Equality and social justice—Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
- Integrity—Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
- Honesty—Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”
- Responsibility—Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
- Restraint—Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.
Social Competencies
- Planning and decision making—Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
- Interpersonal competence—Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
- Cultural competence—Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
- Resistance skills—Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
- Peaceful conflict resolution—Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
Positive Identity
- Personal power—Young person feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me.”
- Self-esteem—Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
- Sense of purpose—Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”
- Positive view of personal future—Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future.
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