External
Assets
External assets are those
pertaining to a young person's environment. They include family, neighborhood
and school, and represent a network of support for youth in developing as
responsible members of their community.
Support
1. Family support
- Family life provides high levels of love and support.
2. Positive family
communication - Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively,
and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents.
3. Other adult relationships
- Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults.
4. Caring neighborhood
- Young person experiences caring neighbors.
5. Caring school
climate - School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
6. Parent involvement
in schooling - Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person
succeed in school.
Empowerment
7. Community values
youth - Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
8. Youth as resources
- Young people are given useful roles in the community.
9. Service to others
- Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
10. Safety - Young
person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
Boundaries and
Expectations
11. Family boundaries
- Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person's
whereabouts.
12. School boundaries
- School provides clear rules and consequences.
13. Neighborhood
boundaries - Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people's
behavior.
14. Adult role models
- Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
15. Positive peer
influence - Young person's best friends model responsible behavior.
16. High expectations
- Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
Constructive
Use of Time
17. Creative activities
- Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice
in music, theater, or other arts.
18. Youth programs
- Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs,
or organizations at school and/or in the community.
19. Religious community
- Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a
religious institution.
20. Time at home
- Young person is out with friends "with nothing special to do"
two or fewer nights per week.
Internal
Assets
Internal assets are those that are developed within a young
person and reflect values, competencies and motivation. Internal values
address the emotional and psychological health of a young person.
Commitment to
Learning
21. Achievement
motivation - Young person is motivated to do well in school.
22. School engagement
- Young person is actively engaged in learning.
23. Homework - Young
person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
24. Bonding to school
- Young person cares about her or his school.
25. Reading for
pleasure - Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
Positive Values
26. Caring - Young
person places high value on helping other people.
27. Equality and
social justice - Young person places high value on promoting equality
and reducing hunger and poverty.
28. Integrity -
Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
29. Honesty - Young
person "tells the truth even when it is not easy."
30. Responsibility
- Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
31. Restraint -
Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to
use alcohol or other drugs.
Social Competencies
32. Planning and
decision making - Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
33. Interpersonal
competence - Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
34. Cultural competence
- Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different
cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
35. Resistance skills
- Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
36. Peaceful conflict
resolution - Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
Positive Identity
37. Personal power
- Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen
to me."
38. Self-esteem
- Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
39. Sense of purpose
- Young person reports that "my life has a purpose."
40. Positive view
of personal future - Young person is optimistic about her or his personal
future.
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