Community Developmental Assets and Positive Youth Development: The Role of Natural Mentors

This study investigates the role of mentoring relationships in explaining associations between youth experiences of community developmental assets (i.e., involvement in structured activities and community attitudes towards youth) and youth out- comes within a national sample of 15-year-olds (n = 1,860). Results indicated that community assets were associated with having a mentor, and that youth perceptions of community attitudes towards youth were associated with higher quality mentoring relationships. Having a mentor significantly mediated the association between community assets and prosocial values. Likewise, mentoring relationship quality mediated the association between community attitudes towards youth and school engagement, mastery, prosocial values, and purpose.