Back by Popular Demand: Asset Blocks!
Greetings, fellow trainers. Several years ago, I shared this training resource. I continue to use it regularly during workshops and presentations and am often asked how to create the resource, so I decided it was time to share it again—especially since we have so many new TOT participants who have joined us in the intervening years!
The resource: Asset Blocks. “Jenga” style wooden blocks with clear labels applied identifying the 40 Developmental Assets and the eight categories of assets. Labels are available in English, Spanish and French.
Asset Labels in English
Asset Labels in Spanish
Asset Labels in French
The history: In designing a workshop for the Todd Beamer Foundation in 2002, Marilyn Peplau and I landed on the idea of introducing the asset language by describing “The Treasure of Assets.” We engaged elementary children in painting a series of small wooden treasure chests (one for each category of assets) from a local craft store. We then prepared a set of 48 wooden blocks by applying clear mailing labels with the eight categories and the 40 individual Developmental Assets—one on each block. Each of the treasure chests was then filled with the blocks for ONE of the categories. We used these chests as a way of allowing small groups of participants to “open the treasure of assets,” review the language on the blocks they received and then selecting the category they felt best described their group of blocks. We found it to be an effective way of introducing the asset language in a fun and engaging way—more of “educing” it from participants than us “teaching it” to them. (We did of course follow this with a more in-depth description of the assets, their origin, and their impact on the lives of young people.)
Tips for use: Since they were created, members of our North American Training Team have found a variety of creative ways to utilize the blocks in workshops. Here are a few examples:
- For a college-based mentoring project in Maine, I’ve adapted the process above slightly and now have an agenda segment entitled “The Gift of Assets” in which I use gift boxes of the blocks as a way of getting the students familiar with the concepts of the asset list that will undergird their mentoring relationship. (see photo)
- Jim Conway has utilized the blocks by dividing the set into Internal and External categories. He then forms two teams (or multiples of two with additional sets of blocks if the group size warrants it). Each team is given either the Internal or External set of blocks and they are instructed to see “who can build the tallest tower” using the blocks. (Note that he intentionally DOES NOT SAY “which team”—for reasons that become clear shortly). After giving them time to work, Jim calls time and measures the towers. He then asks: “Is there any way you could have created a taller tower?” He facilitates a discussion of responses—which are often based upon strategies they’ve seen utilized by other groups. This provides an opportunity to build a bridge to asset-building content by suggesting that we can often learn ideas for improving our own asset building by watching others and adapting our own efforts based on what we learn. If no one offers this suggestion, Jim asks: “Could you have built a taller tower if you’d worked together?” (Which virtually never happens since groups “assume” the task is to work competitively.) Of course the answer is “Yes,” and the groups can then be offered a chance to do so. Whether or not they actually work together to build another tower, process this idea further by asking how this applies to asset building. Accept all observations and be sure to highlight that we do our best asset building when we share resources and work collaboratively around a common language or set of principles, which the asset framework provides.
So, be creative! Find your own ways to use the blocks with youth and adults alike . . . and share your ideas with me by email at timduff@fairpoint.net – perhaps we can post a summary of the great ideas you create on the TOT portion of Search Institute’s website! Enjoy!
Other tips:
- Jenga blocks come in sets greater than 48, but some sets we found in discount stores came in EXACTLY 48 (which we took as a clear sign that this application was meant to be!)
- We utilized clear shipping labels, like Avery #8660
- After applying the labels to the blocks, there was a bit of trimming to do to remove excess label. We used an Exacto knife for that job—which works really well, just be careful . . . those things are SHARP!
- I’ve made my blocks “bi-lingual” by having English labels on one side; Spanish or French on the other.
- I’ve also added the asset numbers to the ends of the blocks for easy reference (and sorting when necessary).
