Sept 2020 eNews

September 2020 - Issue 192

New School Year Brings New

and Old Challenges

For the past six months we've all been trying to figure out how to live our lives, help others, and earn a living within the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is new to most of us so connecting with others and learning from their own experiences is more important than ever. I encourage anyone involved with a youth serving organization to make a consistent effort to share what you are learning and challenges you face.

The ideas and resources shared in this monthly newsletter can be used by anyone, in Chicago, or around the world, to help mentor-rich youth programs thrive in all of the neighborhoods where they are most needed, and to help understand and respond to these over-riding challenges.

If you are a consistent reader, consider a contribution to help fund the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC

Visit Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Website

Chicago Schools Re-Opening Plan

Since 1993 I've maintained a list of Chicago area non-school tutor, mentor and learning programs with two goals:

a) I can help them attract volunteers and donors;

b) I can help them learn from each other

I follow more than 100 of these organizations on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin, but few post regularly on all these platforms. The image at the left is from a Christopher House post on Facebook, where they share this link to the Chicago Public Schools Re-Opening Guide.

What are students telling us?

iMentor operates in Chicago and other cities and uses its Facebook and Twitter posts to share what it is learning from its students and volunteers during #covid19. Click here to view this post on Twitter.

Click here to view this same post on Facebook.

It's not possible in a newsletter like this to feature more than a few examples of what youth organizations are posting. Thus, you need to develop your own on-going learning habits so you can find this information, learn from it, and share it with your own program network

Share stories of alumni success

The graphic at the right is a post on Twitter by HighSight, which has operated since early 1990s. This post shows work of one of their alumni, who leads a different youth serving organization in Chicago.

Drawing attention, volunteers and donors to a non-profit youth program is difficult, but on-going work. Posting to social media is one low-cost way to tell your story. ReTweeting or Liking these posts is a virtual volunteer role that anyone can take.

I'm on Twitter @tutormentorteam. I look forward to connecting with you.

Make learning part of the culture of your organization, not just what you do to help youth.

While I host a library of websites that anyone can draw from I follow many education blogs where there is a constant stream of good ideas being shared. I point to these in my newsletters and social media. Others can do the same, drawing their own network of supporters to this information.

Here are some links to review:

# Homework help library - click here

# Educator & learning resource blogs - click here

# Digital Divide links - click here

# Understanding issues cMap - click here

Are you part of the GrowthWorks Conversation?

Last month I posted this blog article inviting Chicago area youth program leaders to be part of a consumer conversation hosted by the GrowthWorks consulting firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Read the blog article to learn more.

If you'd like to be interviewed, please contact GrowthWorks directly (using email in the blog article) or email Dan Bassill This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Below are resources to use to help youth in your community.

Recent Tutor/Mentor blog articles:

* Our Children Need Your Help - Volunteer Recruitment Campaign History - click here

* Constant Challenge. How Can We Do this Better? - click here

* Athletes Taking A Lead - click here

* Call Goes Out for Volunteers - click here

* Help Build Chicago Tutor/Mentor Program Knowledge Base - click here

* Building Public Will - click here

* Make Long-term tutor, mentor & learning programs available in more places - click here

* Strategy PDFs by Tutor/Mentor - click here

* Concept Map library - click here

* Mapping for Justice blog - click here

* Hashtags I follow on Twitter. Use to expand your own network - click here

* Blogs I follow using Inoreader - click here

* National Mentoring Resource Center - Covid-19 resources - click here

* MyChiMyFuture - City of Chicago - click here

* Strengthening Chicago Youth web site, click here; blog - click here

* Chicago Mentoring Collaborative - click here

* To & Through Project web site - click here

* Incarceration Reform Digital Resource Center - click here

* City of Chicago, CPS, links - click here

* Chicago Public School Locator - click here

* Healthy Chicago 2.0 - click here; Read Healthy Chicago 2025 report - click here

* Chicago Learning Exchange - click here

* ChiHackNight - remote civic technology meet-up; every Tuesday in Chicago - see agenda

*Chicago Youth Serving Organizations in Intermediary Roles-click here

Please help update this cmap and the links in the Tutor/Mentor web library. Just email me with additions or changes.

About this newsletter.

While I try to send this only once a month, I write blog articles weekly. Throughout the newsletter I post links to a few of the articles published in the past month or earlier. I encourage you to spend a little time each week reading these articles and following the links. Use the ideas and presentations in group discussions with other people who are concerned about the same issues.

Trying to understand purpose of this newsletter? Read this "What the Heck am I Trying to Do" article -click here

If the newsletter does not format correctly in your email, or if you want to return to it for future reading or to share with others, use this link.

Encourage friends, family, co-workers to sign up to receive this newsletter. Click here.

(If you subscribe, don't forget to respond to the confirmation email)

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October 2020 Tutor Mentor eNews

October 2020 - Issue 193

What's on your Holiday List?

Everyone's still dealing with Covid19 and the stress of the November election. The impact on youth and families living in high poverty areas has been even more severe than elsewhere.

This is especially true for school-age kids who are forced to learn from home, using inadequate technology, with too little social/emotional connections with peers or supportive adults.

The ideas and resources shared in this monthly newsletter point to a library of resources that can be used by anyone, in Chicago, or around the world, to help mentor-rich youth programs thrive in all of the neighborhoods where they are most needed, and to help understand and respond to these over-riding challenges.

If you are a consistent reader, please consider a contribution to help fund the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC

Visit Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Website

List of Chicago Area Youth Tutor, Mentor and Learning Programs

Since 1993 I've maintained a list of Chicago area non-school tutor, mentor and learning programs, and their websites, with two goals:

a) I can help them attract volunteers and donors;

b) I can help them learn from each other

I point to this list from my blog, my websites and using social media. For this to have value, programs need to keep websites updated. Volunteers can help them do this.

List of Facebook Pages of Chicago Area Tutor, Mentor and learning programs.

Many programs are posting information to Facebook. If you are following them these will show up on your timeline. Maybe.

I've created a list pointing to the Facebook pages of more than 100 programs that are on my primary list (see above). Using this you can find programs and click the link to see what they are posting any time you want.

If many people do this it will help draw attention, volunteers and donors to many different organizations.

Chicago Youth Programs - Twitter List

Most of the organizations in my main list have a Twitter account, though too many do not post to this regularly.

I maintain this list, which enables anyone to scroll through posts daily to see what information programs are sharing, and to go to the program's website to learn more.

Most Chicago media use Twitter. Thus if many youth programs are posting, and others are re-Tweeting, we attract media attention.

I'm on Twitter @tutormentorteam.

Learn Role of Intermediaries (blue box)

This article shows the role of Tutor/Mentor Connection/Institute, LLC as an intermediary, connecting people with information, like our lists of Chicago programs, and encouraging people to use that information to help tutor, mentor and learning programs reach K-12 youth in more parts of the Chicago region (and other cities if they duplicate the T/MC).

There are others filling this intermediary role. I point to them with this concept map, and this list of FB pages.

Help mentor-rich non-school tutor, mentor and learning programs grow.

At the right is one of many graphics you'll find on the http://tutormentor.blogspot.com site that visualize a goal of helping kids through school with an extra network of adults taking roles as tutors, mentors, coaches, etc.

I encourage the Intermediaries I point at to build their own resource lists and to add links to my sites and each other. I encourage everyone to encourage donors to visit youth program websites and use the information shared to make funding decisions.

Below are resources to use to help youth in your community.

Recent Tutor/Mentor blog articles:

* Understand Racism, Using a Map - click here

* Supporting America's Mayors - click here

* Digging Deeper into T/MC resources - click here

* Our Children Need Your Help - Volunteer Recruitment Campaign History - click here

* Recruiting Sports Stars as Leaders - click here

* Strategy PDFs by Tutor/Mentor - click here

* Concept Map library - click here

* Mapping for Justice blog - click here

* Hashtags I follow on Twitter. Use to expand your own network - click here

* Blogs I follow using Inoreader - click here

* National Mentoring Resource Center - Covid-19 resources - click here

* MyChiMyFuture - City of Chicago - click here

* Strengthening Chicago Youth web site, click here; blog - click here

* Chicago Mentoring Collaborative - click here

* To & Through Project web site - click here

* Incarceration Reform Digital Resource Center - click here

* Chicago Learning Exchange - click here

* ChiHackNight - remote civic technology meet-up; every Tuesday in Chicago - see agenda

*Chicago Youth Serving Organizations in Intermediary Roles-click here

Please help update this cmap and the links in the Tutor/Mentor web library. Just email me with additions or changes.

About this newsletter.

Trying to understand purpose of this newsletter? Read this "What the Heck am I Trying to Do" article -click here

If the newsletter does not format correctly in your email, or if you want to return to it for future reading or to share with others, use this link.

Encourage friends, family, co-workers to sign up to receive this newsletter. Click here.

(If you subscribe, don't forget to respond to the confirmation email)

Thank you for reading and sharing this newsletter.

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Nov. 2020 Tutor Mentor eNews

Nov-Dec 2020 - Issue 194

Never Stop Learning. Never Stop Helping.

This holiday season will be much lonelier for many due to Covid19. But for many there will be ZOOM family gatherings and new ways to connect and learn. However, youth and families living in high poverty areas will still struggle more than others due to low access to digital tools and services.

Maybe during this holiday season you can spend a little time learning about digital access and remote learning issues, then spend time in 2021 helping to close these gaps.

If you are a consistent reader please consider a contribution to help fund the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC

Visit Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Website

Learn from others during this holiday season.

Covid19 makes the 2020 holiday season one of isolation and remote learning for everyone. I wish all to stay safe, and to stay engaged.

Since 1993 I've maintained a list of Chicago area non-school tutor, mentor and learning programs, and their websites. Many are sharing ways they are connecting youth and volunteers. Visit their websites. Follow them on Facebook or Twitter. As you see good ideas, borrow them. Share your own. Make this a gift of giving during this holiday season.

Dig into tutor/mentor web library

* Homework & learning help - click here

* Poverty, racism, inequality - click here

* Impact of Covid19; What's next? - click here

* Digital divide research & articles - click here

* Hub of information and tools to help teachers during Covid19 - click here

* Resources from Afterschool Alliance - click her

* eLearning eNcyclopedia - click here

* Genius Hour - get kids involved - click here

* Ideas for teaching on-line - click here

* Recommended Learning Resources on YouTube - click here

What I'm sharing

The graphic at the left is from a presentation I watched recently. The topic was "Talent Retention in Low Status Communities." I shared this video in this blog article.

In another article, I pointed to sites that are aggregating information, similar to what Tutor/Mentor Connection has been doing. In this I also pointed to a panel discussion on this week's College Promise Career's Institute.

Don't "Ride By" Poverty. Get Involved.

I've used maps since 1993 with a goal that people who commute to and from work through Chicago's high poverty neighborhoods would begin to search map-directories and find youth programs along their routes that they could support with time, talent, advocacy, youth jobs and dollars.

Here's a recent article where I included this graphic. During this holiday season and beyond, get to know programs along your commute, then share with others. Help build support for all of them.

Below are resources to use to help youth in your community.

Resources from Tutor/Mentor:

* List of Chicago area youth Tutor and/or Mentor programs, plus other resources for finding youth programs - click here

* Facebook pages of Chicago area youth programs - click here

* Strategy PDFs by Tutor/Mentor - click here

* Concept Map library - click here

* Mapping for Justice blog - click here

* Blog article showing short links to resources hosted in Tutor/Mentor library and websites - click here

* Hashtags I follow on Twitter. Use to expand your own network - click here

* Blogs I follow using Inoreader- click here

*Chicago Youth Serving Organizations in Intermediary Roles-click here

Please help update this cMap and the links in the Tutor/Mentor web library. Just email me with additions or changes.

*GivingTuesday 2020will be Dec. 1, 2020. Click here for details. NOTE: There will not be an #ILGive campaign hosted by Forefront this year.

* 2021 National Mentoring Summit will be a remote conference this year. Early bird registration fee is $75.Click here for details.

* National Mentoring Resource Center - Covid-19 resources -click here

* MyChiMyFuture - City of Chicago - visit site and find activities for youth - click here

* Strengthening Chicago Youth web site, click here; blog - click here

* Chicago Mentoring Collaborative - click here

* To & Through Project web site - click here

* Incarceration Reform Digital Resource Center - click here

* Chicago Learning Exchange - click here

* ChiHackNight - remote civic technology meet-up; every Tuesday in Chicago - see agenda

About this newsletter.

Since 2011 I've supported Tutor/Mentor Connection via the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC, which is not a 501-c-3. It's also not broadly funded. I've covered expenses through my own savings and the help of a few who make annual donations to me either via my December 19 birthday campaign, or my year-end fund me campaign. Below are links to each page. Please help if you can.

Dan's 74th Birthday- click here

Fund Tutor/Mentor Institute- click here

If the newsletter does not format correctly in your email, or if you want to return to it for future reading or to share with others, use this link.

Encourage friends, family, co-workers to sign up to receive this newsletter. Click here.

(If you subscribe, don't forget to respond to the confirmation email)

Thank you for reading and sharing the ideas in this newsletter.

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Dec 2020 Tutor/Mentor News

Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC - Dec 2020 - Issue 195

Wishing You Hope, Health and Happiness

As this year comes to an end we face an uncertain future due to the pandemic, political instability, climate change and a wide range of complex problems.

Our greatest strength is our ability to find solutions and help each other. Best wishes to all as we head into 2021.

Spend time browsing the ideas and resources I'm sharing and use them in 2021 to help youth tutor, mentor and learning programs reach k-12 youth in more places.

If you are a consistent reader please consider a contribution to help fund the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC

Visit Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Website

Mobilize your network. Draw support to every youth program in your city.

I've used maps for 27 years to draw attention and resources to every high poverty area of Chicago and to youth tutor/mentor programs in those areas. I encourage others to do the same.

Open this concept map and find links to my library of Chicago tutor and/or mentor programs, along with other libraries that anyone can use to find programs throughout the USA. Visit websites, learn what programs do, and then pick one, or more, to support with year-end and on-going donations.

Dig into tutor/mentor web library

The concept map at the right diagrams one set of links in the Tutor/Mentor library. Throughout the year I encourage you to point your volunteers and donors to this page and encourage them to learn more about where and why youth tutor/mentor programs are most needed, along with other challenges that need to be addressed to help reduce poverty and create greater opportunity for all in America.

Visit this blog article and find links to every section of the Tutor/Mentor library, plus to pdf essays, concept maps and more resources.

Below are resources to use to help youth in your community.

Recent blog articles from Tutor/Mentor:

* Duplicate Tutor/Mentor Connection - click here

* Creating a Service-Learning Organization - click here

* Roadmap for Solving Problems - click here

* Violence in Chicago. The Rest of the Story - click here

Other recommended pages:

* Strategy PDFs by Tutor/Mentor - click here

* Concept Map library - click here

* Mapping for Justice blog - click here

* 2021 National Mentoring Summit will be a remote conference this year. Click here for details.

* National Mentoring Resource Center - Covid-19 resources - click here

* MyChiMyFuture - City of Chicago - visit site and find activities for youth - click here

* Strengthening Chicago Youth web site, click here; blog - click here

* Chicago Mentoring Collaborative - click here

*Chicago Youth Serving Organizations in Intermediary Roles-click here

Please help update this cMap and the links in the Tutor/Mentor web library. Just email me with additions or changes.

Help me help youth tutor/mentor programs.

Dan Bassill's 74th Birthday is December 19- click here and help him celebrate.

Fund Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC - click here and help keep this resource available for another year.

Thank you for reading and sharing the ideas in this newsletter.

Tutor/Mentor Connection, Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC

Merchandise Mart PO Box 3303, Chicago, Il 60654

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

|http://www.tutormentorexchange.net

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Connect with Dan (tutormentor) on one of these social media platforms.

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Discussion of Tutor/Mentor Ideas

This Link takes you to a Tutor/Mentor Institute portal hosted in the UK. It's a place where people from the US, Europe and other places are encouraged to join with people from Chicago. The discussion is designed to create a blueprint that can be used in any city. It's a blueprint showing many actions needed in building an operating system and infrastructure that reaches youth in all high poverty neighborhoods and stays connected with age-appropriate supports for many years.

Campaign for Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC

Support Tutor/Mentor Connection - Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC

Let's create a world where all kids have greater hope and opportunity. Help more kids in high poverty areas connect in organized volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs. I started this work 25 years ago. Please contribute to help me continue.

(scroll down to bottom of page to find PayPal button)
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We want these opportunities for our own kids and grandchildren. We all want same long-term result of kids moving safely through school and into adult lives and jobs. Read this article to see how the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC and T/MC support this goal with an extensive knowledge base.

This video shows my commitment to helping tutor/mentor programs grow in all high poverty areas.

Rather than trying to be the single leader in a huge city, the T/MC and now T/MI, have sought to provide an information platform that all leaders can use to LEARN, EDUCATE, and innovate ways to support tutor/mentor program growth in more places and to solve other complex social, political and environmental problems facing cities.

Resources supported by your contributions, sponsorship and/or partnership

Tutor/Mentor Blog and Mapping for Justice Blog
Featured Blogs from past years - click here
Tutor/Mentor Chicago Youth Program Links library

Tutor/Mentor Institute strategy library

Tutor/Mentor Institute Concept Map Library

Tutor/Mentor Connection web Library

Monthly eMail Newsletter

Tutor/Mentor Connection Forum and Social Media Network

View videos on Tutor/Mentor Institute Theater

Please help me continue to do this work.

If someone you know has become ill and needs money to pay bills, they set up a "Go Fund Me" page and ask for contributions. They are not 501-c-3 non profits. They are people needing help.

The Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC is not operating as a non profit either. However, it's also not a profit-making business. So, this is my "fund me" page. I (Daniel Bassill) have been self-funding this work since 2011, supported by a small group of continuing donors. Please add your support to help me continue in 2020 and beyond.

Please send a contribution of $25, $100, $500 or more.

Become a volunteer, advocate and/or partner and help me find sponsors, investors and partners to build this platform for future use. Read more .

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TMI Video Library

The videos on this page were created between 2005 and 2018 to help people understand the strategies and resources shared by the Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present) and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), which is led by Daniel F. Bassill.

Click here for more T/MC and T/MI videos. Click here to view videos created by interns. View these videos on this YouTube video list. Find more on this list, and this one.

Note. Most of these videos were created prior to 2018 and still show a PO Box mailing address. Use the contact us page to find current information.

Mentoring Kids to Careers - Strategies and Leadership Commitment needed - click here

4-Part Strategy to Help Kids Through School and Into Careers - piloted since 1993 - click here

Growth of volunteers in a long-term tutor/mentor program. Showing work by interns from the University of Michigan and Northwestern - click here

View this "volunteer growth" blog article - click here.

Volunteer involvement in on-going tutor/mentor program is a form of service-learning. This video shows work of interns from South Korea and Northwestern University - click here

This an Article 5 Image

Understanding "push-pull" as part of a tutor/mentor program strategy for helping youth through school - click here

Collective actions to support urban youth via organized, volunteer-based tutor, mentor and learning programs - click here

Visualize how resource providers and policy-makers might be more proactive in supporting on-going tutor/mentor programs. Role of Influence - click here

Read the blog article - click here

"Enough is Enough" If we want to reduce urban violence on-going investments must be made - click here

Read this article on the Tutor/Mentor Institute,LLC blog - click here

"Here to There". Visualize steps needed for building and sustaining programs that help youth through school and into careers. click here

Homework help resources for students, parents, volunteers, educators, library on this website. click here

This video was created in 2018 when the TutorMentorConnection website was hosting the library. Now the links in the concept map shown in the video point to this website. View the concept map - click here

This video shows universities throughout Chicago where Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conferences were hosted - click here

Thank you to Terry Elliott, an educator from Western Kentucky, for creating this video.

This was part of a strategy aimed at recruiting universities as long-term partners. This blog article shows a 30 year history of reaching out to universities. Click here

View this video to see how Terry Elliott shared my review of 2018 actions.

Helping tutor/mentor programs grow - see how interns have helped and how this is shared in the Tutor/Mentor blog - click here

View the blog article - click here

Take a tour of this "It takes a village" video. What's it mean for youth in high poverty areas of cities like Chicago? - click here

This video shows work done in late 2000s by graduate students from the University of Michigan.

View the graphic in this blog article - click here

Tour of Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC website (www.tutormentorexchange.net) created by Wona Chang, a 2015 intern from South Korea. click here

2025 note. The website platform has been updated, resulting in a new look for the site. However, the basic navigation remains the same as is shown in this video.

View more videos created by interns - visit this page

Introduction to T/MC OHATS (Organizational history and tracking system). Active on this site from 2002 to 2014 - click here

Visit this page and learn more about the T/MC OHATS. While this is now only available as an archive it remains a model of how groups working toward a common goal might document actions to better understand accomplishments and who is contributing.

The Tutor/Mentor Connection was created in 1993 by volunteers who had crated the site-based Cabrini Connections tutor/mentor program in late 1992.
It was the "local" Cabrini-Green focused part of a "local-global" strategy that continued until 2011.

View videos showing activities at Cabrini Connections. click here

Helping volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs grow in high poverty areas of Chicago - Dan Bassill, 2012 panel discussion - click here

Mentor role in a larger strategy of community and youth development - click here

Read more in this blog article - click here

What is poverty? Dan Bassill in 2009 panel discussion - click here

The work done by interns that is shown on this and other pages demonstrates a role that students at any college or high school could take. Imagine going to your school's website and find a collection of visualizations similar to what I show on these pages.

Thank you to Terry Elliott and others who read my blog articles, view my videos, and then create and share your own interpretation and understanding through your on media.
click here

Browse this set of articles on the Tutor/Mentor blog to see how Dan Bassill has networked and shared ideas with a network of Connected Learning (CLMOOC) educators since 2013.

Dan has ofter showed the CLMOOC interactions as a model for how people in the youth development ecosystem should be interacting.

Helping nonprofit organizations grow to be good, then great, over many years. View this 2017 reflection - click here

Visit this blog to read more about helping youth tutor, mentor organizations grow to be good, then great, and stay great, over many years.

The challenges facing leaders of nonprofit organization. Executive Director panel from 2011 Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference.
click here for part 1.

View part 2 - click here. View part 3 - click here

TMI Video - sharing ideas

The videos on this page feature history of the Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present) and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present) along with interviews of founder Daniel F. Bassill. They also include videos from past Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conferences that we hosted from 1994 to 2015.

Click here for more T/MC and T/MI videos. Click here to view videos created by interns. See videos created by Interns on this page. View these videos on this YouTube video list. Find more on this list, and this one.

Note. Most of these videos were created prior to 2018 and still show a PO Box mailing address. Use the contact us page to find current information.

Introduction of Tutor/Mentor Connection at 1997 Presidents' Summit for America's Future - click here

Learn about the Tutor/Mentor Connection's year-round program support strategy, piloted since 1993. click here

Value of Tutor/Mentor Program - Alumni Update - click here

A Knowledge Network - created in 1993
click here

This an Article 5 Image

Mentoring Interview with Anthony Brogdon, Detroit, MI. 3-2022 click here

Interview with Valerie Leonard of NonProfit Utopia, re T/MI use of visualizations. click here

Read the blog article - click here

An Interview with Tutor/Mentor Institute's Daniel Bassill, 2014 by Terry Elliott. click here

Read the blog article - click here

Sharing Tutor/Mentor strategies with Aliyu B. Solomon, from Nigeria. 4-2022 - click here

How to Build a Culture of Empathy - 2012 talk with Edwin Rutsch click here

View second 2012 discussion about empathy and mentoring, including Edwin Rutsch and Bert-Ola Bergstrand, from Sweden. click here

Read the blog article - click here

If volunteer-based tutoring/mentoring is of value, how do we reach more youth in areas of persistent poverty?
click here

This videos describes Dan Bassill's history of involvement in volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs - click here

Animation showing role athletes & celebrities can take to support youth-serving programs throughout the cities where they perform - click here

Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference: What People Say. 2007 - click here

Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference Video - 2010
click here

More videos! Visit this page, showing work of interns. This page focuses on videos from the Cabrini Connections tutor/mentor program that was formed in late 1992 and launched the Tutor/Mentor Connection in 1993. More conference videos and panel discussions with Dan Bassill are shown on this page.

Visual Essays - pg 3

Since the 1970s Dan Bassill, founder of the Tutor/Mentor Connection (led by Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC since 2011) has used visualizations to share strategies and resources. The visual essays on this page focus on building attention and mobilizing resources for multiple programs.

The original collection of PDFs are listed on this page.

Create your own versions and focus the strategies on your own city. Show your support with a contribution. click here

Tutor/Mentor Connection Logic Model. If you agree, adopt the strategy - click here

Ask elected leaders to appy this strategy to help reduce violence in Chicago - click here

Planning needed/use of maps to combat violence in Chicago - click here

Want to help tutor/mentor programs grow? Help build attention for youth serving programs - click here

Use this "Rest of the Story" media strategy to draw attention to youth serving programs in high need areas - click here

Example of "Rest of the Story" strategy- North Lawndale - click here

Form a Tutor/Mentor Connection research/action program at your college/university - click here

30-year (1993 to 2024) history of reaching out to universities. A long road. Learn from our examples - click here

Use this strategic plan, created by DePaul University students, to build your own university leadership effort - click here

This shows a role college fraternities and sororities can take to help build a tutor/mentor program pipeline to careers - click here

How faith communities can help tutor/mentor programs grow in more places - click here

A strategic plan hospitals can take to adopt the Tutor/Mentor Connection strategy. Use for planning - click here

Establish a Tutor/Mentor Connection strategy in the legal community. Use this for planning - click here

Strategy for elected leaders, using one Illinois Congressional district as an example - click here

View more of our visual essays: Page 1 Page 2 Page 4 Page 5

March 2021 Tutor/Mentor eNews

March 2021 - Issue 198

Building Network of Support for Youth

Is the pandemic almost over? Maybe by next fall? How has this affected the availability of non-school, volunteer-based tutor, mentor and learning programs in high poverty neighborhoods of Chicago and other cities? What will program design look like in the future?

These are things I write about in the Tutor/Mentor blog and that I share in this monthly newsletter.

If you are writing about these strategies on blogs or in program websites, please share the link with me on one of the social media platforms I point to.

Use this newsletter as a study guide.

If you are a consistent reader, consider a contribution to help fund the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC

Visit Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Website

What will youth programs look like after Covid19?

Prior to Covid19 many site-based tutor/mentor programs had computers where youth and volunteers could sit side-by-side doing research for school papers, homework and/or current events. For the past year these two people have been in different places, yet still connected via the computer to each other, and resources on-line.

Here's an article written following the 2021 Mentoring Summit with 5 tips for building an e-Mentoring strategy into a site-based program.

And, here are links to eMentor/Tutor programs to learn from. Use these in planning for post Covid activities.

How has Pandemic Affected Youth Serving Organizations?

Last August I shared an invitation for youth program leaders to talk to the team at Great Lakes Growth Works, a consulting firm in Michigan, about how the pandemic was affecting them.

They published this blog article on March 15, with their summary of those conversations. Among those interviewed were leaders from Highsight Chicago and A Better Chicago.

Read the blog to see the key takeaways, challenges and supports needed.

Racial Equity Data

Data maps can be used to support decision makers in government, business and philanthropy. However, many maps have been built without a racial equity lens. For many years, I've used the cMap shown below to point to data platforms in my library and to blog articles where I've included maps. I updated it recently to add a section of links to websites that focus on racial equity in data (see node in upper right). These include:

* Tableau Foundation Racial Equity Data Hub - click here

* Urban Institute's Racial Equity Analytics Lab - click here

* We All Count - a project to increase equity in data science - click here

View the concept map here. If you're using maps in blog articles to inform public opinion or build donor support for specific areas, please share you articles on Twitter, Facebook and/or Linkedin.

I keep adding new links to the Tutor/Mentor library and this concept map. One area where I'd like to find better data maps is in mapping of philanthropic and government funding. If you know of such platforms please send me the link.

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If we want to help more kids living in poverty areas move through school what do we need to know?

The data from Covid19 and before shows that poverty is a major contributor to the challenges many youth face in moving safely from birth to work. This is not a new revelation. It's been clear for many decades. And while billions of dollars have been spent on education efforts, and on non-school programs, the problem still persists for many kids in many places.

So what are we missing? I think we're missing a comprehensive and on-going strategy. As I've led the Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present) and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present) I've had a lot of time to think about this. I started using visualizations in the 1990s and concept maps in 2005 to share my thinking.

Below is one concept map that shows a sequence of thoughts, starting with "we need organized youth programs in more places" to "we need to find ways to build and sustain public will, and funding, that reaches youth programs in EVERY high poverty neighborhood.

This is just my thinking. I encourage others to create their own concept maps. You can see my entire library at this link.

What are all the things we need to be thinking of is we want youth tutor mentor programs in all high poverty areas of Chicago.

I'm passing on this request from a mentoring Research Project at Johns Hopkins University

"Are you interested in participating in a research study with Johns Hopkins University? We need mentors and mentees from across the U.S. to pilot test our new app for one month! The app is designed to support the mentors of young African American men who have a sexual interest in men. All participants will receive a gift card as well as a chance to win tickets to an event of their choice. Please contact

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

, the Study Coordinator, for more information."

Below are resources to use to help youth in your community.

Resources from Tutor/Mentor:

* List of Chicago area youth Tutor and/or Mentor programs, plus other resources for finding youth programs - click here

* Facebook pages of Chicago area youth programs - click here

* Instagram pages of Chicago area youth programs - click here

* Strategy PDFs by Tutor/Mentor - click here

* Concept Map library - click here

* Mapping for Justice blog - click here

* Tutor/Mentor Library - This blog article shows short links to each section in Tutor/Mentor library and to concept maps and PDF strategy presentations - click here

* Hashtags I follow on Twitter. Use to expand your own network - click here

* Blogs I follow using Inoreader - click here

* Philanthropy and Covid-19: Measuring One Year of Giving. IssueLab report. pdf. click here

* National Mentoring Resource Center - Covid-19 resources - click here

* MyChiMyFuture - City of Chicago - visit site and find activities for youth - click here

* Strengthening Chicago Youth web site, click here; blog - click here

* Chicago Mentoring Collaborative - click here

* To & Through Project web site - click here

* Chicago Learning Exchange - click here

* Incarceration Reform Resource Center - click here

* ChiHackNight - remote civic technology meet-up; every Tuesday in Chicago - see weekly agenda

*Chicago Youth Serving Organizations in Intermediary Roles-click here

Please help update this cMap and the links in the Tutor/Mentor web library. Just email me with additions or changes.

About this newsletter.

Encourage friends, family, co-workers to sign up to receive this newsletter. Click here.

Nov-Dec 2020 - Issue 194

Below are resources to use to help youth in your community.

Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC - Dec 2020 - Issue 195

Below are resources to use to help youth in your community.

This video shows my commitment to helping tutor/mentor programs grow in all high poverty areas.

Use PayPal or Credit Card to send your contribution to support Dan Bassill and his work. Thank you for your help!

Mentoring Kids to Careers - Strategies and Leadership Commitment needed - click here

4-Part Strategy to Help Kids Through School and Into Careers - piloted since 1993 - click here

Growth of volunteers in a long-term tutor/mentor program. Showing work by interns from the University of Michigan and Northwestern - click here

Volunteer involvement in on-going tutor/mentor program is a form of service-learning. This video shows work of interns from South Korea and Northwestern University - click here

Understanding "push-pull" as part of a tutor/mentor program strategy for helping youth through school - click here

Collective actions to support urban youth via organized, volunteer-based tutor, mentor and learning programs - click here

Visualize how resource providers and policy-makers might be more proactive in supporting on-going tutor/mentor programs. Role of Influence - click here

"Enough is Enough" If we want to reduce urban violence on-going investments must be made - click here

"Here to There". Visualize steps needed for building and sustaining programs that help youth through school and into careers. click here

Homework help resources for students, parents, volunteers, educators, library on this website. click here

This video shows universities throughout Chicago where Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conferences were hosted - click here

Helping tutor/mentor programs grow - see how interns have helped and how this is shared in the Tutor/Mentor blog - click here

Take a tour of this "It takes a village" video. What's it mean for youth in high poverty areas of cities like Chicago? - click here

Tour of Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC website (www.tutormentorexchange.net) created by Wona Chang, a 2015 intern from South Korea. click here

Introduction to T/MC OHATS (Organizational history and tracking system). Active on this site from 2002 to 2014 - click here

Helping volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs grow in high poverty areas of Chicago - Dan Bassill, 2012 panel discussion - click here

Mentor role in a larger strategy of community and youth development - click here

What is poverty? Dan Bassill in 2009 panel discussion - click here

Thank you to Terry Elliott and others who read my blog articles, view my videos, and then create and share your own interpretation and understanding through your on media.click here

Helping nonprofit organizations grow to be good, then great, over many years. View this 2017 reflection - click here

The challenges facing leaders of nonprofit organization. Executive Director panel from 2011 Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference.click here for part 1. View part 2 - click here. View part 3 - click here

Introduction of Tutor/Mentor Connection at 1997 Presidents' Summit for America's Future - click here

Learn about the Tutor/Mentor Connection's year-round program support strategy, piloted since 1993. click here

Value of Tutor/Mentor Program - Alumni Update - click here

A Knowledge Network - created in 1993click here

Mentoring Interview with Anthony Brogdon, Detroit, MI. 3-2022 click here

Interview with Valerie Leonard of NonProfit Utopia, re T/MI use of visualizations. click here

An Interview with Tutor/Mentor Institute's Daniel Bassill, 2014 by Terry Elliott. click here

Sharing Tutor/Mentor strategies with Aliyu B. Solomon, from Nigeria. 4-2022 - click here

How to Build a Culture of Empathy - 2012 talk with Edwin Rutsch click here

If volunteer-based tutoring/mentoring is of value, how do we reach more youth in areas of persistent poverty?click here

This videos describes Dan Bassill's history of involvement in volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs - click here

Animation showing role athletes & celebrities can take to support youth-serving programs throughout the cities where they perform - click here

Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference: What People Say. 2007 - click here

Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference Video - 2010click here

Tutor/Mentor Connection Logic Model. If you agree, adopt the strategy - click here

Ask elected leaders to appy this strategy to help reduce violence in Chicago - click here

Planning needed/use of maps to combat violence in Chicago - click here

Want to help tutor/mentor programs grow? Help build attention for youth serving programs - click here

Use this "Rest of the Story" media strategy to draw attention to youth serving programs in high need areas - click here

Example of "Rest of the Story" strategy- North Lawndale - click here

Form a Tutor/Mentor Connection research/action program at your college/university - click here

30-year (1993 to 2024) history of reaching out to universities. A long road. Learn from our examples - click here

Use this strategic plan, created by DePaul University students, to build your own university leadership effort - click here

This shows a role college fraternities and sororities can take to help build a tutor/mentor program pipeline to careers - click here

How faith communities can help tutor/mentor programs grow in more places - click here

A strategic plan hospitals can take to adopt the Tutor/Mentor Connection strategy. Use for planning - click here

Establish a Tutor/Mentor Connection strategy in the legal community. Use this for planning - click here

Strategy for elected leaders, using one Illinois Congressional district as an example - click here

Below are resources to use to help youth in your community.

Use PayPal or Credit Card to send your contribution to support
Dan Bassill and his work. Thank you for your help!

Thank you to Terry Elliott and others who read my blog articles, view my videos, and then create and share your own interpretation and understanding through your on media.
click here

The challenges facing leaders of nonprofit organization. Executive Director panel from 2011 Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference.
click here for part 1.

View part 2 - click here. View part 3 - click here

A Knowledge Network - created in 1993
click here

If volunteer-based tutoring/mentoring is of value, how do we reach more youth in areas of persistent poverty?
click here

Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference Video - 2010
click here