WHAT IS TEEN POWER?
Teen Power is a program designed to connect middle & high school students with the community through jobs. Teen Power provides teens with the opportunity to be employed and valued by the community.
Teen Power facilitates these jobs through a website designed to provide busy community members an online "yellow pages" of teen workers.
Teen Power also encourages teens to participate in educational classes provided by the Teen Center and/or different organizations within the community as a way to attain their future goals. Additionally, Teen Power encourages teens to donate their time and talent by participating in different community service opportunities.
The hope of the Teen Power program is that teens will feel empowered and supported by their community and that community members will value the talents and dreams of their teens. This connection will serve to strengthen our community.
WHY SHOULD TEENS PARTICIPATE IN TEEN POWER?
We believe that Teen Power provides teens with the opportunity to be employed and feel valued by our community. We believe the Teen Power service will help teens develop work ethic and strong connections with their community.
WHAT IS THE PREMISE BEHIND TEEN POWER?
Teen Power is based on the
Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets. “The Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets are concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people. These assets have the power during critical adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults. According to the research of the Search Institute, teens who feel supported and empowered, understand boundaries and expectations, and have constructive ways to use their time have more assets, which leads to their positive development.” (Quote from
Search Institute Website.)
We believe that Teen Power will provide for “
asset-building--the Institute’s term for purposefully helping youth experience more assets in their lives. The Institute (and Teen Power) understands the awesome power we have in making positive and lasting impact on the lives of young people.”
Teen Power is our contribution to growing a healthy community and healthy youth in Jackson Hole.
The Search Institute's mission statement:
The Search Institute is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. To accomplish this mission, the institute generates and communicates new knowledge, and brings together community, state, and national leaders.
At the heart of the institute's work is the framework of
40 DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS, which are positive experiences and personal qualities that young people need to grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.
40 DEVELPMENTAL ASSETS:
“Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets are concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people. These assets have the power during critical adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults.
The Developmental Asset framework is categorized into two groups of 20 assets. External assets are the positive experiences young people receive from the world around them. These 20 assets are about supporting and empowering young people, about setting boundaries and expectations, and about positive and constructive use of young people's time. External assets identify important roles that families, schools, congregations, neighborhoods, and youth organizations can play in promoting healthy development.
The twenty internal assets identify those characteristics and behaviors that reflect positive internal growth and development of young people. These assets are about positive values and identities, social competencies, and commitment to learning. The internal Developmental Assets will help these young people make thoughtful and positive choices and, in turn, be better prepared for situations in life that challenge their inner strength and confidence."
There are two (2) asset categories: external and internal.
External Assets: The first 20 Developmental Assets focus on positive experiences that young people receive from the people and institutions in their lives. Four categories of external assets are included in the framework (descriptors in blue are goals of Teen Power):
- Support-Young people need to experience support, care, and love from their families, neighbors, and many others. They need organizations and institutions that provide positive, supportive environments.
- Empowerment-Young people need to be valued by their community and have opportunities to contribute to others. For this to occur, they must be safe and feel secure.
- Boundaries and expectations-Young people need to know what is expected of them and whether activities and behaviors are "in bounds" and "out of bounds."
- Constructive use of time-Young people need constructive, enriching opportunities for growth through creative activities, youth programs
Internal Assets: A community's responsibility for its young people does not end with the provision of external assets. Caring adults must make a similar commitment to nurturing the internal qualities that guide positive choices and foster a sense of confidence, passion, and purpose. Young people need this wisdom to make responsible decisions about the present and future. The framework includes four categories of internal assets (descriptors in blue are goals of Teen Power):
- Commitment to learning-Young people need to develop a lifelong commitment to education and learning.
- Positive values-Young people need to develop strong values that guide their choices.
- Social competencies-Young people need skills and competencies that equip them to make positive choices, to build relationships, and to succeed in life.
- Positive identity-Young people need a strong sense of their own power, purpose, worth, and promise.
We invite you to thoroughly explore the Search Institute’s website. Read about each of the 40 Developmental Assets, learn more about the research behind the assets, and discover all the resources and support services Search Institute provides to assist those who are ready to begin improving the lives of young people and their communities.
Teen Power was designed to provide opportunities for teens to develop assets!
Information reprinted with permission from Search Institute, About Search Institute/40 Developmental Assets.
Copyright © 2005 Search Institute®, Minneapolis, MN; www.search-institute.org
All Rights Reserved.
