Power of Youth Voices

This video is a powerful call to action, with the message delivered by a teen.



While more than 19 million people have viewed this my hope is that young people in schools, youth programs, faith groups, etc. will learn to add their own voices to this call to action so that every day in some neighborhood of the world some child is demanding that adults spend more time building a better future.

When I led Cabrini Connections, I encouraged the growth of a video club, where kids were learning to tell stories and draw attention to tutoring/mentoring. Visit this YouTube site and see dozens of videos created over 16 years

As I've led the Tutor/Mentor Connection I've used these videos to draw attention to maps showing where tutor/mentor programs were most needed, and pointing to web sites of programs already operating in the Chicago region who require a constant flow of talent, technology, ideas and operating dollars.

Interns have been helping me communicate strategies, with graphics like this which shows a problem-solving strategy that I hope local,national and global leaders are following to systematically develop solutions that can be sustained for dozens of years in neighborhoods all over the world.

This strategy includes a public awareness/marketing component. Unless millions of people are being inspired in a variety of ways, on a continuous basis, to become involved in the work of making a better future, using their time, talent, dollars and votes, we'll never be able to build the better future we hope to leave to our own children and their children.

In the June 14 Tutor/Mentor Conference being held in Chicago I'm looking for youth organizations who are teaching young people to take on advocacy roles like demonstrated in this video to be part of a panel where they share what they are doing and how they find the resources to do it. See the conference agenda for more on this.

I've been participating in a Systems Thinking group on Linked in, where the moderator has begun to build a wiki to map the group's thinking. This type of moderation and systems thinking would be useful in all of the problem solving groups that are operating around the world.

I'd like to find people with this talent to work with me to help organize the ideas I've been sharing on blogs, wikis, web sites and social media for the past 15 years. If you're interested you could connect with me on the Tutor/Mentor Connection forum on Ning or on Facebook.