40 Assest Workshop Held

A consortium of Mount Holly area agencies, non-profit and county organizations, national youth development specialists, community leaders, school representatives and students convened for a day-long “Vision to Action” workshop Monday to plan for a comprehensive, asset-building approach to help Mount Holly teenagers succeed.

Approximately 75 people, including teens and pre-teens, participated in the workshop, held at Virtua Health Systems. Sponsors included United Way of Burlington County, the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department, Prosecutor’s Office and Department of Human Services, and PSE&G.

Sheriff Jean Stanfield, who is a member of the 40 Assets Committee, brought two sixth grade students from Holbein School to the workshop and also uses the approach in her office’s programs. “We have been using the 40 Assets philosophy of building community-based support for youths. The goal is for all sectors to join together to help teens and pre-teens gain essential attributes to prevail, not fail,” Stanfield said.

Examples of the desired assets include: caring neighborhood, positive adult relationships, sense of purpose, service to others, high expectations, achievement motivation, peaceful conflict resolution, and positive view of future. Committee Chair Bruce Conway, president of United Way of Burlington County, said Mount Holly was chosen by the committee as a pilot target area because it was determined that the resources were there to incorporate the 40 Assets approach into existing youth support organizations.

“We want the whole community to partner in this process to develop an asset development model and make sure it is successful,” Conway said.

National youth development consultant Shelby Andress of the American Search Institute, who has been featured in the media including The Oprah Winfrey Show, led the workshop. Andress works as a consultant and facilitator in community-based youth development centered on the “40 Assets” results of nationwide teen surveys that showed the more of the identified assets teens have, the more likely they are to succeed.

Participants worked in small groups with a dozen students from Holbein School, in addition to a few high school participants from Pemberton Township and Holy Cross, and members of the Burlington County Chapter of Boy Scouts. The groups discussed ways to expand assets among young people within their realm of influence. Social worker Dodie Cocozza of the Holbein School Child Study Team is a member of the 40 Assets Committee and has been helping to coordinate activities since the committee first formed in the fall of 2001.

Some of the planned asset building activities include: adopting a class to mentor, sponsoring a reading contest, holding a community service day and Arts and Kids projects with students and teachers. Other organizations represented on the 40 Assets Committee include: the Board of Social Services, Rancocas Valley Clergy Association, Family Service of Burlington County, Family “Y” of Burlington County, Burlington County departments of Health, Community Development and Economic Development, Drenk Behavioral Health Center, JROTC at Pemberton Township High School, Youth Advocate Program, and Burlington County Community Action Program.

Workshop participants also included: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Burlington County, Rancocas Valley Regional High School, Burlington County Council of Boy Scouts of America, Crossroads Programs, CONTACT of Burlington County, Prevention Plus Program, Mount Holly Township, Servicios Latinos de Burlington County, and religious organizations in the Mount Holly area.

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Author: Press Release