Slide 1:Presented By RYASAP Catalyst for Community Change Bridgeport, CT In Cooperation With Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN duBay Horton Associates. Bridgeport, CT October 2008

2008 PROFILE OF YOUTH IN GREATER BRIDGEPORT

Slide 2:2008 PROFILE OF YOUTHOVERVIEW

3,302 youth surveyed, an 18% sample of youth, grades 7-12 in Greater Bridgeport Participating public school districts --- Bridgeport, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull, CT Racial and Ethnic Breakdown 53% White 17% African American 19% Hispanic 7% Multi-racial 4% Asian/Pacific Islander <1% Native American

Slide 3:DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETSEXTERNAL ASSETSPositive experiences and support a young person receives fromformal and informal connections to the community

Slide 4:DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETSINTERNAL ASSETSThings a community and family nurture within youth sothey can contribute to their own development

Slide 5:SETTINGS FOR POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Slide 6:ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ASSETS

Individuals do not need the entire range of assets to thrive. Combinations of assets across domains reflect equally positive adolescent development. Having more assets is better than having a few. Having strong assets in one category can offset weak assets in another. However, life is easier to manage if one has assets in all domains. Continued exposure to positive experiences, settings and people, as well as opportunities to gain and refine life skills, supports young people in the acquisition and growth of these assets.

Slide 7:REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS1998-2008ASSETS

The average number of developmental assets increased to 19.1 from 18.3 in 2005 and 17.5 in 1998. Assets increased in every grade except the 12th. There was a very significant increase in assets with 34 of 40 developmental assets either increased or remained the same from 2005 to 2008. The most positive areas were Support, Empowerment, Positive Values, Social Competencies and Positive Identity. The only areas where assets decreased slightly were Commitment to Learning and Constructive Use of Time. The largest increases of 3% occurred in the areas of Family Boundaries, Bonding to School, Equality and Social Justice, Caring and Sense of Purpose. Among Thriving Behaviors, Maintains Good Health increased 7%; and Helping Others increased 4%. The only developmental asset showing decreases of 3% or more was one hour or more of homework per day.

Slide 8:ASSETS – 1998-2008

Slide 9:ASSETS BY GRADE LEVEL

Slide 10:THRIVING INDICATORSThose assets that predict future thriving behaviors

Slide 11:THRIVING INDICATORS

Slide 12:SUPPORT

Slide 13:SUPPORTMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS

Slide 14:EMPOWERMENT

Slide 15:BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Slide 16:CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME

Slide 17:COMMITMENT TO LEARNING

Slide 18:POSITIVE VALUES

Slide 19:POSITIVE VALUESMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS

Slide 20:SOCIAL COMPETENCIES

Slide 21:SOCIAL COMPETENCIESMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS

Slide 22:POSITIVE IDENTITY

Slide 23:POSITIVE IDENTITYMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS

Slide 24:HIGHLIGHTS1998—2008RISKY BEHAVIORS

Only 8% of teens in greater Bridgeport smoked tobacco in the last 30 days with less than 1% smoking more than half a pack a day or more. This represents an increase of 1% over 2005. 32% of young people drank alcohol in the last 30 days and 17% used marijuana. 19% of young people had 5 or more drinks in a row over the last two weeks, which included 33% of high school seniors and 32% of juniors. Parental and peer disapproval of substance using behavior makes a difference as indicated by disapproval being highest in Bridgeport and use of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana being the lowest. Violent Behavior in the greater Bridgeport area represented wide differences between municipalities with all forms of violent behavior – used a weapon, carried a weapon, hurt someone, been in a group fight and bullying behavior all being much higher in Bridgeport and Stratford and being the lowest in Monroe. 29% of area youth participated in sexual intercourse. 12% of young people had attempted suicide in their lifetime and 13% reported being sad or depressed most of the time. 21% of young people skipped school 3 or more times without permission, a 4% increase over 2005.

Slide 25:YOUTH REPORTING RISKY BEHAVIORS1998-2008

Slide 26:RISKY BEHAVIORSMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS

Slide 27:RISKY BEHAVIORS

Slide 28:PREDICTIVE DEFICITSThose behaviors that make youth most at-risk of future problems

Slide 29:PREDICTIVE DEFICITSMUNICIPAL COMPARISONS

Slide 30:TOBACCO USEAGE OF ONSET

Slide 31:ALCOHOL USEAGE OF ONSET

Slide 32:MARIJUANA USEAGE OF ONSET

Slide 33:TOBACCO, ALCOHOL & MARIJUANA30 DAY USE

Slide 34:TOBACCO USEPARENTAL APPROVAL

Slide 35:ALCOHOL USEPARENTAL APPROVAL

Slide 36:TOBACCO USEPEER APPROVAL

Slide 37:ALCOHOL USEPEER APPROVAL

Slide 38:MARIJUANA USEPEER APPROVAL

Slide 39:CONCLUSIONS

Many natural partnerships have occurred between communities over the years. However there is a much greater need for more collaboration in Bridgeport and Stratford with the rest of the region. Young people in Bridgeport place much higher than their suburban counterparts in the area of Positive Values and Positive Identity and yet, they perform much more poorly academically. Regional collaboration may pay strong benefits in closing the achievement gap. Binge drinking remains a serious problem in greater Bridgeport. RYASAP should join with its municipal partners, Strategic Prevention framework grantees and with national experts to address this issue. In addition, parental and disapproval of young people’s substance using behavior make a difference as evidenced by much higher disapproval ratings from Bridgeport and much lower substance use. Peer and parental based initiatives should be implemented.

Slide 40:CONCLUSIONS

Great progress has been made in instituting strength-based approaches to dealing with youth and community problems. However, we must remain diligent in continuing to foster positive approaches to working with youth Through community conversations, focus groups and community forums. Peer based models such as those utilized in Monroe and Fairfield for teen gambling education, PARTY for teen alcohol abuse and the Central High School substance abuse support groups have all been successful in addressing major problems among youth. These models need to be extended to other areas of concern. They increase teen’s sense of self and they successfully address social problems. Trumbull’s TPAUD model of collaboration including all sectors of the Trumbull community to reduce underage alcohol use/abuse has had great results in the last three years of both reducing underage alcohol use/abuse and increasing developmental assets. Other communities could benefit from such an approach.