Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16
Congregations Nurture Children and Youth.
What dreams do we hold for our children and youth? Do we want them to be faithful and faith-filled? Of course. Do we want them to grow as well-rounded Christians in body, mind, and spirit? Absolutely. Do we want our children to be happy, enthusiastic about life, and hopeful for the future? Yes! So how do we help young people get what they need? Our faith shapes all aspects of who we are and what we do, including the ways we care for children and youth. Congregations contribute to young people’s healthy growth and development in powerful ways. Some of the gifts that congregations offer children and youth include:
- A sense of being welcomed, cared for, and valued;
- Meaningful, healthy relationships with other young people;
- Meaningful relationships with many caring adults and role models;
- Opportunities to have fun and fully live out their time of being young;
- Opportunities to contribute, serve, and lead;
- A challenging, enriching environment for learning and growth;
- Clear boundaries about what is expected;
- Strong connections with and support for families;
- A sense of belonging in the intergenerational community of faith; and
- A commitment to minister to the needs of children and youth in our communities and world.
These experiences form a vital core of what children and youth need to grow as happy, healthy, caring, principled, and productive people. Search Institute of Minneapolis Minnesota, has done extensive research on positive factors that make a difference in a young person’s life. They have labeled these factors Developmental Assets. As you read about the 40 Developmental Assets, reflect on the many good things that congregations in your community are already doing to build these assets in young people. Consider, also, your potential to do even more to nurture young people.
What Are the Developmental Assets? Since 1990, Search Institute has promoted a positive vision for young people. In surveys of more than 2.2 million young people across the United States, Search Institute has examined the kinds of experiences and relationships young people need to grow up happy, caring, responsible, and faithful. At the core of this research is the framework of 40 Developmental Assets. Developmental Assets are positive relationships, opportunities, experiences, and personal strengths in young people’s lives.
The Developmental Assets address the kinds of resources, opportunities, and relationships that young people need in their families, congregations, schools, and communities. The assets also address the personal beliefs, values, commitments, and skills that shape a young person’s character. (For more detailed information on the assets, see toolkit handout 1 and 2 in this tool kit.)
Unfortunately, the average young person growing up in the United States experiences only about half of the 40 Developmental Assets. This is true in all types of communities, from large cities to small towns and rural areas. This is true in all ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Indeed, the research suggests that our society is failing to provide our children and youth in every community with the basic building blocks of healthy development.
The research on Developmental Assets can be seen as a companion to the extensive research on the economic and political issues that affect young people’s lives. Much of the research that currently guides public policy focuses on the economic and political infrastructure needed to support young people’s healthy growth and development. Search Institute focuses its work on the “human development” infrastructure—the patterns of relationship, care, and opportunity that also are vital for the healthy growth and development of all young people. This research shows that young people in all economic situations benefit greatly when they have more assets in their lives.
What’s Different about Asset Building? One of the benefits and challenges of asset building is that it is not “one thing.” It is not a packaged program that you implement and are done with. It’s not something that can be done in just one way. Rather, it is a framework or approach that can guide everything you do with children, youth, and families. It helps make choices. It strengthens the ministries you already have. Yes, programs can build assets. But asset building isn’t, itself, a program. Each congregation builds assets a little bit differently—and that’s OK. Here are some ways that asset building is different.
| Typical Child and Youth Programs | Asset Building |
| Focus on implementing a new curriculum or step-by-step process | Invites people and groups to discover how they can—and do—make a difference in the lives of young people |
| Often rely on professionals or a single volunteer to make it work | Challenges many people to be asset builders in both formal and informal ways |
| Focuses on fixing a problem | Focuses on celebrating and building strengths in young people, families, congregations, and communities |
| Emphasizes short-term implementation | Offers short-term ways to get started, but emphasizes the importance of long-term, sustained behavior change |
Key Principles of Asset Building. Everyone—parents and guardians, grandparents, teachers, coaches, friends, youth workers, employers, neighbors—can build assets in young people. And young people can build their own assets. It can be as easy as smiling at the young people you see each day and learning their names, or as challenging as forming a mentoring relationship with a young person. Each effort to increase the number of assets in a young person’s life can make a difference. Asset building doesn’t necessarily take a lot of money. The larger investment demanded is time—time for building relationships, spending time together, and being intentional about nurturing positive values and commitments.
Consider how these six key principles guide all asset-building efforts. (See also, toolkit handout 3.)
- All young people need assets. While it is crucial to pay special attention to those children and youth who have the least (economically or emotionally), nearly all young people need more assets than they have. And the more assets they have, the better.
- Relationships are key. Strong relationships—between adults and young people, young people and their peers, and teenagers and children—are central to asset building.
- Everyone can build assets. Each adult, youth, and child has the responsibility and capacity to build assets.
- Asset building is an ongoing process. Building assets starts when a child is born and continues through high school and beyond.
- Young people need consistent messages. Young people need to receive consistent messages about what’s important and what’s expected from their families, congregations, schools, communities, the media, and other sources.
- Intentional redundancy is important. Assets need to be reinforced continually across the years and in all areas of a young person’s life.
