Edition: October  2011
Issue No. 103
 
   
 
   
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NOTE: throughout this newsletter we use a Tiny URL to shorten long web site addresses so the links do not break. We hope you find this helpful.
 
 
 
   
* Mentoring and the Dropout Crisis
* Innovating mentoring-based solutions
* November 4 - Tutor/Mentor Conference in Chicago
* Creating Public Attention for Mentoring, Tutoring
* President's Message - Give Thanks and Think Giving
 
   
issue 01
Every 26 seconds a youth drops out of school in America.



Image created by REL Midwest at Learning Point Associates

Mentoring and the Dropout Crisis
At the National Dropout Prevention Conference held in Chicago speaker after speaker gave depressing statistics about the number of youth who drop out of school and the financial costs to themselves and the country. In many of the presentations Mentoring/Tutoring was given as a strategy for helping young people engage with learning, build resiliency and build networks of support.

 

The map above shows that most high dropout schools are concentrated in bigger cities and in poverty areas. Using maps leaders can focus needed resources to support mentoring and learning strategies into these neighborhoods. Without integrating maps into planning, support systems will not reach every area where programs are needed nor most of the smaller, less visible organizations operating in big cities.

Following are web resources that can be used by any community to better understand the dropout crisis and to become part of mentoring and tutoring strategies that reverse this trend. Create reading and discussion groups at your high school, college, faith group or business and learn ways to apply this information in your own community.

* Locating the Dropout Crisis - http://www.csos.jhu.edu/crespar/techReports/Report70.pdf

* Maps showing Illinois High Dropout Schools - http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/images/PDF/hsdropoutmaps.pdf

* Cities in Crisis - http://www.edweek.org/media/cities_in_crisis_2009.pdf
* National Dropout Prevention Center - http://www.dropoutprevention.org/ . Learn about free radio webcast. 
* Dropout prevention resources on Tutor/Mentor Connection web site library -
http://tinyurl.com/TMC-dropout-crisis
* Dropout prevention resources in Tutor/Mentor Connection forum - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-forum-Dropout-Issues
* 2011 Dropout Prevention Conference network map. Use to expand your own network- http://tinyurl.com/2011DropoutConf-Network 

 

* See examples of maps integrated into blog articles focusing on growth of tutor/mentor programs in Chicago http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/search/label/maps

 

As we know more about the problem, the next step is to do more to make programs available in more places to solve it. The information provided in this newsletter is intended to help with this process.


   
Innovating mentoring-based solutions. Making them available to more youth.  

Image created by Tutor/Mentor Connection
 

Creating a non-school tutor/mentor program in a high poverty neighborhood and keeping it in place for enough years to influence the journey of youth  from first grade to first job and careers is as difficult as it was for Thomas Edison to invent the light bulb.

Creating an industry to make light bulbs available in every home and business was an even bigger challenge. Creating such a support system that helps mentor-rich programs reach youth in all high poverty areas and where dropout rates are highest is an even larger challenge.


This is what we focus on at the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC and the Tutor/Mentor Connection.  While there are thousands of places where high school dropout, workforce development, education, diversity, social justice and volunteering are being discussed we seek to connect with places where leaders are building supply chains that support constantly improving schools and non-school programs where volunteer mentors and tutors are connecting with youth who need extra help to stay in school and move to jobs and careers.

This link points to one on-line place where people from many cities can connect. http://debategraph.org/mentoring_kids_to_careers


If you know of other places where similar open planning and capacity building discussions are talking place please share the link. Email tutormentor2@earthlink.net
 

 
   
issue 02  
November 4 Tutor/Mentor Leadership & Networking Conference in Chicago  


The May and November Tutor/Mentor Leadership & Networking Conferences are places where people and ideas we connect to via the Internet can meet face-to-face and build relationships that grow in the months between each conference.



Image created by Tutor/Mentor Connection

The next conference is November 4, 2011 and will be held at the Metcalfe Federal Building in Chicago.
Registration is now open. Visit this Agenda Page to see the workshops and panel discussions that will be offered. http://www.tutormentorconference.org/agenda.asp Group rates are available for organizations bringing three or more people and planning to cover all workshops. Email tutormentor2@earthlink.net to discuss.
 

There are multiple choices of great workshops throughout the day. Here are a few

Challenges of Non Profits - Panel Discussion of Tutor/Mentor Program Executive Directors, focusing on Fundraising in difficult times, Managing a small NPO, Emergency management of an NPO. Panel of Executive Directors from Working In the Schools, East Village Youth Program and The Black Star Project.

The Right Mentoring Option for the Right Mentor, presented by Sue Sowle, Project SOAR at McGaw YMCA.  
 

Understanding and Applying Elements of Effective Practice of MENTOR, the National Mentoring Partnership, presented by Dr. Clara Carter, former Director of Training for the Maryland Mentoring Partnership.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to offer a workshop. Check the attendee list to see who has already registered. Add your own name when you register.


Become a sponsor and help offset costs of conference planning, scholarships and group rates!   
http://www.tutormentorconference.org/sponsor.asp
 

 

 
 
 
 
issue 03  
Spread the word. Help build donor support during holiday period  



See this article at http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/news-pr

-----------------------------------

This story was in the Chicago Tribune 16 years ago as a result of the Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference held that year. See more stories like this at http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/news-pr
While each conference attracts 100 to 150 participants the larger goal is to increase the number of media stories focusing on tutoring/mentoring during November and December so that more donors use the Tutor/Mentor Program Locator Directory and the Conference Workshop Agenda to find organizations to support with year in financial contributions.

If you can write stories about tutor/mentor programs in Chicago and other cities during this timeframe you can help motivate more donors to provide the financial backing each tutor/mentor program needs to operate in the coming year. Each year the goal is that more donors step forward to become financial partners and more volunteers offer their talent to help build the infrastructure of local programs throughout Chicago and other cities.

Read about the challenges facing non profit organizations
If we understand the difficulties of operating a tutor/mentor program and the benefits of supporting volunteer involvement more companies, foundations and individuals will step forward as partners and supporters.

Challenges facing non profits - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-ChallengesFacingNPOs

Corporate civic engagement - http://tinyurl.com/T-MC-Civic-Engagement  

CSR and Diversity article - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-CSR-Diversity

Visit the Tutor/Mentor Connection Links Library for more resources to use in organizing and sustaining volunteer-based tutoring and/or mentoring programs. http://tinyurl.com/T-MC-Library
 

 


Visit the Tutor/Mentor Program Locator at http://www.tutormentorprogramlocator.net
See how the Interactive Map and Program Locator search features enable you to learn about more than 150 youth serving organizations in different parts of the Chicago region.  If you find out-of-date information please let us know at  tutormentor2@earthlink.net .

 
 
president's message
 
 
 
Give Thanks and Think GIVING

by Daniel F. Bassill



Image created by student in Cabrini Connections Tutor/Mentor Program

During more than 35 years of being involved with youth and volunteers I feel I've been blessed by all of the people I've met and that I've learned more than most because of my long involvement.

Many volunteers tell me how much they feel they have learned and many youth who have been part of the tutor/mentor programs I've led are now telling me how much they appreciated that the program was part of their lives. This is reason for all of us to give thanks for the programs that have been able to find enough donors, volunteers and leaders to exist in our communities.

 

However, there are not enough programs in most places and few programs have the consistent flow of operating dollars needed to hire and retain quality staff for multiple years.  Thus while we offer another conference this November to bring programs together our goal is to create greater attention so people who don't live in poverty will THINK of how they benefit and how they can use Holiday donations and year-end tax strategies to provide operating dollars to one or many tutor/mentor programs in Chicago and other cities.

 

Read blog articles at http://tutormentor.blogspot.com and see how all of my writing focuses on the roles leaders can take to help high quality and constantly improving tutor/mentor programs be available in more places. Use these articles in weekly group discussions and write your own stories showing your own ideas and involvement.

The November 4th Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference is an opportunity for some people in the Tutor/Mentor Network to connect and share ideas. I hope you'll participate as a workshop presenter, participant and/or sponsor.  The web site is http://www.tutormentorconference.org

While we're not yet into Halloween it is not too early to be thinking of the year end holidays and 2012 tutor/mentor program activities. I hope the information we provide helps you.

 
   

The Tutor/Mentor Connection is now operated by Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC, which is a social enterprise that seeks to generate revenue from multiple sources including fees and sponsorships for conferences and training events, and an annual Chicagoland Tutor/Mentor Volunteer Recruitment campaign. 

One way to offer support is to be a sponsor or advertiser for the Conferences. Use this page to send a payment. http://www.tutormentorconference.org/sponsor.asp

Another way is to invite me to your organization or city to share my thinking with you.  This page suggests some fees that we can discuss for such involvement. http://tutormentorinstitute.wikidot.com/tutor-mentor-institute-consulting-packages

Thank you for reading this. Please share it with others. Add new people to our newsletter list using this link. http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=nlofiegab&p=oi&m=1106096863597

 
   
Daniel F. Bassill
President
Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC
and Tutor/Mentor Connection

 
 
   
Read the blogs at :
http://tutormentor.blogspot.com
http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com

Follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/tutormentorteam
Linked in group on volunteering - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-LinkedIn-Volunteering
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