Place-Based Investment Model of Talent Development

Abstract

The place-based investment model (PBIM) of talent development is a programming model for developing talents of high-potential youth in ways that could serve as an investment in the community. In this article, we discuss the PBIM within rural contexts. The model is grounded in three theories—Moon’s personal talent development theory, Sternberg’s theory of successful intelligence, and social cognitive career theory—and specifies five pathways for developing talent: (a) enrichment, (b) advanced learning, (c) human connections, (d) entrepreneurial thinking, and (e) specialized guidance. Through this proposal, we intend to focus place-based talent development efforts in rural areas on giving high-potential young people the knowledge, skills, and tools for understanding themselves, for developing their strengths and passions, and for recognizing localized opportunities for achieving self-fulfillment in adulthood.