Search Institute

News Releases

admin — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:01:06 -0600

November-5-2008
Youth Around the World See Spirituality as Important,
Want to Talk About It

A two-year global research project reveals that today’s youth view spirituality as an important part of their lives, though most rarely talk to others about it. Respondents to the far-reaching study, led by Search Institute’s Center for Spiritual Development, included young people from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds, spanning 17 countries and six continents.
Download PDF of the press release
Download the study and other information

October-15-2008
Search Institute’s Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence to Present First Public Release on How Youth View Spiritual Development

On November 5 at a pre-conference event leading into the 12th Annual Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth Conference, the CSD will release the results of a three-year global research project, revealing how today’s youth understand and experience spiritual development in their everyday lives.
Download PDF Learn more about the Center for Spiritual Development

September-30-2008
SPARKS: How Parents Can Help Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers by Peter Benson, Ph.D., President and CEO of Search Institute® and a leading authority on childhood and adolescence, describes a simple yet powerful plan for awakening the spark that lives inside each and every young person.
Download PDF Get the book

September-10-2008
Search Institute®, a national leader in discovering what kids need to succeed, hosts its 12th annual Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth® Conference November 6-8 on the theme Igniting Sparks: Connect to Hope. Conference assemblies, learning sessions, hot topics, and pre-conference seminars will provide learning opportunities for every community and education sector.
Read More Visit the website

June-14-2008
Stay Close—Search Institute Book Offers Creative Solutions for Nurturing Long-Distance Relationships between Adults and the Children They Love
Read more

June-01-2008
The 40 Developmental Assets are the subject of a feature article, Making a Difference Using Developmental Assets, in the June 2008 issue of VOYA. VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) is a bimonthly journal addressing librarians, educators, and other professionals who work with young adults. The only magazine devoted exclusively to the informational needs of teenagers, it was founded in 1978 by librarians and renowned intellectual freedom advocates Dorothy M. Broderick and Mary K. Chelton to identify the social myths that keep us from serving young people and replace them with knowledge.
View Download PDF

May-01-2008
Parenting Preteens with a Purpose Friday, May 2, 2008. The article in Gina Chen’s Family Life Notebook column provided information about author Kate Thomsen’s book signing 7 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at Barnes & Noble in DeWitt, NY, and included a quote from the author. The article can be read here.

May-07-2008
Kate Thomsen, M.S., author of Parenting Preteens with a Purpose (Search Institute Press, 9781574821994) will appear on Bridge Street, a local Syracuse, NY, program on ABC affiliate, WSYR Channel 9. Thomsen will be interviewed about her book on May 7. More information…

Free E-Product Downloads

peterh — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:41:22 -0500

How to Hold a Youth Summit
Follow this guide’s step-by-step directions to successfully bring adults and young people together to discuss community issues and brainstorm practical solutions.
(Click here to download)

First Steps in Evaluation: Basic Tools for Asset-Building Initiatives
Featuring the five key steps in evaluation, this resource makes it easy to evaluate your asset-building efforts. Download now to access ready-to-use tools, including worksheets and a list of additional resources.
(Click here to download)

What Kids Need: Developmental Assets

admin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:16:47 -0500

What Are Developmental Assets?

Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets® are common sense, positive experiences and qualities that help influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults.
Read more…
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NEW Interactive Asset Lists!

Need some ideas for building assets? View the list below and click on the asset you want to build!

40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents (ages 12–18)

View Download pdf

In Spanish: Elementos fundamentales del desarrollo PDF
French: 40 Acquis dont les jeunes ont besoin pour réussir PDF
40 Developmental Assets for Middle Childhood (ages 8–12)
View Download pdf
In Spanish: 40 Elementos Fundamentales del Desarrollo para la pre-adolescencia (edades de 8 a 12) PDF
40 Developmental Assets for Early Childhood (ages 3–5) View Download PDF
Spanish: 40 Elementos Fundamentales del Desarrollo para niños pre-escolares (edades de 3 a 5) PDF
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Tools for Asset Building

Check out available books, reports, videos, and other materials on Developmental Assets and how you can build assets throughout your community.
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The Assets Research

Search Institute’s research indicates that Developmental Assets powerfully influence adolescent behavior—both by protecting young people from risky, problem behaviors and by promoting positive attitudes and choices. Read more…
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Other Translations of 40 Developmental Assets

Many communities have taken the time to translate our 40 Developmental Assets list into their primary languages. Although these translations have not been formally approved or reviewed for accuracy by Search Institute, we believe they have potential benefit for others.

Alcholi (PDF)
Arabic (PDF)
Armenian (PDF)
Bulgarian (PDF)
Chinese (PDF)
Farsi (PDF)
Hmong (PDF)
Japanese (PDF)
Khmer (PDF)
Nuer (PDF)
Russian (Word Document)
Somali (PDF)
Vietnamese (PDF)

Do you use any of these lists? If so, we would love to have your feedback! We want to make the assets as effective and far-reaching as possible.
And, if you know of other translations, please forward them to si@search-institute.org. We will share translations as widely as we can.

Learn more about Search Institute’s approach to introducing Developmental Assets to new cultures and countries.

Assets on the streets.

peterh — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:55:50 -0600

Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes & Behaviors Survey—Now with Four Core and More!

jennyb — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:23:13 -0500

New from Search Institute Survey Services

Available now!

…A comprehensive revision of Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors (A&B), one of our most respected and frequently administered surveys.

The 2008 Attitudes and Behaviors survey includes:

Four Core Measures data required of Drug Free Communities grantees for COMET reporting
Measures of the 40 Developmental Assets
Eight indicators of thriving measures
Risk behaviors and high-risk behavior patterns
Deficit measures

Key survey questions address the Four Core Measures:

Young people’s use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana in the past 30 days
Average age of their first use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana
Youth perception of the risk involved
Youth perception of their parents’ disapproval of substance use

New A&B Sample

In your community’s customized A&B survey report, you’ll find a strong link revealed between Developmental Assets, thriving, and risk behaviors, specifically for your youth. The survey report is part of a comprehensive package that includes:

Consultation with SI survey experts
Clear survey administration instructions
A user-friendly report with clearly marked tables and graphs
Professional scanning and processing
A discounted SI resource of your choice

The revised A&B survey report contains the following:

Executive Summary and Four Core Measures pull-out sections
Results by grade level and gender (sample size permitting)
All survey questions and the constructs they measure
Survey response frequencies
Descriptions of Developmental Assets, thriving behaviors, risk behaviors, and deficits, and their relevance to young people in your community
Reference list
List of SI resources for communities, organizations, families, and individuals
FAQs

If you’re a DFC grantee and new to the Developmental Assets framework, you’ll be gratified to know that:

Youth who report higher levels of Developmental Assets generally report fewer risk behaviors than peers who report fewer assets.
Strong, measurable links exist between youth assets, thriving, and risk behaviors.
Measures of Developmental Assets in the A&B add value to your prevention efforts.
Support for mobilizing communities, organizations, families, and individuals in your prevention work is included in the report appendices.

For decades, Search Institute has been a trusted name in helping communities discover how adolescents and teens experience life, using time-tested, reliable surveys that give young people a strong voice.

What’s up with our kids?
Click here to learn more about engaging a professional trainer from Search Institute Training & Speaking to present your A&B survey data to your community.

For more information…
To obtain a copy of the Technical Manual for the A&B survey, receive more information on the survey and survey pricing, or to order the survey, please call or e-mail:

877-240-7251 ext. 1

E-mail Survey Services

Weekly Giveaway.

peterh — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:57:07 -0500

Enter for a chance to win in Search Institute's weekly product giveaway.

Conversation Generator-fun and easy ways to connect with kids!

jennyb — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:52:10 -0500

If this one doesn't suit you, click the button for more ideas.

Featured Publication

For even more conversations, try Conversations on the Go: Clever Questions to Keep Teens and Grown-Ups Talking, a Search Institute Press Publication.

Activity Generator-fun and easy ways to connect with kids!

jennyb — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:45:09 -0500

Are you looking for fun and easy ways to connect with kids? Try the activity below. If this one doesn't suit you, click the button for more ideas.

All activities adapted from Search Institute Press publications. Visit the Search Institute store for more information.

Featured Publication

For even more activities, try Great Group Games: 175 Boredom-Busting, Zero-Prep Team Builders for All Ages, a Search Institute Press Publication.