Giving Grenville youth a voice… What matters to youth from grades

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

Participating schools North Grenville DHS South Grenville DHS Maynard PS Oxford on Rideau PS South Branch ES

Who was surveyed Randomly selected grade 7-12 students: 525 Gender: Females 264 Males 255

Breakdown by grades Grade 773 Grade 879 Grade Grade Grade 1182 Grade 1268 Total **525**

Grenville county profile 24 % 4% 23% 50%

Our community profile 22 % 4% 35% 49%

A visual comparison?? Note the significant differences!! L & G Grenville

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%65% #2 – Positive family communication34%31% #3 – Other adult relationships35%41% #4 – Caring neighbourhood33%36% #5 – Caring School climate22%26% #6 – Parent involvement in schooling20%20%

EMPOWER them to use their abilities to help others. # 7 - Community Values Youth19%18% # 8 – Youth as resources20%23% # 9 – Service to others46%49% # 10 – Safety53%51%

Set reasonable BOUNDARIES AND have high EXPECTATIONS. #11 – Family boundaries33%34% # 12 – School boundaries36%39% # 13 – Neighbourhood boundaries40%39% # 14 – Adult role models24%23% # 15 Positive peer influence50%48% # 16 – High expectations42%43%

Help them find activities that make CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF their time. # 17 – Creative activities 15%16% # 18 – Youth programs53%57% # 19 – Religious community22%24% # 20 – Time at home53%50%

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 motivation56%58% # 22 - School engagement51%54% # 23 - Homework39%36% # 24 – Bonding to school49%55% # 25 – Reading for pleasure29%28%

Guide them toward a life based on POSITIVE VALUES. # 26 – Caring39%42% # 27 – Equality and social justice43%45% # 28 – Integrity63%65% # 29 – Honesty65%65% # 30 – Responsibility61%58% # 31 – Restraint22%23%

Help the develop SOCIAL COMPETENCIES and life skills. # 32 – Planning and decision-making24%25% # 33 – Interpersonal competence35%39% # 34 – Cultural competence30%33% # 35 – Resistance skills36%35% # 36 - Peaceful conflict resolution37%38%

Celebrate their uniqueness and affirm their POSITIVE IDENTITY. # 37 – Personal power41%40% # 38 – Self-esteem43%44% # 39 – Sense of purpose59%59% # 40 – Positive view of personal future72%74%

Average # assets/ community

Asset profiles by grade …. Leeds & Grenville Counties combined data

Why assets are important… They do make a difference in the lives of young people They are the keys to success The following information is based on data from both Leeds and Grenville counties.

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

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