Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Our vision is that millions of citizens will travel from first exposure to an
issue via NEWS awareness into paths of life-long Civic Engagement as
a result of the ideas we share in the following pages..
The Tutor/Mentor Connection was created in 1993 by Daniel F. Bassill and six other volunteers, to
help volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs grow in the Chicago area. It operated as part of the
Cabrini Connections site based tutor/mentor program, a 501-c-3 non profit until June 2011. It now
operates as a program of the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC, which was created in July 2011 to
support the continued work of the T/MC in Chicago and to help similar groups grow in other cities
throughout the world. Dan Bassill continues in his leadership role and author of this essay.
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Pg. 2
Challenge:
Youth living in areas of highly
concentrated poverty need
continuous support to move from
birth to work. Volunteer-based
tutor/mentor programs are one
valuable resource. These programs
also need continuous support.
With an internet strategy, media leaders can more consistently link NEWS
with information and solutions so that those who become interested,
enraged or engaged by the first wave of reporting will become informed
and involved by the commentary and internet strategies of the media
outlet.
Recent events have proven that social media can be used to bring together large
numbers of people for short term activities. Our goal is to develop social media
strategies that bring large and growing numbers of people together on an on-going
basis to build support for activities that require longer involvement.
Research
On the
Solutions Following
Pages….
Tutor/Mentor
Programs We illustrate what
media, or business web
Donations
sites, might look like,
by adding a Rest of the
Volunteering Story Tab.
Youth
Development
The link in the text leads to this box
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Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Youth Development
When This Box is selected, this is where it leads:
Get Informed
Research It is everyone’s
responsibility to help
Solutions all youth in this
region grow up safely
Service
Providers and reach their full
Donations
potential.
Click any box to the left and learn
more
Volunteering
Map showing
where today’s
news occurred The link in the text leads to this box
Pg. 14
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Youth Programs Needed in Many Places
When This Box is selected, this is where it leads:
Get Informed
The media needs to point to
Research maps, showing where great
programs are needed. Writers
need to emphasis that the city
Solutions
needs good programs in every
poverty neighborhood, not just a
Service few great programs in a few
Providers places
Click any box to the left and learn
Donations more
Volunteering
Map showing
where today’s The link in the text leads to this box
news occurred
Pg. 15
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
The Rest of the Story
Learn what you can do to help raise Chicago’s youth.
These are
Get Informed examples of
Stories w hope
to see.
Research
Featured story
Solutions
from Today’s
Tutor/Mentor News
Programs This map shows how xx was
shot and killed last night.
Donations Click HERE to learn more
about youth violence and its
solutions.
Volunteering
Forums
Service
providers in
this area The link in the text leads to this box
Pg. 16
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
The Rest of the Story
Learn what you can do to help raise Chicago’s youth.
Get Informed
Research Learn to
Make
Solutions Your own
Tutor/Mentor
Maps
This map was
Programs made using
Chicago
Donations Tutor/Mentor
Program
Volunteering Locator’s
Interactive map
Local, These logos are just two of the youth organizations found
National at http://tinyurl.com/TMI-ChiProgramLinks
Resources
Pg. 19
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Tutor/Mentor Programs
When this link is clicked, we just want to be one of the links
Get Informed
Learn more about tutoring/mentoring
Research
Leaders
Youth served by local programs
Local,
National
Resources Including www.tutormentorexchange.net
Pg. 20
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Getting this info on the Web is Step #1
Getting people to look at it is an on-going challenge:
At any time a talk show host can refer a listener to a section of the
station’s web site where the listener can go to find more information,
and to find ways to be part of the solution.
volunteers
dollars
college
you
Talent &
Elected technology
leader
others
Use personal and organizational leadership, web site and communications to connect
members of your network to T/M programs in all parts of Chicago on a consistent, on-going
basis, using Internet directories such as http://tinyurl.com/TMI-ChiProgramLinks as
resource for finding programs.
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Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Sustaining Momentum is Step #2
Convincing people to write about tutor/mentor programs regularly, and to point to programs
in all neighborhoods, will be an on-going challenge.
As more stories point to tutor/mentor programs after negative news in the mainstream media, more
people will begin to look at the web sites of these programs and learn ways to support them. Key
events organized during the year can provide “topics” for bloggers, writers and social media to focus
on, boosting traffic growth from event to event and year to year. Remember, it takes 12 years just to
go from first grade to 12th grade.
Pg. 23
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Duplicate & Rebuild this Strategy
To create a map-based information directory requires a major sponsor and on-going
revenue. Enlist business and philanthropic partners. Every city needs this.
Do you have
something
like this in your city?
The Chicago Tutor/Mentor Program Locator was created between 2004 and 2008 and
demonstrates what’s possible using interactive mapping. Since 2011 Tutor/Mentor Institute,
LLC has not found the volunteers and/or investors needed to keep this site available to
Chicago. As of 2021 it's now only available as an archive, which you can view at
https://tinyurl.com/ProgramLocatorMap-archive If you'd want to help rebuild this, or create
a version for your city, connect with Dan Bassill on Twitter @tutormentorteam
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Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Many media platforms now host powerful interactive mapping that
can be used in creating “rest of the story” articles.
Pg. 25
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
On this concept map we point to many data platforms that can be
used to create “rest of the story” articles”
•Is this possible? Can we increase reach and frequency of stories focusing on tutor/mentor programs?
Can we increase and measure traffic flows?
•Who already implements such a strategy? Can we connect with them? Can we create an internet
library hosting such information, and build understanding by facilitating learning around this growing
body of knowledge?
•Will cities provide the funds to make a “program locator directory” available? Or to coach youth and
organizations to begin a “Rest of the Story” project?
•How do those who implement this strategy track and measure success?
•What are the positive returns on the social investment of such a strategy?
•What are the profit gains from a capital investment of such a strategy?
Our ability to answer the 3rd, 5th and 6th questions positively will provide reasons for
such strategies to be adopted by a growing number of media outlets in every city in
the country. Note: This could be a university research project!
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present),www.tutormentorexchange.net tutormentor2@earthlink.net
Pg. 27
Join us in turning this idea into a reality.
Volunteer, be an intern, be a sponsor. Invite us to speak to a group in your city or at your business.
View blogs at
Http://tutormentor.blogspot.com
Http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com
Dan Bassill
Be T/MI's partner. Let Dan Bassill be your partner, coach @tutormentorteam
and consultant. If you already have youth telling these
stories, send us a link to your blog or web site.