The youth, families, and communities of North Carolina face challenges which threaten their resiliency. Reduced resiliency in turn threatens the economic, social, and environmental well being of educational, corporate, and governmental systems on which the citizens of North Carolina depend. Resiliency is the ability to cultivate strengths to positively meet challenges. Participants bring together and involve educators, researchers, agency and organizational personnel, youth, families, communities, advocates, and practitioners who share an interest in strengthening the resiliency of North Carolina's youth, families and communities. Protective factors are individual and environmental safeguards that enhance a child's ability to overcome risks.
Protective factors serve as buffers to foster adaptation and competence in the child.
Risk factors, on the other hand, are individual and environmental hazards that increase a child's vulnerability to negative behaviors. Risk factors don't guarantee negative behaviors but increase the odds that they will occur. Situation Statement Research continues to indicate that many youth, families, and communities are at high risk of losing their capacities to meet the challenges of a fulfilling life. Risk factors are found in the community, school, family, the individual, and peers. 40 teenagers drop out of high school.