Abundant Assets Alliance

Abundant Asset Cases

The purpose of the Abundant Asset Cases is to provide a vision for what is possible. It is also to teach about what it takes to develop what can be. Imagination is a powerful capacity for any leader. It has been said that all things are created twice. The first creation is in the envisioning of the possible; the second in the creation of such a reality. These Cases are designed to be a catalyst for both: to illuminate what the Abundant Assets look like when they are functioning in exemplary form, and to provide some guidance in how to develop that quality of practice within the local branches of a YMCA association. Introduction to Case Studies

Curriculum Case 1

Curriculum Case 2

Curriculum Case 3

Curriculum Case 4

Curriculum Case 5

Curriculum Case 6

Curriculum Case 7

Curriculum Case 8

Assets and Culture Report

The Assets and Culture Report (2007) gives information from diverse staff across six North American YMCAs. Interviews and focus groups were conducted to get an idea of how the Developmental Assets approach affected organizational culture. Results from these interviews of over 200 staff showed that there are catalytic elements, necessary conditions and tell-tale signs which demonstrate how YMCAs implement the asset approach. Click here to access the report.

Asset Building Adult Engagement Toolkit

The Abundant Assets Alliance announces a new tool for YMCAs to use in helping adults to engage with youth. This kit, designed by Search Institute for YMCAs, can help you maximize your positive influence on kids, families, and your community. Included in the kit are ten simple sets of materials including posters, take-away cards and handouts. In addition, the toolkit contains a user-friendly training design and “discussion starters” to get staff members thinking about how they can engage other adults in young people’s lives. For a summary of the toolkit click here.

Survey Comparsion At-A-Glance

Are you wondering what the difference between the YMCA Purple Kit and Search Institute's Profile of Student Life is? Not sure which survey tool to use for a specific age group? Unsure what each survey tool measures? This chart compares and contrasts each survey tool and provides an overview of where to get each and the cost for processing. Click here to utilize the comparison chart.

Raising Kids Who Read

You don't have to look very far to find the most important job in the world. It's being the parent or primary caregiver of a child. It's doing one's best to give kids what it takes to be healthy and happy.

For parents and others who love and live with kids between the ages of 5 and 10, this booklet supports your efforts to build assets and raise readers. It links literacy - the ability to read and write - to the 40 developmental assets that children need to thrive. Reading is the most important skill a child can master to succeed in school and later in life. In this booklet you will explore the developmental needs of children; support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, constructive use of time, commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies and positive identity, through the lens of children's stories. Each chapter highlights a set of books that are too terrific to miss while helpful charts and checklists offer an easy way for you to translate sound advice into effective action.

Happy reading!

Raising Kids Who Read Monthly Tip Sheet

Developed as companions to the above resource, these monthly tip sheets include new information and activities to help adults engage children in reading. Check back here each month for a new tip sheet.

Raising Kids Who Read Tip Sheet 1

Raising Kids Who Read Tip Sheet 2

Raising Kids Who Read Tip Sheet 3

Raising Kids Who Read Tip Sheet 3 - French Version

Raising Kids Who Read Tip Sheet 4

Raising Kids Who Read Tip Sheet 5

The 45-Minute Training
The Abundant Assets Alliance has developed a helpful 45-Minute introductory training session and supporting materials on developmental assets.

Everyone involved with YMCA youth and teen programs knows that program leaders can make a difference. The challenge is to show funders that this is, in fact, true.

This kit is designed to help CEOs and executives make the case for support and to help program leaders survey youth and teen participants on the asset-based approach to youth and teen development. Survey results from this kit will show how your programs are contributing to the development of Search Institute's 40 assets.

This revised and expanded kit now includes three ready-to-use written surveys:

A youth survey

A teen survey

A parent survey The kit also includes two other documents:

YMCA Asset Aggregate Data (of more than 11,000 YMCA young people)

"Making the Case: Measuring the Impact of Youth Programs," produced by the YMCA of the USA and Search Institute

Contents of the Purple Kit are included in the manual, Asset Building the YMCA Way, which participants receive at the 2-day training. You can also order the revised Purple Kit through your YMCA Program Store Catalog.

Building Strong Families (2004):
From YMCA of the USA and Search Institute — A Study of African American and Latino/Latina Parents in the United States and Resources These Parents Need to Succeed

The Building Strong Families 2004 Study is the second study in an ongoing collaboration between YMCA of the USA and Search Institute around strong families and parenting. Following its 2002 counterpart which examined the resources that families have or need to raise children that thrive, the 2004 study examines the same family strengths, challenges and resources, this time among African American and Latino/ Latina families. Both studies are part of the larger Abundant Assets Alliance, which combines the resources of the YMCA of the USA, YMCA Canada, and Search Institute.

Building Strong Families (2002):
A Preliminary Study on American Parents and Resources They Need to Succeed

Made possible by a generous grant from the Kimberly-Clark Corporation .

November 20, 2002-Parents of children and teenagers are "going it alone," without the support, encouragement, and networks that would make it easier to overcome the daily challenges of parenting, according to a new poll of 1,005 parents by YMCA of the USA and Search Institute. Most parents interviewed generally feel successful as parents most of the time, and they do many things to help their children grow up strong and healthy. However, they say that more support and affirmation from others would really help them as parents.

For More Information

New Year's Resolutions for Supporting Families in 2003--A press release encouraging people to apply the findings from the Building Strong Families study in their New Year's resolutions.
Study: Parents "Going It Alone," Despite Available Support--Press release on the Building Strong Families study.
Building Strong Families Fact Sheet--A two-page summary of key findings from the poll.
Building Strong Families: Highlights from a Preliminary Survey--An easy-to-read summary of key findings from the study, stories of families that reflect the study's findings, and practical action steps.
Building Strong Families: An In-Depth Report--This research report presents the findings in detail, tells stories of parents and communities that illustrate the poll's findings, offers action ideas, and presents technical information on the study.
Parenting Self-Quiz--A simple conversation-starting tool for adults to compare their perspectives to those of parents in this survey.
Building Strong Families: Insights from Research--A free electronic newsletter that provides updates on the study as well as other relevant research on building strong families.
Building Strong Families: Power Point Presentation--A ready-to-use presentation of the key findings from the study, including presentation notes.

Additional Resources

YMCA Resources--For more information on family programs at your local YMCA, or for practical parenting resources from the YMCA Strong Families Zone, go to www.ymca.net.
Asset-Building Resources for Parents and Those who Work with Them--Search Institute offers a range of asset-based tools and resources for parents and families-and those who support them.