A Look at 20 of 40 Developmental Assets
By Livia Cloman Lynch

You can make a difference in the lives of children in Pagosa Springs.

This was the theme of the recent Archuleta County Education Center's "Making A Difference" Luncheon. Maria Guajardo Lucero, Director of Colorado Assets for Youth spoke passionately about what each of us can do in our home, our neighborhood and in our community to help youth to grow up healthier, more caring and more responsible. She talked about the 40 developmental assets and how they were powerful factors in shaping youth behavior.

I have had numerous requests since the luncheon to share information about these important 40 assets. The assets were identified from research based on surveys conducted with 100,000 youth across the United States, grades 6-12. These 40 assets were found to be powerful factors in shaping youth behavior. The more assets a young person experiences, the more likely he or she is to do well in school, value diversity, and engage in volunteer work, and the less likely she or he is to be involved in risk-taking behavior, such as violence, drug use, or school dropout. There are two main categories of assets: external and internal. In today's column I will concentrate on the 20 external assets. Next week I will explore the remaining 20 internal assets.

As Maria says, there is a lot of common sense here. What communities and adults can do is to make these assets common practice in order to have positive impacts on youth. The first six assets relate to the importance of a reliable support system for youth:

1. Family support - family life provides high levels of love and support.

2. Positive family communication - a young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek parent(s) advice and counsel.

3. Other adult relationships - a young person receives support from three or more non-parent adults.

4. Caring neighborhood - youngsters experiences caring neighbors.

5. Caring school climate - the school provides a caring, encouraging environment.

6. Parent involvement in schooling - parents are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.

The next four assets measure empowerment:

7. Community values youth- the 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- a young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.

10. Safety - the child feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.

Research shows that clear expectations and boundaries are important to ensure that a youth grows up to be responsible. Assets 11-16 relate to boundaries and expectations:

11. Family boundaries - a family has clear rules and consequences; and monitors the young person's whereabouts.

12. School boundaries - the school provides clear rules and consequences.

13. Neighborhood boundaries - neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young peoples' behavior.

14. Adult role models - parents and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.

15. Positive peer influence - a youngster's best friends model responsible behavior.

16. High expectations - parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.

The Education Center realizes that it is important to provide youth with safe and nurturing extended learning opportunities. That is why we offer after-school classes in the arts, science, and languages for children in grades K-8. The remaining external developmental assets spell out just how important these enrichment activities are.

17. Creative activities - the young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.

18. Youth programs - a youngster spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in community organizations.

19. Religious community-a young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.

20. Time at home - the child is out with friends "with nothing special to do," two or fewer nights per week.

So after reading through the first 20 of the 40 developmental assets you may be asking yourself, "What do these assets have to do with me?" Today's youth face all kinds of pressures and challenges. But the youth who are more likely to succeed in today's world are those who have adults in their lives they can talk to, who support them, and who set high expectations and appropriate boundaries for them. Why? Because the adults in their lives are helping to build "developmental assets" for these youth.

It's easy to make a difference. Here are some ideas for all adults.

Say "hi" to children and teens you see in your neighborhood. Learn their names.

Plan one fun activity with a young person. Then go do it!

Volunteer to work in a youth program as a coach, mentor, group leader or instructor.

Donate quality books to the library or to youth programs. Asset building is an important component of all of our youth programs at the Education Center. Please give us a call at 264-2835 for more information about our positive youth development activities. We also have available some very good materials from the Colorado Assets for Youth initiative, please stop by the Education Center at 4th and Lewis Streets and pick up your own Asset Action Pack.