This episode features a conversation with Dr. Kent Pekel, CEO of Search Institute, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit research organization focused on studying the factors that drive youth success. Under Kent’s leadership, Search Institute has engaged in a singular focus on relationships, which he and the organization see as the foundational ingredient in the learning and development of young people.

Kent and Jason talk about how Search Institute conducts its research, working in partnership with youth organizations in schools and communities to learn while also making an impact, the five core elements of relationship-building derived from this research that structures Search Institute’s Developmental Relationships framework, and the types of approaches and practical activities that educators, youth workers and parents and families can use to intentionally develop and foster positive relationships.

Additional Readings and Resources

·      Search Institute
·      Search Institute’s Developmental Relationships Framework
·      “Relationships First: Creating Connections that Help Young People Thrive,” Search Institute, 2017.
·      The 4 S’s Interview
·      “The Intersection of Developmental Relationships, Equitable Environments, and SEL” [Insights & Evidence Series], Search Institute, 2020.
·       Developmental Assets Framework
·      “Developmental Assets among U.S. Youth: 2018 Update,” Search Institute, 2018.
·      Keep Connected, a Family Engagement Program by Search Institute