What are the 40 Developmental Assets?
"Data collected from Search Institute surveys of more than 5 million children and youth from all backgrounds and situations has consistently demonstrated that the more Developmental Assets young people acquire, the better their chances of succeeding in school and becoming happy, healthy, and contributing members of their communities and society. "
This link http://www.search-institute.org/ takes you to the Search Institute website where you can learn everything you need to know about their research into "developmental assets."
Terms of Reference for the SPARC Coalition
Background
Asset Building
The 40 Developmental Assets are research based life experiences or building blocks, which all children need to grow up healthy, caring and responsible. Research shows that the higher number of these assets a young person has, the more likely they are to thrive, engaging in positive behaviors. Research also shows that the lower number of these assets a young person has, the more likely they are to engage in risky behaviors.
When a child is exposed to the necessary building blocks of healthy development, they are better equipped with coping mechanisms that help them flourish, making it possible to manage stressors, even when there are boundaries caused by mental health problems. Our goal is to increase the number of assets children have. We will do this by creating awareness, offering education sessions, and developing activities that engage children, youth and families.
Vision:
To focus on the development of healthy children and youth by increasing protective factors and reducing risk factors.
Mission:
To educate and excite our community on building blocks that all children and youth need in order to thrive, which includes the 40 Developmental Assets and healthy lifestyles.
Search Institute