Reframing Developmental Relationships
A set of tools organizations can use to reframe communications around developmental relationships and move toward becoming a relationship-rich organization.
Reframing Developmental Relationships is a set of tools that used together can help organizations continue their journey toward prioritizing and deepening the developmental relationships that all young people need to grow and thrive.
Virtually everyone in education and youth work agrees that relationships are vital. Yet as a society and in communities we continually underinvest in and even undermine developmental relationships — especially when it comes to young people from marginalized communities who most need and want them.
Relational Practice
Reframing Developmental Relationships
Resource Audience
Resource Type
Read Time
Three Tools for Reframing Developmental Relationships
-
This report is the result of a two-year study from FrameWorks Institute. It calls for “a profoundly different orientation toward relationships and—specifically—how our society should approach them collectively, through policies and programs.” It outlines seven tested recommendations for communicating developmental relationships in a way that moves the public beyond preconceptions of relationships toward new, broader understandings of—and investments in—the kinds of relationships young people need to thrive.
Download Report here
-
This qualitative study looks at the communication challenges that emerge in the gap between researchers’ understanding of developmental relationships and public understandings of relationships in young people’s lives.
Download Report here
-
This toolkit provides guidance for communicators on what points to emphasize and what to leave unsaid — for experts, advocates, and practitioners to make an effective case for investing in relationships.
Find the toolkit here
Related Resources for School and Youth Program Staff
Activity
Spot-Check
Student Voice, Spot Check
Resources
4S Conversations (E2E)
Strengthen your relationships with other educators through structured conversation around desires and self-development.
Resources
Identities Flower
This activity helps you plan a "science fair" celebrating the unique sparks of the young people in your care.
Related Resources for School and Youth Organization Leaders
Webinar
State of Developmental Relationships Webinar 2024
Research shows that high-quality developmental relationships are key to young people's growth, learning, and thriving.
Activity
What Makes You Happy?
Activity where participants share their deep interests, talents, or activities — their sparks — with a group.
Relational Practice
Approaches to Expanding Possibilities
Ten approaches that can be integrated into program activities that build the Expand Possibilities element of the developmental relationships framework.