Pay attention to each stage of development in a young person's life. Each stage of development builds on experiences, positive or negative, from the previous stage. We will be more successful in building assets if we acknowledge this developmental perspective. Every young person should develop positive relationships with dozens of adults in their neighborhoods, religious institutions, teams, organizations, and schools. It is just as important to connect adolescents to children in bonds of sustained caring.
Every young person needs to experience formal and informal relational support on a daily basis.
Engage all community members in showing kids they care by doing small acts such as calling children by their name, noticing they are present, exchanging greetings, smiling when passing a young person on the street or in a hall. Rather than hiring more professionals and starting new programs, motivate community members to build sustained, informal positive relationships with children and teenagers. Programs and professionals are important, but they should be a supporting cast and not the lead actors in caring for our children. The uniting vision of asset building calls for shared action on a community-wide basis. All community members should recognize they are on the same team, working for the good of young people rather that pushing for their particular agenda.