“We need to strengthen our community’s capacity to build healthy communities by developing more resilient youth,” explained Walter Biscoe, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Coordinator, Department of Human Services.
Research shows that healthy young people possess ‘assets’ or positive experiences and characteristics. Assets are powerful influences on adolescent behavior. A two day workshop on Asset Building was held this spring for key community stakeholders. This train the trainer session is the first step in building a community-wide grassroots approach at mobilizing and strengthening our community’s capacity to ensure that fewer young people engage in substance abuse and other high risk behaviors and that our young people thrive to build a healthy community.
A weekly newsletter incorporating easy ways to build assets for and with children has been added to the St. Mary’s County Government website. Click on Department of Human Services under the Citizen Services box at www.stmarysmd.com. The newsletter(s) is located at the bottom of the page.
The topic of the first newsletter is a discussion of the 40 Developmental Assets. These assets fall under eight areas identified as crucial for helping young people grow up healthy: Supporting and loving your child; Empowering your child; Setting clear and realistic boundaries and expectations; Helping your child use her or his time in meaningful, constructive ways; Encouraging your child to develop a lifetime commitment to learning; Instilling in your child positive values; Developing social competencies in your child; and Encouraging your child to form a positive identity. The first newsletter lists all 40 assets; parents can use the list as a quiz to assess how many statements are true for their child. Teenagers can also take the quiz.
“Like a dream catcher, assets are the supporting threads in a young person’s life that can keep away harm and invite goodness,” states Helping Kids Success—Alaskan Style.
A new newsletter will be added periodically. Speakers on this topic are available for group presentations. For more information, contact Walter Biscoe, CPP, at (301) 475-4200, x1847 or walter.biscoe@stmarysmd.com.