EXTERNAL ASSETS
The first 20 developmental assets focus on positive experiences that young people receive from the people and institutions in their lives. Four categories of external assets are included in the framework:

• SUPPORT
  Young people need to experience support, care, and love from their families, neighbors, and many others. They need organizations and institutions that provide positive, supportive environments.
  
• EMPOWERMENT
  Young people need to be valued by their community and have opportunities to contribute to others. For this to occur, they must be safe and feel secure.
  
• BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS
  Young people need to know what is expected of them and whether activities and behaviors are "in bounds" or "out of bounds".
  
• CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME
  Young people need constructive, enriching opportunities for growth through creative activities, youth programs, congregational involvement, and quality time at home.
  

INTERNAL ASSETS

A community's responsibility for its young does not end with the provision of external assets. There needs to be a similar commitment to nurturing the internal qualities that guide choices and create a sense of centeredness, purpose, and focus. Indeed, shaping internal dispositions that encourage wise, responsible, and compassionate judgments is particularly important in a society that prizes individualism. Four categories of internal assets are included in the framework:

• COMMITMENT TO LEARNING
  Young people need to develop a lifelong commitment to education and learning.
  
• POSITIVE VALUES
  Youth need to develop strong values that guide their choices.
  
• SOCIAL COMPETENCIES
  Young people need skills and competencies that equip them to make positive choices, to build relationships, and to succeed in life.
  
• POSITIVE IDENTITY
  Young people need a strong sense of their own power, purpose, and worth.