Just as each jazz band interprets a musical piece its own way, asset building looks a little different in each community. However, there are some underlying themes that make “the tune” recognizable across communities. Though no community fully embodies these ideals, the vision can inspire communities to break out of current habits to try something new.
1. Assets are nurtured in all young people. Rather than focusing primarily on specific groups of young people for intervention (for example, those “at risk”), asset-building communities embrace and intentionally seek to nourish all young people.
2. Relationships are key. Rather than defining themselves primarily in terms of programs, asset-building communities view themselves more in terms of relationships. Initially, programs may be developed to help create connections in neighborhoods, schools, businesses, congregations, and other settings across all generations. But programs become less central as “natural” relationships, networks, and activities emerge to care for youth.
3. Everyone contributes to the vision. In an asset-building community, caring for young people is not the sole responsibility of families or schools or professional care providers. All residents—parents, neighbors, young people, educators, business people, senior citizens, congregation members, and others—see themselves as guardians of the community’s young people.
4. Asset building never stops. Asset building begins before birth (equipping parents-to-be with skills) and continues at least until young people become independent adults. At each developmental stage, the community emphasizes different assets that respond to the young person’s needs. Furthermore, the community explores how to nurture the assets that adults need.
5. The community is filled with consistent messages. If you spend time in an asset-building community, you quickly sense harmony in the messages that young people hear. One way communities and institutions are beginning to develop consistent messages is simply by using the language of asset building in describing relationships, activities, and programs. In this way, people consistently hear that young people are a priority in the community.
6. Duplication and repetition are valued. Just as marketers have learned that people need to hear a message several times before they fully grasp and act on it, the asset-building community knows that young people need to experience many expressions of care, guidance, and opportunities in all areas of community life. Rather than delegating one part of asset building to a particular segment of the community, the whole community recognizes its responsibility in strengthening the whole asset foundation.
