Northeast Community Challenge Coalition

Developmental Assets

40 Developmental Assets

Research by the Search Institute in Minneapolis has identified 40 developmental assets that have a tremendous influence on young people’s lives. Research shows that the 40 developmental assets help young people make wise decisions, choose positive paths, and grow up competent, caring and responsible. Developmental assets help to inoculate children and youth from engaging in risk taking behavior. The more assets a young person possesses, the stronger his or her health outcomes.

Three Reasons for Building Assets

	1.	The assets are powerful. They give children and youth the strengths they need to make positive choices in lie, even in the face of stress and pressure. Research shows that the more assets young people have, the less likely they are to engage in high=risk behaviors and the more likely they are to engage in positive behaviors such as: seceding in school, choosing positive lifestyles, valuing diversity, and developing positive values and social competency skills, and growing up caring about and serving others.
	2.	Developmental assets affect all stages of development. Research shows that the average 6th to 12th grader surveyed experiences only 18 of the 40 assets. Furthermore, just 8 percent of young people have 31 to 40 assets.
	3.	The NECC Community-Wide Asset Initiative. You can start now. Join with your local Coalition’s commitment, the NECC Community-Wide Asset Initiative, thousands of people, and hundreds of communities across the United States that are committed to finding new ways to build assets for children and youth.

40 Developmental Assets that:

Infants & Toddlers Birth to 35 months Need to Succeed
Preschoolers Ages 3-5 Need to Succeed
Elementary-Age Children Ages 6-11 Need to Succeed
Teenagers Ages 12-18 Need to Succeed

Facts About Developmental Assets

		It is important to build developmental assets in the lives of children- birth through adolescence.
		The more assets a young person possesses has been shown to increase healthy development among children and youth.
		All organizations, institutions, and individuals in a community play a role in building assets for children and youth.
		Research shows that developmental assets help young make wise decisions, choose positive paths, and grow up competent, caring and responsible.
		The more assets children and youth have, the less likely they are to engage in risk taking behaviors such as; fighting, bullying, alcohol and drug use, depression, suicide, becoming sexually active, or developing an eating disorder.
		As young people's assets increase, their positive behaviors also increase. While young people with 10 or fewer assets report and average of fewer then 3 positive behaviors, those youth with 31 or more assets average 6 positive behaviors. This includes school success, caring, valuing diversity, and exhibiting leadership skills and resiliency.
		The average young person surveyed exhibits 18 of the 40 assets. But levels of assets decrease for older youth. While the average sixth grader surveyed has 21.5 assets, the average 12th grader surveyed has 17.2 assets.
		Girls typically have more developmental assets than boys. However boys are more likely to have #10 safety, #18 youth programs, #38 self-esteem, and 39 sense of purpose.
		Assets are not only important for children and youth but also adults.
		Children and adolescents have tremendous influence and potential for building assets in themselves and their peers.
		Asset building requires consistent messages. For asset building to be woven into the fabric of community life, it needs to be reinforced throughout all sectors of the community.

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY CHALLENGE COALITION COMMUNITY-WIDE ASSET INITIATIVE

Asset Building Ideas for Children

Developmental Assets are the things all people need to be happy and successful in life. People of all ages can build assets. Here are ideas for how you can build assets:

		Say hi to others you know. Be kind and caring to all of your classmates.
		Help others when they need help.
		Follow the rules that adults set. If you don’t understand a rule, ask questions. If you think a rule isn’t fair, tell someone.
		Tell a friend or someone close to you about your day.
		Play with a younger child. Play what that child wants to play.
		Pick something to learn about. Look at books. Ask adults about the subjects.
		Thank others when they do something nice for you.
		Don’t tease other children. Even if it’s just for fun, it might make them sad. Try to laugh together instead of at each other.
		When telling others how you feel, express your feelings appropriately. Ask other people how they are feeling.
		Invite someone new to play with you and your friends.
		Look at books with another child. Read aloud if you know how, or make up a story to go with the pictures.
		Don’t worry when you make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. Mistakes can help you learn.
		Get involved in your school/community through volunteering to help someone do something.
		Give your family ideas of fun things to do together.
		When you have hurt someone’s feelings, apologize to the person and think of ways to change your behavior.
		Resolve conflicts peacefully.
		Believe in yourself.

The developmental assets are 40 opportunities, skills, relationships, values and self-perceptions
that all young people need to succeed.