Got Assets? Initiative
Youth and Adults United for a Healthy Community

MISSION:

Infuse the Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets framework into local schools and communities within Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in order to encourage leadership, service to others, and a strong sense of self in our youth, while at the same time protecting them from making harmful or unhealthy choices. This framework will engage youth and adults in modeling, teaching, and celebrating healthy youth and healthy communities.

PURPOSE:

Get personally involved in asset building and encourage others to do the same, which is one of the most important commitments we can make for the future of our young people and our community. Everyone has a role to play. We are not separated in this task by whether or not we have children, by ethnic background, by socio-economic status, by the amount of education, or by how old we are, but we are bound to one another and support each other in our concern for the well-being of our children.

CORE CONCEPTS:

The 40 Developmental Assets framework has four major purposes in a community (Leffert, Benson, Scales, et al, 1998).

• Provide a framework of core elements of positive human development that focuses on developmental processes, experiences, and known resources that promote short and long term well-being
• Create a common language and a unified picture of positive development capable of uniting a community around what our children and adolescents need to succeed
• Supply an assessment presenting a portrait of developmental assets of our community's youth serving as a call to action to strengthen development processes and experiences for all youth
• Empower and mobilize residents, families, neighborhoods, youth organizations, religious institutions, and other community sectors to take action

ACTION STRATEGIES:

There are five action strategies that will transform communities into Asset Building Communities (Search Institute, 2004).

• Engage Adults
• Mobilize Young People
• Activate Community Sectors
• Invigorate Current Programs
• Influence Civic Decision

GOALS:

Use the 40 Developmental Assets to…

• Help youth grow up to be healthy, caring, responsible, and active citizens
• Help parents become a positive influence lasting throughout their children's lifetimes
• Provide businesses with information to help them support their employees, build a "family friendly" philosophy, and show their commitment to the community
• Help local school districts to meet their strategic planning goals
• Help local cities to meet their Youth Master Plan goals
• Bridge the asset building efforts between our youth, parents, schools, businesses and communities, so we will work together towards one purpose: Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth

PARTNERS / AFFILIATES:

• Pleasanton Unified School District
• Amador Valley Adult Education
• City of Pleasanton
• Tri-Valley YMCA
• Pleasanton Service Learning Consortium
• San Ramon Valley School District
• EPIC Healthy Choices of San Ramon

GRANTEES/DONORS:

• Pleasanton Partners in Education
• City of Pleasanton
• Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council
• Clorox
• Pleasanton Service Learning Consortium
• Tri-Valley YMCA
• Lydiksen Elementary PFC
• Valley View Elementary PFC
• Foothill High School AABC