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Promoting Developmental Assets through Community Service

Young adolescents have a great potential to make the world a happier and more peaceful

place. They can achieve great results in nurturing peaceful co-existence between different

cultures and communities of the world if they purpose to do so. Young adolescents can learn

valuable concepts of civic education by willfully participating in activities that raise awareness

or educate others on civic responsibility. For instance, adolescents of the age of 12 to 15 years

can be involved in promoting awareness of duties and responsibilities of good citizens to

younger children – those below the age of 10 years. Since adolescence at the age of 12 years and

above have began to experience some of the characters of a good citizens from those older than

them, they are well placed to educate those slightly younger than on such principles. Such a

practice of involving young adolescents in the education of their younger colleagues helps those

adolescents reinforce and inculcate the important values and behaviors they have learnt.

Involving young adolescents in raising awareness of values and principles of good citizenship to

younger children assists them to grow various developmental assets. Internal developmental

assets they can grow include:

a) Commitment to learning – volunteering to educate others on principles and duties of

good citizenships is instrumental in helping the young person develop a desire for the

search of knowledge especially in the process of preparing the contents of presentation.

Additionally, it assists adolescents to bond with schoolmates, promoting a positive

learning experience at school or beyond.

b) Developing social competencies- young adolescents who are involved in educating others

will develop complementary skills and abilities such as the ability to plan and follow
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through on one’s plan, ability to interact with people of different cultures or background

and ability to resolve conflicts using peaceful means.

c) Developing a positive identity – when an adolescent serves their community through

educating their younger peers on principles of good citizenship they will tend to develop

a sense of purpose and high self esteem because they realize that their actions can

influence others positively.

Young adolescents who involve themselves in community programs also gain various

external developmental assets. They include:

a) Constructive use of time – by participating in activities that benefits other young

persons, adolescents learn that they should utilize their time wisely and in activities

that benefit themselves or others.

b) Positive expectations – young adolescents who participate in community service

activities are able to influence younger colleagues by teaching them good behaviors

and modeling such behaviors to them. Additionally, they are motivated to be better

member of their communities or countries.

c) Youth empowerment- by participating in raising awareness to younger peers on

citizenship and civic responsibilities, adolescents gain a feeling of being useful in

their communities. Additionally, they are able to serve their community according to

their respective abilities. The net effect is that the adolescents feel empowered and

competent.

From the above, it is apparent that when young adolescent participate in educating their

younger peers on their civic responsibilities they gain numerous internal and external

developmental assets. Some internal developmental assets they achieve include commitment
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to learning, social competencies and positive identity. External developmental assets include

constructive use of time, positive expectations and youth empowerment. All these are

instrumental in ensuring in ensuring that a youth grows into a well rounded individual who

will benefit his/her community.