A Quick-Start Guide to Building Assets in Your Prevention Program

A Quick-Start Guide to

Looking for ways to enhance your prevention program?

This guide has the answers!

Building Assets in Your Prevention Program

Full of real-world examples and time-tested strategies, A Quick-Start Guide to Building Assets in Your Prevention Program helps you quickly and easily integrate a strength-based approach into your existing prevention framework. This uniquely positive technique empowers schools, family-serving organizations, juvenile justice programs, and healthcare and other prevention programs to build relationships with young people and create environments that get results.

Strategies for building assets in your program range from comprehensive, targeted plans that work . . .

The Virginia-based Teens Against Sexual Assault program is a volunteer group that educates communities about healthy relationships and works to stop dating violence and sexual assault.

Teens design their own peer education manual and brochures, and teachers support the program by letting teens have time away from school to give presentations. The program discovered that evaluations are better and volunteer recruitment higher when teens are running the show. Said one teen about what she learned from her peers: “It makes the information seem more real.�

. . . to simple, easy-to-implement ideas with far-reaching effects . . .

Elementary schools in New York and California found that when they included youth in parent conferences, the children became more accountable for their behavior and the parents became more connected to the school.

These ideas and approaches are designed to work with your existing prevention program so that you can tailor the assets to fit your specific needs.

ISBN 1-57482-195-4

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Deborah Fisher 5/7/08 10:29:10 AM

A Quick-Start Guide to

Building Assets in Your Prevention Program

by Deborah Fisher

Contents 2

Introduction: Building the Web of Support All Youth Need

3 Building Assets Works 4 40 Developmental Assets: Essentials for Helping Every Young Person Succeed 6 The Power of Assets 7 Using the Five Action Strategies to Transform Prevention Programs

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Invigorate Programs Engage Adults Mobilize Young People Activate Sectors Influence Civic Decisions Resources

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Introduction:

Building the Web of Support All Youth Need

T

his book is for prevention-program leaders and staff in schools, youth and family-serving organizations, juvenile justice systems, and health-care settings who sometimes find themselves overwhelmed by programming demands, funding criteria, and statistics. Much of your work must focus, by necessity, on trying to prevent individual risk behaviors. We want to show you how Developmental Assets can be blended with prevention programs to build a broader, more effective core set of protective factors within young people.

What we’re describing here is an approach, not a program in and of itself. Asset building is based on Search Institute’s framework of 40 Developmental Assets—supportive conditions that help young people thrive. The framework (which you’ll find on pages 4–5) describes a set of concrete, commonsense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people.

These assets, divided into eight categories for ease of understanding and use, have the power during critical adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults. Research shows that young people who report having more Developmental Assets are less likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs or engage in violence and sexual activity.

This book provides guidance on how to infuse assets into your prevention efforts. We recommend integrating assets into existing programs rather than just adding them on. Infusing assets into the work you’re already doing can be a win-win situation all around: adults will be energized by a new, more optimistic outlook; youth will be empowered to make positive changes in their own lives.

Weaving assets into your program starts by refocusing the lens through which you view your work. Here’s a table to help you think about what the shift from a deficit focus to an asset focus looks like: Essential Shifts Needed to Build Assets for All Children and Young People From…

To…

Deficit language

Asset language

Focus only on youth identified as troubled

Focus on all children and young people

Focus on only one age group for intervention

Focus on all ages, from birth to 18

Age segregation

Intergenerational community

Self-interest

Shared responsibility

Buy and implement new programs

Infuse assets into existing programs

Fragmented agenda

Unifying vision around Developmental Assets

Youth as objects of programs

Working with and for youth in a change process

Constant switching of flavor-of-the-month priorities

Long-term commitment

Civic disengagement

Engaged public

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Building Assets Works Extensive research confirms the power of Developmental Assets in young people’s lives. Search Institute has conducted more than 1,200 surveys of students in grades 6 through 12, and the results show that, regardless of gender, ethnic heritage, economic situation, or geographic location, the more assets young people have, the better they do in school and in many other areas, such as making healthy choices, exhibiting leadership, and valuing diversity.

Search Institute research also clearly demonstrates that the more assets young people have, the less likely they are to become involved in risky behaviors. Increasing the number of Developmental Assets youth have is especially powerful in preventing or delaying the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD), and engagement in violence and sexual activity.

It’s important to encourage programs and communities to increase all of the categories of Developmental Assets for all youth, but we also know that certain categories of assets are more strongly related to lower levels of risk in certain key areas. For example, the Boundaries and Expectations asset category is most strongly related to lower levels of ATOD use while Constructive Use of Time and Commitment to Learning also seem to play a strong role in reducing high-risk behaviors.

We all want programs to be effective in achieving goals and outcomes, not just for the sake of science, but to know that we are truly making a difference in the lives of young people. New prevention research is documenting the evidence-base for proven programs, which means a program demonstrates consistently positive results through scientific study. Power-packing proven programs with assets significantly increases your chances of success.

What we’re after here is something we call asset “pile-up.” We want youth to experience lots of assets in lots of contexts throughout their lives. Consider research that shows the benefits of asset pile-up in these four critical ways: • Youth who experience more assets in their families, schools, communities, and among peers do better than those who experience assets in fewer of these contexts (horizontal accumulation).

• Youth who experience more assets throughout their lives are better equipped to navigate transitions (vertical accumulation).

• Youth who repeatedly experience the same assets find that those assets renew and reinforce each other over time (chronological accumulation).

• All children and youth benefit from the extended reach of intentional asset building, not just those judged to be “at risk” (developmental breadth accumulation).

Clearly, prevention programs working alone, even those using assets and evidence-based strategies, cannot influence every area of young people’s lives. We want to intentionally attempt to build the capacity of all communities, individuals, organizations, and networks to support young people’s healthy development. This effort helps us address all the influences in young people’s lives.

The tips, ideas, and strategies you’ll find in this guide, when combined with your work and what we know about community building, can help you identify ways to connect with others and strengthen the impact of your programs.

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40 Developmental Assets

®

Essentials for Helping Every Young Person Succeed Search Institute has identified the following building blocks of development that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.

EXTERNAL ASSETS S upport 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 parent(s).

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.

E mpowerment 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, at school, and in the neighborhood.

B oundaries and E x pectations 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.

C onstructi v e U se of T ime 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.

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INTERNAL ASSETS C ommitment to L earnin g 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.

P ositi v e 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.

S ocial C ompetencies 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.

P ositi v e I dentity 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.

The 40 Developmental Assets® may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line).

Copyright © 1997 by Search Institute®, Minneapolis, MN; 800-888-7828; www.search-institute.org.

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The Power of Assets On one level, the 40 Developmental Assets® represent common wisdom about the kinds of positive experiences and characteristics that young people need and deserve. But their value extends further. Surveys of more than 2 million young people in grades 6–12 have shown that assets are powerful influences on adolescent behavior. (The numbers below reflect 2003 data from 148,189 young people in 202 communities.) Regardless of gender, ethnic heritage, economic situation, or geographic location, these assets both promote positive behaviors and attitudes and help protect young people from many different problem behaviors.

0–10 assets

11–20 assets

21–30 assets

31–40 assets

Promoting Positive Behaviors and Attitudes Search Institute research shows that the greater the number of assets students report having, the more likely they are to also report the following patterns of thriving behavior: 88%

87%

89%

78%

76%

69%

66%

60%

48%

54%

48% 39%

34%

27% 19% 9%

Exhibits Leadership

Maintains Good Health

Values Diversity

Succeeds in School

Has been a leader of an organization or group in the past 12 months.

Takes good care of body (such as eating foods that are healthy and exercising regularly).

Thinks it is important to get to know people of other racial/ethnic groups.

Gets mostly As on report card (an admittedly high standard).

Protecting Youth from High-Risk Behaviors Assets not only promote positive behaviors, they also protect young people; the more assets a young person reports having, the less likely he or she is to make harmful or unhealthy choices. (Note that high-risk behaviors are defined in terms of multiple occurrences in order to distinguish between casual experimentation and more serious, ongoing problem behaviors.)

62% 45% 38%

38%

34%

26% 18% 11%

6%

3%

23%

18% 6%

11% 1%

3%

Problem Alcohol Use

Violence

Illicit Drug Use

Sexual Activity

Has used alcohol three or more times in the past 30 days or got drunk once or more in the past two weeks.

Has engaged in three or more acts of fighting, hitting, injuring a person, carrying a weapon, or threatening physical harm in the past 12 months.

Used illicit drugs (marijuana, cocaine, LSD, PCP/angel dust, heroin, or amphetamines) three or more times in the past 12 months.

Has had sexual intercourse three or more times in lifetime.

Reprinted from The Asset Approach: 40 Elements of Healthy Development ; copyright © 2006 by Search Institute®. This handout may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). From A Quick-Start Guide to Building Assets in Your Prevention Program. Copyright © 2008 by Search Institute®, Minneapolis, MN; 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org.

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Using the Five Action Strategies to Transform Prevention Programs Search Institute has identified Five Action Strategies (pictured below) for naming, encouraging, and linking all the important people, places, activities, and programs necessary to build a world where all young people are valued and thrive. The Five Action Strategies provide a practical framework to help you understand and describe how your work affects young people. As program leaders and community initiatives work to build assets and strengthen relationships within and among the spheres of influence shown in the Five Action Strategies graphic, they build a web of interconnected efforts.

Merging the asset-building capacities of all community members increases our chances of success in making lasting, positive change.

This guide uses the Five Action Strategies to illustrate ways you can incorporate the Developmental Assets into what you’re already doing. In each section, you’ll find: • A brief summary of each Action Strategy • Research, tips, and ideas for building assets in a variety of prevention programs • Stories and practical examples illustrating how others are already using assets • Where to find additional information or other useful resources The overarching strategies we’ve embedded in this book emphasize the importance of: • Building strong relationships with and for young people • Creating multiple, positive environments to surround youth • Enhancing programs and practices using proven, concrete methods Unless otherwise noted, the research cited in this book comes from Search Institute studies.

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Invigorate Programs What This Means Invigorate, expand, and enhance programs to become more asset rich and to be available to and accessed by all children and youth.

The Goal Inspire your own organizations and assist others to infuse asset building into cultures, programs, and practices.

rograms that share a common, asset-enhanced vision and that send strong messages about expectations and values to youth provide a powerful web of support for young people.

You can find ways within your programs and organizations to power-pack your work with assets.

You can also find new, creative ways to join forces with others in the community to deliver your work in complementary, resource-efficient ways. Consider these strategies: I D E N T I F Y W H AT Y O U ’ R E A L R E A D Y D O I N G — Sit down with the asset framework and create a list of the ones you’re already building. Share this list! Ask others to add their insights.

I D E N T I F Y W H I C H A S S E T S Y O U “ O W N ” — Be clear about which assets your program can actually build. Schools or alcohol or other drug prevention programs may each “own” some assets more than others.

I D E N T I F Y W H E R E T O S TA C K U P A S S E T S — Infuse assets in creative and inexpensive ways. Some examples include making asset building part of job descriptions or infusing asset language into existing curricula.

Combining assets with proven prevention programs can make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people, but sometimes, evidence-based programs cost a lot of money, or they don’t fit for youth in your community. How should you proceed?

U S E A N E X I S T I N G P R O G R A M — Try to find a program already developed in your topic area that’s been evaluated and shown to be successful with youth similar to yours.

A D A P T A N E X I S T I N G P R O G R A M — If a program doesn’t exist or the costs are too high, you might be able to carefully borrow, model, or replicate successful programs using best practices.

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D E S I G N Y O U R O W N I N N O V AT I O N — Practitioners can and do develop new programs and strategies using best practices. Local innovations should meet generally accepted criteria for effective programs before being implemented or disseminated.

Here are ideas and activities you can use to invigorate your prevention programs and strategies.

Schools A study of 104 schools in 12 states found that many are adopting research-based curricula according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Principles of Effectiveness, but only 19 percent were implementing the curricula with fidelity. To improve the quality and performance of your programs: • Make sure teachers are adequately trained in the curriculum (or retrained if necessary) • Make sure all classes using a curriculum have access to it • Make sure that a complete set of curriculum materials is used when classes are taught Researchers looking at a diverse sampling of adolescents in nine California and Wisconsin high schools found higher levels of protection against delinquency and substance use among youth who experienced a group or “cluster” of assets. The students: • Experienced warm relations with parents

Find Out More

• Came from relatively well-organized households • Valued academic achievements • Engaged in school, felt close to teachers, and performed well in school

Youth-Serving Organizations Many youth-serving organizations are infusing assets into their work and monitoring their results, including 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girl Scouts, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The YMCA conducted its own study, asking the question, “How does the Abundant Assets Initiative affect the institutional culture of the YMCA?” Some of the answers included: N A M I N G A N D T E L L I N G — The initiative’s use of asset language gives the Y more concrete ways of describing its impact.

V E R I F Y I N G A N D P R I O R I T I Z I N G — Asset research helps staff focus and demonstrates to staff, funders, and community stakeholders that programs make a difference.

M E A S U R I N G A N D R E I N F O R C I N G — The Y and its partners can better see the impact of its investment.

To learn more about evidence-based programs and best practices to help you adapt or design your own work: National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices nrepp.samhsa.gov Blueprints for Violence Prevention colorado.edu/cspv/ blueprints Centers for Disease Control Best Practices of Youth Violence Prevention: A Sourcebook for Community Action cdc.gov

Here’s an example of how one YMCA boosted its asset impact in an urban community:

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