Tutor/Mentor Program Outcomes - What if?

I have links to close to 200 Chicago area youth serving programs in the library on the Tutor/Mentor Connection web site. The goal is that leaders from business, media, religion, politics, etc. would find a way every day to encourage people who want to help kids in poverty areas move through school and into jobs to look at these sites, and choose one or more to support with time, talent or dollars.

One of the Programs I've pointed to for a long time is Chicago Youth Programs, Inc. which has been operating at three sites in Chicago for close to 30 years. If you go to the "outcomes page" on their web site you'll see three sets of graphics. This is one of them.

It would be great if every web site of every tutor/mentor program had similar charts showing participation, year-to-year retention, years of service, etc. That would give volunteers and common way to compare programs and how well they have been able to form bonds with kids and families and how well they can keep these in place for multiple years.

I co-hosted a panel discussion in January 2012 and one of the speakers was Monique Cook-Bey, the Washington Park Program Director. You can listen to her describe her program in this video.



I have hosted a Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference every six months since 1994 to enable programs to come together and share ideas with each other. The next is June 14 and will be at First Unitarian Church in Hyde Park. Visit http://www.tutormentorconference.org for more information.