Developmental Assets

Alliance for Children and Youth of Waterloo Region

(The following writing is from an article by Patricia Howell-Blackmore of Lions – Quest Canada entitled “Developmental Assets in Canada: Where are We Now and Where are We Heading?)

“Developmental assets” are defined as positive experiences and qualities that every individual has the power to bring into the lives of children and young people. This concept of developmental assets was developed by Peter Benson and Search Institute (based in Minneapolis, Minnesota) though many years of research in the areas o f resilience, prevention, positive youth development, adolescent development and other strengths-based approaches.

The forty positive experiences and qualities identified as developmental assets are classifies into eight broad areas of human development or categories that are further grouped into two distinctions – external assets and internal assets. External asset are those that young people can get from outside sources, e.g., friends, family school and organizations in the community Internal assets are the competencies and values that young people learn and internalize on their way to becoming responsible and healthy adults.

The Alliance for Children and Youth of Waterloo Region is committed to using a strength-based approach in the work that we do. The Developmental Assets model is an excellent example of a strength-based framework and is a tool that informs our decisions.

Below you will find the complete 40 Developmental Assets in table format.

The full article, by Pat Howell-Blackmore of Lions Quest Canada (published in Child & Family Journal - Summer 2003), is available for download here Developmental Assets in Canada: Where are we now and where are we heading?
( 52 kB, 6 pages)

For more information on Developmental Assets visit the Search Institute’s website.

For resources and training available in Canada, visit Lions-Quest Canada’s website.

40 Developmental Assets
(Copyright 2002 Search Institute)

EXTERNAL ASSETS
Support	Family support	Family life provides high levels of love and support.
Young people need to be surrounded by people who love, care for, appreciate and accept them.	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 neighbourhood	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.
Young people need to feel valued and valuable. This happens when youth feel safe and respected.	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.
Young people need clear rules, consistent consequences for breaking rules, and encouragement to do their best.	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.
Young people need opportunities – outside of school – to learn and develop new skills and interests with other youth and adults.	Youth programs	Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in community organizations.
	Religious community	Young person spends one hour or more 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.
Young people need a sense of the lasting importance of learning and a belief in their own abilities.	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.
Young people need to develop strong guiding values or principles to help them make healthy life choices.	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.
Young people need skills to interact effectively with others, to make difficult decisions, and to cope with new situations.	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."
Young people need to believe in their own self-worth and to feel that they have control over the things that happen to them.	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.