Georgetown Staff Trained on the Assets

by TLos | Jan 7, 2019 | Uncategorized

This past November over 100 Georgetown staff at Perley Elementary School and Georgetown Middle High School were trained on the 40 Developmental Assets and how they can be used as a tool to enhance the school day experience.

Teachers were given the opportunity to look at the Georgetown data from the Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behavior Survey that was given to all students in grates 6-12 in November 2017. The data shows which of the 40 Developmental Assets are strong in Georgetown and which ones can be improved. The data was used as a jumping off point for discussion, helping to talk about what surprised them, what they had seen in the classroom, and question things that might not match their personal experience. The data is one of many tools that are used by the ECAB Network to help guide communities to supports and programs that are a good fit for youth. It is only one piece of the puzzle.

Staff were also given the opportunity to brainstorm about how the 40 Assets can supplement the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) work already taking place in their classrooms. The Assets overlap well with the SEL approach, with both frameworks identifying Social Awareness, Relationship Skills and Responsible Decision-Making as integral skills for youth to develop in order to be successful. The Assets merely provide a common language that school administration, teachers, parents and community members can all share so youth are hearing a consistent message whether they are in school, at home, or at the library, for example. The Assets can help build a strong sense of community, and bring people who care about youth together, to increase collaborations and supports for youth.

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About Us The Essex County Asset Builder (ECAB) Network creates regional connections and supports for individuals, families and organizations from Amesbury, Georgetown, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury and Newburyport, in using a positive youth development approach to help youth thrive. Positive Youth Development

The Positive Youth Development approach engages youth with peers, family and community in a way that enhances their strengths and promotes positive outcomes. It can also be used as an approach to prevention that encourages healthy decisions.
A positive youth development approach to prevention is an effective, evidence based way to look at the opioid epidemic and how we can prevent future harm to our youth. Specifically, it uses a whole community approach rather than just relying on schools and social services agencies.

Being a part of the ECAB Network brings local and regional opportunities. Locally, communities have access to trainings, data, and best practices, and receive guidance on implementation and outreach strategies that build positive youth development possibilities. Communities also get the benefit of regionalizing efforts, where networking, combining resources, current policies, and a shared vision strengthen the towns and cities as well as the region. History Recently, the communities of Amesbury, Georgetown, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury and Newburyport came together to form the Essex County Asset Builder Network. Funded by a three year grant, the goal of this Network is to create a common language of asset- based youth development (creating protective factors). It has been shown that youth who have more assets are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. This grant will use the 40 Developmental Assets framework to build these protective factors and reduce risk behaviors by focusing on both the youth and the environment that shapes them. The community partnership will enhance the great work already being done to support youth and families, as well as expand community supports, opportunities, and resources. Additionally, the grant will collect and disseminate regional data, coordinate shared resources and bring educational opportunities for various sectors of the community. Goal To spread the philosophy and practice of the positive youth development approach through implementation of 40 Developmental Asset framework within communities across the region. We will accomplish this goal by:

Collecting and disseminating regional and community specific data that can then be shared and used among all agencies.
Increasing the number of community members who feel comfortable using the language of positive youth development and the 40 Developmental Assets approach
Increasing the number of community members who implement a positive youth development approach in their work
Increasing the number of developmental assets youth report

Mission To use a positive youth development approach to build networks within each community and across the region that help decrease risk behaviors in youth and produce a healthier community. Vision A network of communities that welcome, value and empower youth through meaningful opportunities and collaborative efforts to support and strengthen youth assets and increase healthy decision making.