Youths say community isn't caring

FALLS VILLAGE — “Your kids are still looking for love and support, whether they say so or not,� said Jim Conway.

He was referring to the results of a May 2009 survey of 287 Region One School District students by the Search Institute, presented to the public at Housatonic Valley Regional High School Dec. 8. The study and event were sponsored by the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau, which serves families in the six-town region (North Canaan, Falls Village, Cornwall, Kent, Sharon and Salisbury).

Introducing the survey, Conway, a researcher  (and a minister) said that in the 50 years of collecting data by the institute, “the world has changed dramatically, but what kids need from the community has not changed.

“What has changed is access to assets� — the term used in the study for identifying those elements of community and personal life that can be positive or negative for youth.

The survey of attitudes and behaviors consists of 160 questions, written for a fifth-grade level and designed for a 50-minute class period.

Each question has five possible answers. The top two indicate the person believes he or she has the asset in question; the bottom three that he or she does not, with the middle answer being a variation on “I don’t know.�

The “Developmental Assets� are divided into two broad categories: external and internal assets. Within external assets, there are four specific categories: support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of time.

Within the internal assets category, the specifics are grouped as commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies and positive identity.

The 287 students surveyed, in grades seven, nine and 11, did not provide any startling results and were not far off the national curve.

But around half of those surveyed say they do not live in a caring neighborhood, and considerably fewer believe their community thinks of young people as a resource.

Conway said the results bring up several interesting questions for communities: young people absorbing resources versus young people being seen as a resource; accountability for one’s own behavior versus a sense of accountability as a community; blaming others when things go wrong versus sharing responsibility.

“I was driving around earlier,� said Conway, an affable man with a thick shock of white hair. “I noticed the older homes have a front porch.

“The changes in neighborhoods have occurred unconsciously,� he continued. “People used to sit out on the porch, pre-air conditioning. We’ve moved from the front porch to the back deck� and have lost touch with what is happening in the neighborhood.

“What are your neighborhood boundaries — if a neighbor saw your kid doing something wrong, would they tell you?�

Conway said the survey asks about religious life, saying that religious communities “are one of the few intergenerational experiences left.

“Go to a mall or Wal-Mart and watch how adults relate to young people — if at all.�

The bottom line is that the more assets a young person has, the less likely he or she is to engage in dangerous or self-destructive behavior, Conway said. “No question about it. It’s an obvious and consistent trend.�

Conway emphasized that the Search Institute does not provide programs, just data. But he had some observations about strategies that have worked elsewhere:

“Get adults engaged. You don’t have to wait for a community initiative to get to know the kids in the neighborhood.

“And be intentional as an individual when you speak to a young person. A momentary thing for you could be important to them.

“That’s how assets are built. Programs are containers for relationships.�

The executive summary and an overview of the survey are available at the Housatonic Youth Services Bureau building next to the high school, 246 Warren Turnpike, Falls Village.