Developmental Assets
The YMCA Teen Division embraces a model in which 40 critical factors have been identified in young people's positive growth and development. When drawn together, the assets offer a set of benchmarks for positive development. The assets clearly show the importance of families, schools, congregations, neighborhoods, youth organizations and communities in shaping teenagers' lives.

External developmental assets include support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations and constructive use of time. As an example, boundaries and expectations focuses on family, school and neighborhood boundaries as well as adult role models, positive peer influence and high expectations.

Internal developmental assets include a commitment to learning, positive values and social competencies. As an example, commitment to learning focuses on achievement and school motivation, homework, bonding to school and reading for pleasure.

Measureable Results
Every year teens participating in our YMCA programs tell us the experience positively changed their lives. The YMCA also measures the degree to which the Phoenix Program provides teens an environment rich in developmental assets such as empowerment, positive values, social competency and positive identity. Using a survey designed by the YMCA of the USA and The Search Institute, Phoenix Program reported the following.

• 100% say that caring about other people has become more important to them since participating
• 97%  feel they make better decisions and get along better with other
• 95% learned how to be a leader and to feel good about themselves
• 92% of participants feel that adults in the program expect the best from them