Giving youth a voice… What matters to youth from grades

Developmental Assets: A Profile of Our Youth Leeds & Grenville Schools Grades Search Institute Profile of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviours

Participating schools Athens DHS Brockville CIVS Gananoque SS North Grenville DHS Rideau DHS South Grenville DHS Thousand Islands SS Commonwealth PS Lyn/Tincap PS Maynard PS Oxford on Rideau PS Prince of Wales PS South Branch ES Toniata PS Westminster PS

Who was surveyed Randomly selected - 21% of grades 7-12 student population: 1632 Gender: Females 840 Males 778

Breakdown by grades Grade 7169 Grade 8202 Grade Grade Grade Grade Total **1632**

Our community profile 21–30 Assets 35% 31–40 Assets 4% 0–10 Assets 22% 11–20 Assets 49% Copyright 2005 Search Institute

We believe that….. … young people are valuable resources

Investigating our community profile What did the survey show??? Percentage of Youth reporting each specific asset… How do our youth see themselves and their world???

External assets…. SUPPORT young people with care and attention. EMPOWER them to use their abilities to help others. Set reasonable BOUNDARIES AND have high EXPECTATIONS. Help them find activities that make CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF their TIME.

SUPPORT young people with care and attention. #1 – Family support65% #2 – Positive family communication31% #3 – Other adult relationships41% #4 – Caring neighbourhood36% #5 – Caring School climate26% #6 – Parent involvement in schooling20%

EMPOWER them to use their abilities to help others. # 7 - Community Values Youth18% # 8 – Youth as resources23% # 9 – Service to others49% # 10 – Safety51%

Set reasonable BOUNDARIES AND have high EXPECTATIONS. #11 – Family boundaries34% # 12 – School boundaries39% # 13 – Neighbourhood boundaries39% # 14 – Adult role models23% # 15 Positive peer influence48% # 16 – High expectations43%

Help them find activities that make CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF their time. # 17 – Creative activities 16% # 18 – Youth programs57% # 19 – Religious community24% # 20 – Time at home50%

Internal assets Spark their COMMITMENT TO LEARNING. Guide them toward a life based on POSITIVE VALUES. Help the develop SOCIAL COMPETENCIES and life skills. Celebrate their uniqueness and affirm their POSITIVE IDENTITY.

Spark their COMMITMENT TO LEARNING. # 21 - Achievement motivation58% # 22 - School engagement54% # 23 - Homework36% # 24 – Bonding to school55% # 25 – Reading for pleasure28%

Guide them toward a life based on POSITIVE VALUES. # 26 – Caring42% # 27 – Equality and social justice45% # 28 – Integrity65% # 29 – Honesty65% # 30 – Responsibility58% # 31 – Restraint23%

Help the develop SOCIAL COMPETENCIES and life skills. # 32 – Planning and decision-making25% # 33 – Interpersonal competence39% # 34 – Cultural competence33% # 35 – Resistance skills35% # 36 - Peaceful conflict resolution38%

Celebrate their uniqueness and affirm their POSITIVE IDENTITY. # 37 – Personal power40% # 38 – Self-esteem44% # 39 – Sense of purpose59% # 40 – Positive view of personal future74%

Average # assets/ community 17.9 Assets

Asset Profile by grade …

Why assets are important… They do make a difference in the lives of young people They are the keys to success

Thriving behaviours School success Informal helping Valuing diversity Maintaining good health Exhibiting leadership Resisting danger Impulse control Overcoming adversity

The Survey shows the connection between thriving (+) behaviours and the number of assets a youth has… # Of + B e h a v i o u r s

Deficits Influences that interfere with healthy development by limiting access to external assets, or by easing the way into risky behavioural choices Alone at home56% TV Overexposure36% Physical Abuse33% Victim of violence37% Drinking Parties62%

High Risk behaviours (24 -- Identified by the survey ) Alcohol use Binge drinking Smoking Smokeless tobacco Inhalants Marijuana Other illicit drugs Drinking and driving Riding with a driver who has been drinking Sexual intercourse Shoplifting Vandalism Trouble with police Hitting someone Hurting someone Use of a weapon Group fighting Carrying a weapon for protection Threatening physical harm Skipping school Gambling Eating disorders Depression Attempted suicide

The Survey shows the connection between high risk behaviours and the number of assets a youth has… # Of High Risk B e h a v i o u r s

From awareness to action… Regardless of town size or geography, youth typically: Receive too little support through sustained and positive intergenerational relationships Lack opportunities for leadership and involvement Disengage from youth-serving programs in the community Experience inconsistent and unarticulated boundaries Feel disconnected from their community Miss the formation of social competencies and positive values

So what??? We will continue to see too many young people who are susceptible to risk taking and negative pressure, drawn to less desirable sources of belonging, and ill-equipped to become the next generation of parents, workers, leaders, and citizens. What needs to change??

Refocus emphasis of well-intentioned youth development programs from attacking the consequences of asset depletion To placing energy into rebuilding the asset foundation for youth Ultimately, rebuilding and strengthening the developmental infrastructure in a community is not a program run by professionals. It is a ……

…movement That creates a community-wide sense of common purpose, places residents and their leaders on the same team moving in the same direction, and creates a culture in which all residents are expected, by virtue of their membership in the community, to promote the positive development of youth. Developmental Assets: A profile of youth in Leeds& Grenville Survey Report, Search Institute

Promoting Developmental Assets Assets are cumulative or additive The more the better Research shows the more assets, the less likely to participate in risk taking behaviours and more likely to be involved in thriving behaviours

PRINCIPLES All children and youth need assets. Relationships are key. Everyone can build assets. Building assets is an ongoing process. Asset building requires consistent messages. Duplication and repetition are good and important.

Taking Action Establish long-term goals and perspective Mobilize the public Think intergenerationally Expand the reach of family education Support and expand current asset-building efforts Strengthen socializing systems Empower youth to contribute Elevate the importance of service Provide places to grow Advocate for quality opportunities for young people Begin public dialogue Developmental Assets: A profile of youth in Leeds& Grenville Survey Report, Search Institute