Northern Kentucky Health Department

Internal and External Assets

The 40 Developmental Assets can be divided into two categories--external assets and internal assets.

Family support -- Family life provides high levels of love and support
Positive family communication -- Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parent(s)
Other adult relationships -- Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults
Caring neighborhood -- Young person experiences caring neighbors
Caring school climate -- School provides a caring, encouraging environment
Parent involvement in schooling -- Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school

Empowerment

Community values youth -- Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth
Youth as resources -- Young people are given useful roles in the community
Service to others -- Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week
Safety -- Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood

Boundaries and expectations

Family boundaries -- Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person's whereabouts
School boundaries -- School provides clear rules and consequences
Neighborhood boundaries -- Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people's behavior
Adult role models -- Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior
Positive peer influence -- Young person's best friends model responsible behavior
High expectations -- Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well

Constructive use of time

Creative activities -- Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts
Youth programs -- Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community
Religious community -- Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution
Time at home -- Young person is out with friends "with nothing special to do" two or fewer nights per week

Achievement motivation -- Young person is motivated to do well in school
School engagement -- Young person is actively engaged in learning
Homework -- Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day
Bonding to school -- Young person cares about her or his school
Reading for pleasure -- Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week

Positive values

Caring -- Young person places high value on helping other people
Equality and social justice -- Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty
Integrity -- Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs
Honesty -- Young person "tells the truth even when it is not easy"
Responsibility -- Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility
Restraint -- Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs

Social competencies

Planning and decision making -- Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices
Interpersonal competence -- Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills
Cultural competence -- Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds
Resistance skills -- Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations
Peaceful conflict resolution -- Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently

Positive identity

Personal power -- Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me"
Self-esteem -- Young person reports having a high self-esteem
Sense of purpose -- Young person reports that "my life has a purpose"
Positive view of personal future -- Young person is optimistic about his or her personal future