Organizations with healthy relational cultures promote relationship-building with young people so they have the nurturing, support, and guidance they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Relational cultures are embedded in the core mindsets, skills, practices, and supporting structures present at all levels of an organization. Relationship-rich organizations are intentional about building relationships, inclusive of all youth, and equitable in meeting youths’ needs.
Search Institute’s Relational Culture Checkup is a self-reflection tool designed to help leaders and staff assess the relational culture of their organization. Based on Search Institute’s Rooted in Relationships Model, the tool guides users through two components of relational culture:
- Relational climate: the social atmosphere of a particular setting, including its intentionality, inclusiveness, and equitability
- Supporting structures: the infrastructure and tangible inputs required to prioritize developmental relationships, including data use, resource allocation, and hiring practices