Reclaiming our youth - Part II

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Last month I began to discuss how we could begin to reclaim our youth. We can begin this process by teaching our youth about personal accountability and responsibility by cultivating four characteristics that are needed for every human being: belonging, mastery, independence and generosity.

There are 40 developmental assets that provide the building blocks of development that aid our young people to grow up healthy, caring and responsible. Last month when I discussed these four characteristics, the examples I gave were what is termed as "external assets." That is, what the child needs in his or her external environment. This month I will be discussing the "internal assets," or what the youth needs to develop "internally" for healthy functioning within society with respect to these four characteristics.

Belonging - The internal assets that help to give the youth a sense of belonging are social competencies in such things as planning and decision-making, interpersonal competence, cultural competence, resistance skills and peaceful conflict resolution. Through these social competencies the youth knows how to plan ahead and make choices, learns empathy, sensitivity and friendship skills. Through cultural competence, the youth has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds. Resistance skills teach the youth to resist negative peer pressures and dangerous situations, and peaceful conflict resolution skills aid the youth to resolve conflict non-violently.

Mastery - Internal assets of mastery are commitments to learning. Through achievement motivation, school engagement, homework, bonding in school and reading for pleasure, a youth's mastery is achieved. Through these internal assets the youth is motivated to do well in school and is actively engaged in learning. For healthy development, the youth should spend at least one hour of homework every school day, care about their school and read for pleasure three or more hours per week.

Independence - Internal assets of independence are those which create a positive identity. Personal power, self-esteem, a sense of purpose and a positive view of personal future help to create independence. The youth feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me."

Positive self-esteem is very important for independence and a youth has to feel that his or her life has a sense of purpose and is optimistic about his or her future.

Generosity - Internal assets of generosity are those which create positive values. Caring, equality and social justice, integrity, honesty, responsibility and restraint give the youth a sense of generosity. The youth places high value on helping other people and promoting equality. The youth acts on his or her convictions and stands up for his or her beliefs. The youth also "tells the truth even when it is not easy" and accepts, as well as takes, personal responsibility. It is through restraint that the youth believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol and other drugs.

In conclusion, it is through both external and internal factors (assets) that encourage our youth to become healthy, caring and responsible. This is the type of person that we need to lead the next generation. Each generation brings with it a new set of circumstances, trials and tribulations, and we need people who can continue our path back to respectability, traditions and to recapture our culture.

In other words, we need people to bring us back home.