Asset Building

40 Developmental Assets
Through research, the Search Institute identified 40 factors that formed a framework for the building blocks that are essential to a youth’s successful development. This framework is considered applicable across gender, family income, geographic location, race and ethnicity. These factors are referred to as the basic 40 developmental assets. These assets aren’t anything like those found in bank accounts. They are made up of the numerous kinds of opportunities, skills, relationships, values, and self-perceptions that can assist young people. Half of them are called external. These are things that other people can help provide for youth. The other half are internal assets; things that develop within young people themselves. Growing evidence is showing that this kind of power and influence of the assets begins at birth.

All of us need support, skills, and resources to help us get where we want to go in life. The developmental assets are basic, down-to earth, good things we need around us and within us to help us feel secure, cared for, and successful. They are the foundation upon which we make our dreams come true.

Iowa Asset Building Coalition
Currently their website is being updated. Please email Andrew Gross for more information.

After the 1998 National Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth Conference, a group of conference participants from Iowa got together to share ideas about asset building and see what could be done to
1) support community initiatives already in place and
2) encourage others to become involved.