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Here’s what asset champions said about the first edition of Pass It On! “Pass It On! is one of those treasured resources that I turn to time and time again! This book is a ‘must have’ for all asset builders who are working with children and youth of all ages.” Linda Babcock Director of Education and Mission, Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, and Member of the Orchard Park Community Youth Council, Orchard Park, NY “Handouts from Pass It On! provide staff and community members with practical tools for intentional asset building. They have greatly helped us to get the word out about Developmental Assets.” Julie Willie Director of Youth Programs Advancement YMCA of Snohomish County, Everett,WA
➤ Pass It On!, Second Edition
Education
“I use Pass it On! a lot. I find that as I deliver the asset message to a variety of different audiences, these handouts provide a helpful way to show participants the many ways that their lives touch kids. The suggestions on these handouts lead participants to identify ways they can support asset building. The book has been a wonderful resource and a great way to stimulate ideas for asset building in the groups I address. Thank you for this resource.” Mary Giangrande Prevention Education Consultant Ottawa Area Intermediate School District, Holland, MI
SECOND EDITION
Ready-to-Use Handouts for Asset Builders
PASS IT ON!, SECOND EDITION This new edition of Pass It On! delivers fresh, new ideas and resources for asset building, along with Developmental Assets® research. Plus, with all the handouts included on CD-ROM, you’ll find it even easier to reproduce the materials and spread the asset message! Simply copy from the book or print from the CD-ROM the handouts that are right for your audience. The handouts offer practical ideas that anyone can use to become an asset builder at home, at work, or in the community. In Pass It On!, you’ll find: ➤ An introduction to Developmental Assets ➤ Ideas for individuals and groups (such as parents and neighborhoods) ➤ Ideas for organizations ➤ Ideas and tools for community initiatives ➤ A variety of asset-building resources
Search Institute
Pass It On! is perfect for anyone who wants to inspire and educate people in their community to become asset builders.
SEARCH INSTITUTE
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Pass It On! Ready-to-Use Handouts for Asset Builders
Second Edition
Search I N S T I T U T E
Practical research benefiting children and youth
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Pass It On! Ready-to-Use Handouts for Asset Builders, Second Edition The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute: Search Institute®, Developmental Assets®, and Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth®.
Jolene Roehlkepartain Copyright © 1999, 2006 by Search Institute A Search Institute Publication All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced in any manner, mechanical or electronic, without prior permission from the publisher except in brief quotations or summaries in articles or reviews, or as individual activity sheets for educational use only. For additional permission, write to Permissions at Search Institute. At the time of publication, all facts and figures cited herein are the most current available; all telephone numbers, addresses, and Web site URLs are accurate and active; all publications, organizations, Web sites, and other resources exist as described in this book; and all efforts have been made to verify them. The author and Search Institute make no warranty or guarantee concerning the information and materials given out by organizations or content found at Web sites that are cited herein, and we are not responsible for any changes that occur after this book’s publication. If you find an error or believe that a resource listed herein is not as described, please contact Client Services at Search Institute. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed on acid-free paper in the United States of America. Search Institute 615 First Avenue Northeast, Suite 125 Minneapolis, MN 55413 www.search-institute.org 612-376-8955 • 800-888-7828 ISBN-13: 978-1-57482-243-4 ISBN-10: 1-57482-243-8 Credits Contributing Editor: Jolene Roehlkepartain Editors: Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner, Claudia Hoffacker Contributors: Carolyn “Tunie” Munson-Benson, Stephen L. Onell, Scott Richardson, Marilyn Peplau, and The Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth Team of New Richmond, Wisconsin. Reviewers: Mary Ackerman, Karen Bartig, Nancy Tellet-Royce, Tenessa Gemelke, Bill Kauffmann, Terri Swanson. Book Design: Nancy Johansen-Wester Production Coordinator: Mary Ellen Buscher Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Roehlkepartain, Jolene L., 1962Pass it on! : ready-to-use handouts for asset builders / Jolene Roehlkepartain. — 2nd ed. p. cm. Summary:“From the bus driver to school nurse to grandparents to the manager at the corner store - everyone in a community has an impact on kids. Is it a positive impact or a negative one? This collection of easy-to-read reproducible handouts provides inspiration and practical suggestions for everyone in a community to support and encourage young people to be their very best” —Provided by publisher. ISBN-13: 978-1-57482-243-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-57482-243-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Children—Conduct of life. 2. Children—Life skills guides. 3. Teenagers—Conduct of life. 4. Teenagers—Life skills guides. 5. Values. 6. Sucess. I. Title. BJ1631.R64 2006 649’.1—dc22 2006016354 About Search Institute Search Institute is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. The institute collaborates with others to promote long-term organizational and cultural change that supports its mission. For a free information packet, call 800-888-7828.
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About this Book ince the launch of the Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth initiative in 1996, people all over the United States, Canada, and other countries have realized the power of assets to help kids succeed. As the asset-building movement grows, so does the need for specific information on what individuals and groups can do to build assets. That’s what Pass It On! is for. In this book you will find asset-building tips and information for everyone from brothers and sisters to grandparents to police officers. There are handouts for groups and organizations as well. We hope you will use these handouts often. They are designed to be quick, practical tools for easy distribution. You can make as many copies as you want and give them to as many people as you want. (See below for licensing and copyright information.) Use these sheets to help spread the word about asset building in your school, neighborhood, organization, community, and beyond. More than 10,000 asset champions have used the first edition of Pass It On!, finding that it made the job of spreading the Developmental Assets message much easier. Since that first edition was published in 1999, Search Institute has conducted new research on Developmental Assets. Pass It On!, Second Edition, provides updated information based on data collected in 2003. In addition, you’ll find lots of new asset-building ideas and resources. Plus, we have added a CD-ROM containing all the handouts. We hope this will make it even easier for you to make copies of the handouts and “pass them on”! The other new feature is the special “lay-flat” binding, so if you do want to make copies directly from the book, the handouts will be easier to copy and look more professional.
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Licensing and Copyright he handouts in Pass It On! Ready-to-Use Handouts for Asset Builders,Second Edition, may be copied or printed from the CD-ROM as many times for as many people as you want. For each copy, please respect the following guidelines: • Do not remove, alter, or obscure the Search Institute credit and copyright information on any handout. • Clearly differentiate any material you add for local distribution from material prepared by Search Institute. • Do not alter the Search Institute material in content or meaning. • Do not resell the handouts for profit. Include the following attribution when you use the information from the handouts in other formats for promotional or educational purposes:
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Reprinted with permission from Pass It On! Ready-to-Use Handouts for Asset Builders, Second Edition, (specify the number of the handout you are quoting). Copyright © 2006 by Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.
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About the Contributors Carolyn “Tunie” Munson-Benson is a parent, writer, educator, and children’s literature specialist. She’s the author of Playful Reading; director of the Early Bird Project, promoting early literacy; and founder of the Book Nook Program, a community-based celebration of children’s literature in the schools. Stephen L. Onell, M.S., L.I.S.W., is director of the Lakes Area Children, Youth & Family Services, including a program for fathers called Fathers First!, in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota. Besides his professional work in family and youth services, he is a parent, community volunteer, educator, social worker, consultant, and workshop trainer in asset building. Scott Richardson is director of community relations for Northfield Hospital in Northfield, Minnesota. He is a board member for the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative. Mr. Richardson has contributed to the initiatives’ marketing and communications work and contributed handouts in those areas. Jolene Roehlkepartain is a writer, a parent, and the author of Building Assets Together, Ideas for Parents newsletter, and Parenting Preschoolers with a Purpose. She is also the co-author of What Young Children Need to Succeed and the author or co-author of 16 other books. Marilyn Peplau is a Search Institute trainer and former guidance counselor for the New Richmond School District in New Richmond, Wisconsin. She was the team leader for the New Richmond Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth initiative and coordinated the creative efforts of the group for the first edition of Pass it On! In addition, much of the information in these handouts is based on Search Institute’s experience in working with hundreds of community and statewide assetbuilding initiatives.
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Contents Part 1
Introducing Developmental Assets (Handouts 1–9) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Part 2
What Are Developmental Assets? The Power of Developmental Assets Fast Facts about Developmental Assets for Young People Frequently Asked Questions about the Asset Framework Principles of Asset Building The Asset-Building Difference 40 Developmental Assets for Early Childhood (Ages 3 to 5)—chart 40 Developmental Assets for Middle Childhood (Ages 8 to 12)—chart 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents (Ages 12 to 18)—chart
Asset-Building Ideas for Individuals and Groups (Handouts 10–42) 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34.
Building the Support Assets Building the Empowerment Assets Building the Boundaries-and-Expectations Assets Building the Constructive-Use-of-Time Assets Building the Commitment-to-Learning Assets Building the Positive-Values Assets Building the Social-Competencies Assets Building the Positive-Identity Assets Asset-Building Ideas for Adults Asset-Building Ideas for Senior Citizens Asset-Building Ideas for Young People Asset-Building Ideas for Children Asset-Building Ideas for Parents and Guardians Asset-Building Ideas for Grandparents Asset-Building Ideas for Brothers and Sisters Asset-Building Ideas for Neighbors and Neighborhood Groups Asset-Building Ideas for Babysitters Asset-Building Ideas for Child-Care Providers Asset-Building Ideas for Teachers Asset-Building Ideas for School Administrators Asset-Building Ideas for Student Support Staff Asset-Building Ideas for School Support Staff Asset-Building Ideas for School Bus Drivers Asset-Building Ideas for Educators in Faith-Based Organizations Asset-Building Ideas for Youth Workers in Faith-Based Organizations vii
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35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42.
Part 3
Asset-Building Ideas for Organizations (Handouts 43–54) 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54.
Part 4
Asset-Building Ideas for Any Organization Asset-Building Ideas for Schools Asset-Building Ideas for Faith-Based Organizations Asset-Building Ideas for Child-Care Centers Asset-Building Ideas for Libraries Asset-Building Ideas for Organizations that Employ Young People Asset-Building Ideas for Businesses Asset-Building Ideas for Juvenile Justice Organizations Asset-Building Ideas for Service Clubs and Fraternal Organizations Asset-Building Ideas for Corporate and Philanthropic Foundations Asset-Building Ideas for Community Newspapers Asset-Building Checklist for Your Organization
Asset-Building Ideas and Tools for Community-Wide Initiatives (Handouts 55–65) 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65.
Part 5
Asset-Building Ideas for Volunteer Coordinators Asset-Building Ideas for Mentors Asset-Building Ideas for Coaches Asset-Building Ideas for Police Officers Asset-Building Ideas for Health-Care Providers Asset-Building Ideas for Media Professionals Asset-Building Ideas for Store Owners/Managers Asset-Building Ideas for Real Estate Agents
Asset-Building Ideas for Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth Teams Recruiting Volunteers for Asset-Building Initiatives Involving Youth in Your Asset-Building Initiative Building Assets for Hard-to-Reach Kids Ensuring Diversity in Asset-Building Efforts Modeling Assets in Leadership Groups Leading Successful Meetings with Young People and Adults Helping Adults and Kids Build Relationships Planning Community-Wide Asset-Building Events Honoring Asset Builders Asset-Building Days, Weeks, and Months to Celebrate
Using Books, Movies, and Other Resources to Explore AssetBuilding Themes (Handouts 66–78) 66. Asset-Building Resources for Individuals 67. Asset-Building Resources for Parents and Guardians 68. Asset-Building Resources for Educators
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69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78.
Part 6
Asset-Building Resources for Faith-Based Organizations Reading Tips for Infants and Toddlers (Ages Birth to 2) Reading Tips for Children Ages 3 to 5 Reading Tips for Children Ages 5 to 9 Reading Tips for Children Ages 9 to 12 Reading Tips for Young People Ages 12 to 18 Magazines and Newsletters with Asset-Building Themes Finding Asset-Building Books for Kids Web Sites with Asset-Building Themes Asset-Building Ideas for Choosing and Talking about Movies and TV Shows
Spanish Handouts (Handouts 79-89) 79. ¿Qué son los Elementos Fundamentales del Desarrollo? (English version is 1: What Are Developmental Assets?) 80. Principios para construir elementos fundamentales (English version is 5: Principles of Asset Building) 81. 40 Elementos Fundamentales del Desarrollo para niños pre-escolares (edades de 3 a 5) (English version is 7: 40 Developmental Assets for Early Childhood [Ages 3 to 5]—chart) 82. 40 Elementos Fundamentales del Desarrollo para la pre-adolescencia (edades de 8 a 12) (English version is 8: 40 Developmental Assets for Middle Childhood [Ages 8 to 12]—chart) 83. 40 Elementos Fundamentales del Desarrollo para los adolescentes (edades de 12 a 18) (English version is 9: 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents [Ages 12 to 18]—chart) 84. Ideas para que los padres y guardianes formen elementos fundamentales (English version is 22: Asset-Building Ideas for Parents and Guardians) 85. Ideas para que la gente joven forme elementos fundamentales (English version is 20: Asset-Building Ideas for Young People) 86. Ideas para vecinos y grupos vecindarios para que formen los elementos fundamentales (English version is 25: Asset-Building Ideas for Neighbors and Neighborhood Groups) 87. Ideas para maestros para construir elementos fundamentales (English version is 28: Asset-Building Ideas for Teachers) 88. Ideas para construir elementos fundamentales para personal de apoyo estudiantil (English version is 30: Asset-Building Ideas for Student Support Staff) 89. Ideas para educadores en organizaciones basadas en la fe para contruir elementos fundamentales (English version is 33: Asset-Building Ideas for Educators in Faith-Based Organizations)
Part 7
The List of Developmental Assets in French (Handout 90) 90. 40 Aquis dont les jeunes ont besoin pour réussir (12 à 18 ans) (English version is 9: 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents [Ages 12 to 18]— chart)
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Fast Facts about Developmental Assets for Young People* mmunizations keep young children healthy and protect them from disease. Similarly, Developmental Assets help kids make healthy choices and inoculate them against a wide range of risk-taking behaviors, including substance abuse, violence, and school failure. The more assets young people have, the more likely they are to be healthy. Most young people surveyed by Search Institute have at least some assets (83 percent say they have 11 or more). But having only some of the assets is like getting only some of your shots. You might be protected against measles, but you could still get polio or hepatitis. That’s why it’s important to focus on giving young people all of the assets they need to be healthy.
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Other facts about Developmental Assets: • Young people with more assets are less likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors. Young people with 10 or fewer assets say they are involved in an average of about 3.9 highrisk behaviors. Young people with 31 assets or more report an average of less than 1 highrisk behavior. • As young people’s assets increase, their positive behaviors also increase. While young people with 10 or fewer assets report an average of 2.8 positive behaviors, those with 31 assets or more average 6.2 positive behaviors. This includes succeeding in school, helping others, valuing diversity, and exhibiting leadership. • The average young person surveyed has 18.6 of the 40 assets. But levels of assets decrease for older youth. While the average student in grade six surveyed has 23 assets, the average student in grade 12 surveyed has 17.8 assets.
• The most common is asset 40: Positive View of Personal Future. Seventy-two percent of young people surveyed report having this asset. • The least common is asset 17: Creative Activities. Only 21 percent of young people report having this asset. • Girls, on average, have more assets than boys. However, boys are more likely to have assets 10: Safety; 18: Youth Programs; 38: Self-Esteem; and 39: Sense of Purpose. • Most assets decrease in frequency between grades 6 and 12. The assets that decrease the most are 31: Restraint (74 percent of grade 6 students vs. 25 percent of grade 12 students); 12: School Boundaries (76 percent vs. 40 percent); and 15: Positive Peer Influence (88 percent vs. 50 percent). • Assets that increase in frequency between grades 6 and 12 are 10: Safety (43 percent vs. 63 percent); 37: Personal Power (39 percent vs. 51 percent); and 28: Integrity (66 percent vs. 76 percent).
*Based on data from the Search Institute Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors survey; gathered in 2003 from almost 150,000 students in grades 6 to 12 (ages approximately 11 to 18) from 202 communities in 27 U.S. states.
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THE GAP IN ASSETS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE*
31-40 Assets 8%
21-30 Assets 32%
0-10 Assets 17%
11-20 Assets 42%
*Based on data from the Search Institute Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors survey; gathered in 2003 from almost 150,000 students in grades 6 to 12 (ages approximately 11 to 18) from 202 communities in 27 U.S. states. Percentages do not total to 100 percent due to rounding.
Developmental Assets® are positive factors within young people, families, communities, schools, and other settings that research has found to be important in promoting the healthy development of young people. From Pass It On! Ready-to-Use Handouts for Asset Builders, Second Edition. Copyright © 2006 by Search Institute®; 612-376-8955; 800-888-7828; www.search-institute.org. This handout may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). All rights reserved.
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Pass It On! Handout 4
Frequently Asked Questions about the Asset Framework earch Institute has found that some questions about the asset framework come up again and again. Here are answers to a number of them:
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1. I don’t have kids, and I don’t work with kids—can I build assets? Yes! One of the most important messages of asset building is that everyone plays a role, not just families, youth workers, and teachers. The assets offer ways everyone can provide the positive relationships and experiences young people need. For some, it may be as simple as smiling and saying hello to young people encountered during daily activities. For others, it could mean developing a significant relationship with a young person. Even using the asset framework to assess candidates for public office can be a way of supporting asset building.
2. Are resources on the assets available in any other language? Yes. Search Institute has several resources in Spanish, including the list of 40 assets. This list is also available in French. When distributing the list, consider using English on one side and Spanish or French on the other, depending on the languages spoken in your area.
3. Do younger children need the same assets as teenagers? The Developmental Assets framework applies to all ages. The core of each asset is important to children of all ages but experienced, built, and defined differently at different stages of development. Search Institute has developed frameworks for early childhood (ages 3 to 5), middle childhood (ages 8 to 12), and adolescents (ages 12 to 18), and researchers continue to work on defining the assets for children of all ages.
4. How important is it that I focus on each individual asset? While each individual asset is critical to development, it’s more important (and easier!) to pay attention to the eight categories of assets and the broader concepts of external assets and internal assets.
5. What’s the best way to develop an understanding of the assets? Share your ideas, questions, suggestions, stories, and frustrations with others. Talk about how the 40 assets work in your own experience, and how they connect to your own values and ideals.
6. Once a young person has a particular asset, does he or she have it forever? No. Assets can come and go, based on current relationships and experiences. They need to be built throughout a person’s life.
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7. Is it important for asset-building initiatives to find ways to exemplify the asset focus in our structure, meetings, and planning? Yes! This is a great way to reinforce people’s understanding of the assets, and it can also lead to stronger teams and organizations. For example, some organizations use the eight categories of assets to look at how they work together, asking questions like: How can we support each other? What should be our boundaries and expectations for meetings? and so on.
8. Are some assets more important than others? Don’t pick and choose assets—the power of this framework lies in how they work together. Young people need as many of the assets as they can get. If you want to focus specific attention on one or two assets at a time, do so with the reminder that they are only part of the larger framework.
9. Is it OK to focus on just the assets that seem most critical for our kids? Yes. You can use the asset framework to help set priorities in your community. For example, some communities have looked at the framework and realized they haven’t done much to address issues of boundaries. Others have found that there are few opportunities for young people to be involved in constructive activities.
10. A lot of activities are “asset building,” but few people have heard of the concept. How can we get other “asset builders” on board? Celebrate, affirm, and honor the ways people already build assets (even if they don’t call it that). A good way to first get people excited is to have them go through the list and mark what they’re already doing. People and organizations that build assets can also be acknowledged and featured in your community newspaper or other public forum.
11. Does having more assets just reduce risk-taking behaviors? No. The assets also promote positive outcomes and positive behavior, such as academic success, leadership skills, and healthy lifestyle.
12. Do we have to create a new program based on asset building? No.You can use the asset framework to help evaluate and improve existing programs and opportunities for young people. For example: How can a focus on assets improve meetings? How can it enhance what’s happening in a 4-H group? How can it impact a community-wide celebration?
13. Can a single action help to build more than one of the assets? Certainly! For example, a caring relationship with an adult (asset 3) can lead to many of the other assets, including Community Values Youth (asset 7), Adult Role Models (asset 14), and Self-Esteem (asset 38). Developmental Assets® are positive factors within young people, families, communities, schools, and other settings that research has found to be important in promoting the healthy development of young people. From Pass It On! Ready-to-Use Handouts for Asset Builders, Second Edition. Copyright © 2006 by Search Institute®; 612-376-8955; 800-888-7828; www.search-institute.org. This handout may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). All rights reserved.
Pass it On_Cover 6/5/06 4:30 PM Page 1
Here’s what asset champions said about the first edition of Pass It On! “Pass It On! is one of those treasured resources that I turn to time and time again! This book is a ‘must have’ for all asset builders who are working with children and youth of all ages.” Linda Babcock Director of Education and Mission, Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, and Member of the Orchard Park Community Youth Council, Orchard Park, NY “Handouts from Pass It On! provide staff and community members with practical tools for intentional asset building. They have greatly helped us to get the word out about Developmental Assets.” Julie Willie Director of Youth Programs Advancement YMCA of Snohomish County, Everett,WA
➤ Pass It On!, Second Edition
Education
“I use Pass it On! a lot. I find that as I deliver the asset message to a variety of different audiences, these handouts provide a helpful way to show participants the many ways that their lives touch kids. The suggestions on these handouts lead participants to identify ways they can support asset building. The book has been a wonderful resource and a great way to stimulate ideas for asset building in the groups I address. Thank you for this resource.” Mary Giangrande Prevention Education Consultant Ottawa Area Intermediate School District, Holland, MI
SECOND EDITION
Ready-to-Use Handouts for Asset Builders
PASS IT ON!, SECOND EDITION This new edition of Pass It On! delivers fresh, new ideas and resources for asset building, along with Developmental Assets® research. Plus, with all the handouts included on CD-ROM, you’ll find it even easier to reproduce the materials and spread the asset message! Simply copy from the book or print from the CD-ROM the handouts that are right for your audience. The handouts offer practical ideas that anyone can use to become an asset builder at home, at work, or in the community. In Pass It On!, you’ll find: ➤ An introduction to Developmental Assets ➤ Ideas for individuals and groups (such as parents and neighborhoods) ➤ Ideas for organizations ➤ Ideas and tools for community initiatives ➤ A variety of asset-building resources
Search Institute
Pass It On! is perfect for anyone who wants to inspire and educate people in their community to become asset builders.
SEARCH INSTITUTE