DALT Program Values
Although not everyone in our society is afforded the same privileges, we believe they should be and that every human being deserves the same privileges. In order to achieve this, the DALT program holds certain values to be true.
We believe...
- Young people have the power to make the world a better place.
- Meeting the emotional, spiritual, psychological and physical needs of young people is THE priority.
- Every person has inherent value and deserves to be respected and to respect self.
- Every person has the right to be treated kindly and be included in her community at all times.
- Every person deserves respect regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, ethnicity, race, religion, socio-economic status or family status.
- Every person should respect her own values, thoughts, feelings and ideas, and be able to express these in a safe environment.
- Human beings naturally make judgments about others and it is important for individuals to reflect upon their judgments and challenge them.
- Young people can be empowered by knowledge and skills to positively impact the world around them.
- Everyone has the right to safely and openly discuss his own diverse experiences as well as the lessons that come from those experiences.
- Every person has the responsibility to address issues of exclusion and stereotypes in a manner that is appropriate to the situation and the people involved, including self.
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Building Blocks of Social Change
Awareness: Students explore their own cultural identities and their place in the world.
Education: By sharing with their peers, students gain knowledge of those around them and the larger society.
Skill-Building: Students acquire the tools to respond to challenging situations.
Action-Planning: Student groups develop concrete plans for positive change at each school.
System Change: Students are empowered with the desire for change and the skills to implement it.
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Developmental Assets
The Search Institute of Minneapolis, Minnesota is a respected nonprofit whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. At the heart of the institute's work is the framework of 40 Developmental Assets, which are positive experiences and personal qualities that young people need to grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. Participation in the DALT program provides students numerous opportunities to cultivate 24 of these 40 assets.
External Assets | ||
| Positive family communication | | Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parent(s). |
| Other adult relationships | | Young person receives support from three or more non-parent adults. |
| Caring school climate | | School provides a caring, encouraging environment. |
| Community values youth | | Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth. |
| Youth as resources | | Young people are given useful roles in the community. |
| Service to others | | Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week. |
| Safety | | Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood. |
| Adult role models | | Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior. |
| Youth programs | | Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in community organizations. |
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Internal Assets | ||
| Bonding to school | | Young person cares about her or his school. |
| Caring | | Young person places high value on helping other people. |
| Equality and social justice | | Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty. |
| Integrity | | Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs. |
| Honesty | | Young person "tells the truth even when it is not easy." |
| Responsibility | | Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility. |
| Planning and decision making | | Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices. |
| Interpersonal competence | | Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills. |
| Cultural competence | | Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds. |
| Resistance skills | | Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations. |
| Peaceful conflict resolution | | Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently. |
| Personal power | | Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me." |
| Self-esteem | | Young person reports having a high self-esteem. |
| Sense of purpose | | Young person reports that "my life has a purpose." |
| Positive view of personal future | | Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future. |
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