Abstract
The concept of developmental assets was premiered in 1990 (Benson, 1990) and quickly became linked with other theories and models of developmental strengths, including resiliency (Garmezy 1991), protective factors (Hawkins, Catalano, & Miller, 1992), and positive youth development (Benson & Pittman, 2001). In 1997, the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future convened in Philadelphia with the participation of then president Bill Clinton and former presidents George Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford. The summit gave birth to America’s Promise under the leadership of General Colin Powell. This effort has provided an additional language of developmental strengths as it rallies communities to promote five fundamental resources: ongoing relationships with caring adults, access to and engagement in safe places with structured activities, a healthy start, the development of marketable skills, and opportunities for community service and civic engagement.
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Benson, P.L. (2003). Toward Asset-Building Communities: How Does Change Occur?. In: Lerner, R.M., Benson, P.L. (eds) Developmental Assets and Asset-Building Communities. The Search Institute Series on Developmentally Attentive Community and Society, vol 1. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0091-9_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0091-9_9
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