Building Assets in Children

Luther Center seeks to nurture and encourage each student to develop his or her intellectual, spiritual, physical and social abilities. To that end, Luther Center actively promotes asset building in its students.

Search Institute, a research organization, has identified 40 positive experiences and qualities that all of us have the power to bring into the lives of children and youth, which are called developmental 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 200,000 students in grades 6-12 reveal that assets are powerful influences on adolescent behavior. Regardless of gender, ethnic heritage, economic situation, or geographic location, these assets promote positive behaviors and attitudes and also help protect young people from many different problem behaviors.

The assets are spread across eight broad areas of human development. These categories paint a picture of the positive things all young people need to grow up healthy and responsible.

The first four asset categories (external assets) focus on external structures, relationships, and activities that create a positive environment for young people. Support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of time all represent external assets. Young people need to be surrounded by people who love, care for, appreciate and accept them. They need to feel valued and valuable. Young people need clear rules, consistent consequences for breaking rules, and encouragement to do their best. And young people need opportunities--outside of school--to learn and develop new skills and interests with other youth and adults.

The next four asset categories (internal assets) reflect internal values, skills, and beliefs that young people also need to fully engage with and function in the world around them. Commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity represent the internal asset areas. Young people need a sense of the lasting importance of learning and a belief in their own abilities. They need to develop strong guiding values or principles to help them make healthy life choices, and they need the skills to interact effectively with others, to make difficult decisions, and to cope with new situations. Young people further need to believe in their own self worth and to feel that they have control over the things that happen to them.

The good news is that the assets are powerful and that everyone can build them. We call intentionally trying to help youth develop these strengths building assets. Luther Center is committed to promoting an educational environment that actively seeks to build assets in its students.

You can read more about asset building at http://www.search-institute.org.