All Kids are Our Kids: What Communities Must Do to Raise Caring and Responsible Children and Adolescents - Hardcover

"This highly readable and engaging book encourages school leaders, families, and community members to unite in providing kids with building blocks for success." --The American School Board Journal "In this sweeping and imaginative treatise, Peter Benson addresses the most pressing question of our day: How can we make our society into a more wholesome environment for raising young people? Benson takes us several giant steps toward finding a workable solution for the problem of how to restore community for youngsters throughout our society. Everyone interested in the future of youth in our society should read this valuable book." --William Damon, professor, Brown University "At a time when too many are criticizing students, families, and schools, this volume redirects attention to students' skills, talents, promise, and possibilities. Peter Benson provides a useful vocabulary--developmental assets--and a comprehensive blueprint to strengthen families, schools, and communities." --Joyce L. Epstein, director, Center on School, Family and Community Partnerships, Johns Hopkins University "This thoughtful book should be read by anyone--parents, youth workers, ministers, community leaders, and policymakers--concerned about the future of America's children and the vitality of communities which they love." --Emmy Werner, University of California, Davis, author of Overcoming the Odds "Peter Benson presents a compelling and creative vision for promoting the positive development of youth and, in so doing, provides decision makers with a powerful means to develop new policies and programs that can enhance the life chances of young people across the diverse communities of our nation." --Richard M. Lerner, professor and director, Center for Child, Family, and Community Partnerships, Boston College "Peter Benson presents a compelling vision for child and adolescent development. It represents a national call to action and offers a prescription for the kind of social change needed to implement the vision." --Karen Pittman, director of programs, International Youth Foundation, Baltimore, MD "An essential guidebook for every community--Peter Benson show us how to create positive and responsive environments for today's young people--involving parents and a wide range of community resources in a rational research-based approach to planning and implementation." --Joy Dryfoos, author of Adolescents at Risk (1991) and Full-Service Schools (1994) "This well-documented title details how members of a community working together can create a more positive environment for raising healthy children....This title is a valuable asset to any library reevaluating their role within their community or for those creating their mission statement for the first time." --Voice of Youth Advocates

This thoughtful book should be read by anyone-parents, youth workers, ministers, community leaders, and policymakers-concerned about the future of America's children and the vitality of communities which they love. -Emmy Werner, University of California, Davis, author of Overcoming the Odds Based on research from the renowned Search Institute, this groundbreaking critique of American culture offers practical strategies for uniting and mobilizing communities around a shared vision of healthy development.Peter L. Benson introduces forty developmental assets-building blocks of healthy development. These assets-such as family support, intergenerational relationships, clear and consistent boundaries and expectations, participation in constructive activities, and community focus on values-are essential for all youth, regardless of background. Yet too few young people have these support structures in their lives. To increase assets among all kids, the author provides a compelling vision for a healthy community and specific recommendations for individual, family and community action.