2012 PROFILE OF YOUTH IN GREATER BRIDGEPORT

Presented By

RYASAP Catalyst for Community Change

Bridgeport, CT

In Cooperation WithSearch Institute, Minneapolis, MN

TRUMBULL

2012 PROFILE OF YOUTHTRUMBULL BREAKDOWN

594 Youth surveyed

Racial and Ethnic Breakdown73% White 11% Multi-racial6% Hispanic 5% African

American5% Asian/Pacific <1% Native

American

DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETSEXTERNAL ASSETS

Positive experiences and support a young person receives from formal and informal connections to the community

(Regional which includes your data is in parentheses)

SUPPORT1. Family Support 73% Family life provides high levels of love &

support 2. Positive Family Communication 31% Young person & parents

communicate positively and youth seeks parental advice 3. Other Adult Relationships 53% Young person receives support

from 3+ nonparent adults 4. Caring neighborhood 42% Young person experiences caring

neighbors 5. Caring School Climate 33% School provides a caring, encouraging

environment 6. Parent Involvement in Schooling 25% Parent(s) actively involved

in helping young person succeed in school EMPOWERMENT

1. Community Values Youth 25% Young person perceives that adults values youth

2. Youth as Resources 29% Young people are given useful roles in the community 3. Service to Others 62% Young person serves in the community one (1) hour or more per week 4. Safety 58% Young feels safe at home, school and in the neighborhood

EXTERNAL ASSETS continued BOUNDARIES & EXPECTATIONS

1. Family Boundaries 49% Family has clear rules & consequences and monitors young person’s whereabouts

2. School Boundaries 57% School provides clear rules & consequences

3. Neighborhood Boundaries 41% Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring youth behavior

4. Adult Role Models 32% Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior

5. Positive peer influence 67% Young person's friends model responsible behavior

6. High Expectations 53% Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME

1. Creative Activities 26% Young person spends 3+ hours/week in lessons or practice of music, theater or other arts.

2. Youth Programs 75% Young person spends 3+ hours/week in sports, clubs or organizations and school and/or community

3. Religious Community 56% Young person spends 1+ hours/week in activities in a religious institution.

4. Time at Home 61% Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” 2 or fewer nights/week

DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETSINTERNAL ASSETS

Things a community and family nurture within youth sothey can contribute to their own development

COMMITMENT TO LEARNING1. Achievement motivation 76% Young person is motivated to do well

in school 2. School engagement 66% Young person is actively engaged in

learning 3. Homework 61% Young person reports doing at least one (1) hour of

homework every school day 4. Bonding to school 57% Young person cares about his/her school 5. Reading for pleasure 21% Young person reads for pleasure 3+

hours/week POSITIVE VALUES1. Caring 58% Young person places high value on helping others 2. Equality & School Justice 58% Young person places high value on

promoting equality and reducing hunger & poverty 3. Integrity 75% Young person acts on convictions and stands up for

his/her beliefs 4. Honesty 66% Young person tells the truth even when it is not easy 5. Responsibility 64% Young person accepts and takes personal

responsibility 6. Restraint 44% Young person believes it is important not to be sexually

active or to use alcohol/other drugs

INTERNAL ASSETS continued

SOCIAL COMPENTENCIES1. Planning & Decision Making 39% Young person knows how to plan

ahead & make choices 2. Interpersonal Competence 55% Young person has empathy,

sensitivity, and friendship skills 3. Cultural Competence 45% Young person has knowledge of/comfort with

people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds 4. Resistance skills 51% Young person can resist negative peer pressure &

dangerous situations 5. Peaceful conflict resolution 43% Young person seeks to resolve conflict

nonviolently

POSITIVE IDENTITY1. Personal Power 52% Young person feels he/she has control over “things

that happen to me” 2. Self-esteem 56% Young person reports having a high self-esteem 3. Sense of purpose 68% Young person reports that “my life has a

purpose” 4. Positive view of personal future 77% Young person is optimistic

about his or her personal future

FOUR CORE MEASURES

2008 2012

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

Alcohol (2008 33% ~ 2012 26.5%)

Tobacco (2008 11% ~ 2012 7%)

Marijuana (2008 17% ~ 2012 14%)

PAST 30 Day Use

Past 30-Day Substance Use by Asset Level

Alcohol Tobacco Marijuana0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

0-1011-2021-3031-40

Youth’s Perception of RiskFOUR CORE MEASURES

2008 20120

102030405060708090

100

Alcohol (2008 67%~2012 69.5%)

Tobacco (2008 65% ~2012 94.66%)

Youth’s Perception of Substance Use Risk by Asset Level

Alcohol Tobacco Marijuana0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

0-1011-2021-3031-40

Perception of Parental Disapproval

FOUR CORE MEASURES

2008 201282

84

86

88

90

92

94

96

98

Alcohol (2008 87%/2012 88%)Tobacco (2008 90%/2012 96.16%)Marijuana (2008 93%/2012 93.66%)

Perception of Parental Disapproval by Asset Level

Alcohol Tobacco Marijuana0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0-1011-2021-3031-40

Age of First Use

FOUR CORE MEASURES

Age of First Use12.60

12.80

13.00

13.20

13.40

13.60

13.80

14.00

14.20

Alcohol (13.1)Tobacco (13.4)Marijuana (14.1)

GENDER DIFFERENCES

Developmental Asset Male

Female

Service to others – serves community 1-2 hours/week 55% 70%

Safety – feels safe at home, school and in the community 68% 49%

Creative Activities – spends 3 or more hours/week in lessons/practice in music/theater/other arts

18% 33%

Achievement Motivation – is motivated to do well in school 66% 85%

Other Adult Relationships -Young person receives support from 3+ nonparent adults

48% 57%

School Boundaries - School provides clear rules & consequences 52% 61%

Reading for Pleasure – reads for pleasure 3+/week 15% 27%

Caring – places high value on helping other people 46% 70%

School Engagement - Young person is actively engaged in learning 59% 74%

Homework - Young person reports doing at least one (1) hour of homework every school day

48% 72%

Positive Peer Influence - Young person's friends model responsible behavior

60% 74%

In addition to an educational achievement gap, there is a serious gap between the performance of young male students versus

female students. Note the following differences of more than 8% between young male and female students.

-

GENDER DIFFERENCES continued

Developmental Asset Male

Female

Bonding to school - Young person cares about his/her school 52% 63%

Equality & Social Justice – places high value on promoting equality/reducing hunger & poverty

46% 70%

Integrity – acts on convictions and stands up for what he/she believes 69% 81%

Honesty – tells the truth even when it is not easy 58% 73%

Responsibility – accepts and takes personal responsibility 55% 74%

Restraint – believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol/other drugs

37% 50%

Interpersonal Competence – has empathy, sensitivity & friendship skills

40% 68%

Resistance Skills - Young person can resist negative peer pressure & dangerous situations

45% 56%

Planning & Decisions Making - Young person knows how to plan ahead & make choices

32% 45%

Peaceful Conflict Resolution – young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently

26% 58%

Self-Esteem - Young person reports having a high self-esteem 61% 52%

Risk-Taking Behaviors

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%

Risk-Taking Behaviors

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Risk-Taking Behaviors

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Youth Reporting Developmental Deficits

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Overall

The 8 Indicators of Thriving Youth

• Experience school success • Exhibit leadership

• Help others informally • Resist danger• Value diversity

• Control impulsive behavior• Maintain good personal health

• Overcome adversity

These are the factors commonly valued & accepted by developmental experts

as important elements of healthy human development.

THRIVING LEVELS

Just as assets protect against negative behaviors, they also promote positive behaviors. Having multiple protective factors (assets) as a

young person is more influential in ensuring positive youth outcomes than having risk factors (deficits & risky behaviors)

Youth with more Developmental Assets generally report higher average levels of thriving indicators.

0 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30 31 - 400

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

2.8

4

5.1

6.1

Average Number of Thriving

Indicators

Succ

eeds

in S

choo

l

Hel

ps O

ther

s

Value

s Div

ersity

Mai

ntai

ns G

ood

Hea

lth

Exhi

bits

Lea

ders

hip

Resists

Dan

ger

Del

ays Gra

tifica

tion

Ove

rcom

es A

dver

sity

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 - 1011 - 2021 - 3031 - 40

Thriving Indicators & Related Asset Levels

Stratford’s Asset Challenge

12%

36%41%

12%

Assets

0-10 Assets

11-20 Assets

21-30 Assets

31-40 Assets

All young people need assets ~ While it is crucial to pay special attention to youth who have the least resources (economically/emotionally), all children and adolescents will benefit from having even more assets than they have now.

Everyone Can build assets ~ All adults, youth & children can play a role in developing assets by spreading positive messages to and about young people across the community.

Building assets is an ongoing process ~ Asset development starts with a child is born, and continues through high school and beyond.

Relationships are crucial ~ A key to asset development is strong relationships between adults & young people, between young people & their peers and between teenagers & younger children.

Send consistent messages ~ Asset building requires sending consistent, positive messages to youth & adults about what is important.

Repeat the message – again & again ~ Young people need to hear the same positive messages and feel support, over and over, from many different people.

Strengthening the Foundationof Developmental Assets

REMEMBER

It’s all about the ASSETS