Viva Vitality: Building external assets in youth

By Taniel Zanidean on October 28, 2022.

Ever wonder what contributes to a young person growing up healthy, caring and responsible?

Since 1990, the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets framework has become one of the foundational frameworks in positive youth development. The framework identifies building blocks for healthy development – 40 positive supports and strengths that young people need to succeed. Half the assets focus on relationships and opportunities young people need across all aspects of their life. These are considered external assets.

Consider the following for building external assets in a young person:

Adult role models: Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behaviour and encourage the child to follow these examples.

The community values children: Children are welcomed and included throughout community life.

High expectations: Parent(s), teachers, and other influential adults encourage the child to do his or her best in all tasks and celebrate their successes.

There are also internal assets, or personal skills, self-perceptions and values needed to make good choices, take responsibility for their own lives and be independent and fulfilled.

Internal assets can be built by:

Reading for pleasure: The child listens to and/or reads books outside of school daily.

Self-esteem: The child likes herself or himself and feels valued by others.

Positive view of personal future: The child has a growing curiosity about the world and finding his or her place in it.

The Developmental Assets are 40 research-based, positive experiences and qualities that influence young people’s development, helping them become caring, responsible, and productive adults.

When youth have more assets, they are more likely to thrive now and in the future, more likely to be resilient in the face of challenges, and less likely to engage in a wide range of high-risk behaviours.

In fact, studies conducted over time of more than five million young people consistently show that the more assets young people have, the less likely they are to engage in a wide range of high-risk behaviours and the more likely they are to thrive.

“Nothing – nothing – has more impact in the life of a child than positive relationships.”

– Peter, L. Benson

Let’s help our young people build a strong foundation for healthy development! For more information on Developmental Assets and to view the comprehensive list of Developmental Assets for a child, visit https://page.search-institute.org/40-developmental-assets.

Taniel Zanidean is a Health Promotion Facilitator, Addiction and Mental Health, with Alberta Health Services