What’s Next?
It can be difficult to come up with an action plan after you’ve received your survey results. After wading through 80 pages of data on your youth, the obvious question is “Where do I start?” Here are some ideas.
What’s Up with Our Kids?
A Search Institute trainer can come to your community and discuss your Attitudes and Behaviors or Me and My World results. The presenter will provide and suggest possible interpretation of the survey data, and point toward concrete actions your community can take to help build on its strengths. Check out Training & Speaking for more information.
Tips and Tricks
‘Youth Speak Out through Survey Results: Practical Tips for Spreading the Word’ by Deborah Fisher offers suggestions on engaging youth in the survey dissemination process.
Vermont Student Retreat Manual
After administering the Attitudes and Behaviors survey, the Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union in Hardwick, Vermont, facilitated a unique student retreat to analyze their report data and promote discussion of the presence and advancement of the 40 Developmental Assets in their schools and communities. From this, A Guide for Student Analysis of the Search Institute Data: Organization of a Day Retreat for 6th through 12th Graders was developed. Its purpose is to assist schools and communities in engaging their students to think about and make decisions to foster the 40 Developmental Assets in their own lives. Check out the Student Retreat Manual here!
Ice-breakers
Planning a school/administration/community meeting to present your results?
An activity can be a fun way to get your crowd thinking of the assets. The Web of Support exercise from Get Things Going is a fun way to illustrate the importance of the community in asset-building.
St. Louis Park, MN has used Asset Trivia before presenting their survey results as a fun and informative way to learn perceptions of youth from the community and to compare that to the actual youth responses.
News and Articles
Letters to the Editor, opinion pieces, news stories, lifestyle stories—your local media can be a powerful tool and ally in releasing your survey results. The following communities worked with their local media to present a wide array of news content regarding their survey results.
Pamphlets and Brochures
Some communities will design a pamphlet or brochure to get the word out about the assets and their survey data. The following communities designed attractive and informative brochures to not only release their survey data, but to emphasize the assets of their youth as well as areas to work on.
Albuquerque Assets Albuquerque, NM
Hampton Coalition for Youth Hampton, VA
Popular Search Institute Resources for Asset Building
The Asset Approach This eight-page booklet introduces adults to the power of using the assets in their daily interactions with youth. A great handout for sharing the power of the assets with others!
150 Ways to Show Kids You Care This mini-poster lists thoughtful and practical acts of caring that make a world of difference to young people. Perfect on bulletin boards and refrigerators, or as inserts in mailings or paycheck envelopes.
Your Workplace: Simple Investment, Big Reward Introduce business owners, managers, and staff to the Developmental Assets and show them the rewards and benefits of intentionally building assets in the workplace.
Your Family: Using Simple Wisdom in Raising Our Children This booklet helps parents and caregivers reflect on their important role and the power they have to bring good things into the lives of children.
Pass It On! Ready-To-Use Handouts for Asset Builders This collection of 92 easy-to-read reproducible handouts provides inspiration and practical suggestions for everyone.
Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth E-Mail Discussion Group This discussion group is for coordinators and other leaders of community-wide initiatives who are seeking to apply Search Institute’s framework of Developmental Assets in their community.
