Developmental Assets® Framework by Search Institute

Developmental Assets Framework

• The Search Institute has identified 40 positive supports and strengths that young people need to succeed in life.

External Assets

• Support: Young people need to be surrounded by people who love, care for, appreciate, and accept them.
  • Family support: Family life provides high levels of love and support.
  • Positive family communication: Young person and their parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek parent(s) advice and counsel.
  • Other adult relationships: Young person receives support from three or more non-parent adults.
  • Caring neighborhood: Young person experiences caring neighbors.
  • Caring school climate: School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
  • Parent involvement in schooling: Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.
• Empowerment: Young people need to feel valued and valuable.
  • Community values youth: Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
  • Youth as resources: Young people are given useful roles in the community.
  • Service to others: Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
  • Safety: Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
• Boundaries and Expectations: Young people need clear rules, consistent consequences for breaking rules, and encouragement to do their best.
  • Family boundaries: Family has clear rules and consequences, and monitors the young person’s whereabouts.
  • School boundaries: School provides clear rules and consequences.
  • Neighborhood boundaries: Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.
  • Adult role models: Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
  • Positive peer influence: Young person’s best friends model responsible behavior.
  • High expectations: Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
• Constructive Use of Time: Young people need opportunities—outside of school—to learn and develop new skills and interests with other youth and adults.
  • Creative activities: Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
  • Youth programs: Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in community organizations.
  • Religious community: Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.
  • Time at home: Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do,” two or fewer nights per week.

Internal Assets

• Commitment to Learning: Young people need a sense of the lasting importance of learning and a belief in their own abilities.
  • Achievement motivation: Young person is motivated to do well in school.
  • School engagement: Young person is actively engaged in learning.
  • Homework: Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
  • Bonding to school: Young person cares about their school.
  • Reading for pleasure: Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
• Positive Values: Young people need to develop strong guiding values or principles to help them make healthy life choices.
  • Caring: Young person places high value on helping other people.
  • Equality and social justice: Young person places a high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
  • Integrity: Young person acts on convictions and stands up for their beliefs.
  • Honesty: Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”