Miscellaneous

History of Youth & Family Services

Assets for Santa Barbara Youth Coalition

Youth Development Outreach programs is the lead for the coalition.

About; The Assets for Santa Barbara Youth Coalition is a Coalition of 40 youth serving agencies, educators, civic and law enforcement in Santa Barbara County that have come together to work toward a community initiative defined at integrating the 40 Developmental Assets thorugh community projects that enhance the lives of our community youth.

We operate on the premise that it takes a village to raise a child and we actively strive to take intentional steps to create a community that cares for, values and engages it's youth. This manifests in many forms throughout the community and various sectors will pledge to intentionally work to connect and empower youth around them.

History; In 2003, a collaboration formed between the Channel Islands YMCA, United Way, Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Santa Barbara County Education Office and Dos Pueblos High School. From this collaboration, Dos Pueblos High School became the pilot school for 40 Developmental Assets. Over 900 Dos Pueblos High School students were surveyed. Search Institute tallied the results which reflected that, on an average, Dos Pueblos students possessed only 19.8 Assets. Research defines that in order for youth to thrive they need to posses 25 of the 40 Assets. Since 2003, 4 youth serving agencies have been trained and have integrated the Assets into their sites, two schools and 0ver 15 schools and agencies have requested and received on site informational meetings and pre-trainings with formal trainings to occur this next year. Of those sites two pilot schools have signed MOU's with the Channel Islands YMCAS Youth Outreach programs to be the first Elementary School (Isla Vista Elementary) and the first Jr. High School (Goleta Valley Jr. High School). These two schools have met several times with the Outreach Director, Lisa, to organize and comprehensive training and school wide implementation plan to commence in August of 2006. All staff will be trained as well as staff of afterschool programs and all materials will be provided. PTA and Latino parent groups will also be trained and an anuual community service project will occur as part of the schoolwide integration.

The Coalition just presented Empowering Youth to Create Change ~ Anti-Bullying Campaign, a four month Anti-Bullying outreach into 4 secondary schools. This project is unique in that it is primarily student led, 2. a project of the coalition utilizing the expertise of our community agencies 3. it culminates in a Youth Summit Day-

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40 Developmental Assets

www.search-institute.org

Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets are concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people. These assets have the power during critical adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults.

The Developmental Asset framework is categorized into two groups of 20 assets. External assets are the positive experiences young people receive from the world around them. These 20 assets are about supporting and empowering young people, about setting boundaries and expectations, and about positive and constructive use of young people's time. External assets identify important roles that families, schools, congregations, neighborhoods, and youth organizations can play in promoting healthy development.

The twenty internal assets identify those characteristics and behaviors that reflect positive internal growth and development of young people. These assets are about positive values and identities, social competencies, and commitment to learning. The internal Developmental Assets will help these young people make thoughtful and positive choices and, in turn, be better prepared for situations in life that challenge their inner strength and confidence.

There are 8 categories that the 40 Assets are divided into; Support, Empowerment, Boundaries & Expectations, Constructive Use of Time, Commitment to Learning, Positive Values, Social Competencies, and Positive Identity. The first four categories are "internal" assets while the second four are "external" Assets. Some Assets are self-building while others are relationship-based. Backed by significant research, the 40 Developmental Assets have incredible influence on children and young adults in the areas of academic achievement and social competencies. The more Assets a child possesses the higher academic scores and social choices she achieves and chooses.

Internal Assets

1. Family support—Family life provides high levels of love and support.
2. Positive family communication—Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents.
3. Other adult relationships—Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults.
4. Caring neighborhood—Young person experiences caring neighbors.
5. Caring school climate—School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
6. Parent involvement in schooling—Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.
7. Community values youth—Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
8. Youth as resources—Young people are given useful roles in the community.
9. Service to others—Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
10. Safety—Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
11. Family boundaries—Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person’s whereabouts.
12. School Boundaries—School provides clear rules and consequences.
13. Neighborhood boundaries—Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.
14. Adult role models—Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
15. Positive peer influence—Young person’s best friends model responsible behavior.
16. High expectations—Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
17. Creative activities—Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
18. Youth programs—Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.
19. Religious community—Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.
20. Time at home—Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.

External Assets

1. Achievement Motivation—Young person is motivated to do well in school.
2. School Engagement—Young person is actively engaged in learning.
3. Homework—Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
4. Bonding to school—Young person cares about her or his school.
5. Reading for Pleasure—Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
6. Caring—Young person places high value on helping other people.
7. Equality and social justice—Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
8. Integrity—Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
9. Honesty—Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”
10. Responsibility—Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
11. Restraint—Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.
12. Planning and decision making—Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
13. Interpersonal Competence—Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
14. Cultural Competence—Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
15. Resistance skills—Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
16. Peaceful conflict resolution—Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
17. Personal power—Young person feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me.”
18. Self-esteem—Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
19. Sense of purpose—Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”
20. Positive view of personal future—Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future.

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Character Counts!

www.charactercounts.org

PURPOSE
The purpose of the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition is to fortify the lives of America’s young people with consensus ethical values called the “Six Pillars of Character.” These values, which transcend divisions of race, creed, politics, gender and wealth, are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

APPROACH
It just makes sense to teach young people right from wrong, in the classroom, living room and locker room. We want to be surrounded by good people, people we can trust to make decisions according to principle rather than expediency. After all, what are education, coaching and child-rearing supposed to be about? Developing good people who can live healthy, happy lives of purpose — or just clever people who can pass a ball or a test?

The commitment of adults to be models of good character and spend time with young people can make a difference. Young people yearn for consistent adult involvement, and when they get it, according to surveys and plain common sense, they are less inclined toward irresponsible sexual activity, drug and alcohol use, suicide attempts, vandalism and other problems. [Michigan State University poll of 13,000 adolescents in early 1995] Adults, in turn, need support from society’s institutions.

That kind of support network requires consensus and coordination among the men and women of various ages, races, politics and creeds who make up those institutions. They will need to agree on common values and teach them in word and deed.

The Coalition works to overcome the false but surprisingly powerful notion that no single value is intrinsically superior to another; that ethical values vary by race, class, gender and politics; that greed and fairness, cheating and honesty carry the same moral weight, simply depending on one’s perspective and immediate needs.

Effective character education does not dismiss the importance of self-esteem, but maintains that ethical values must be ranked above expedience and personal preference. Character education sets up objective criteria of virtue and encourages young people to adopt them as ground rules for life.