A New Call To Action from Chicago Tribune

Chicago Forward - Chicago Tribune

A couple of weeks ago the Chicago Tribune launched a  new call to action to reach Chicagoland's disconnected youth, inviting reader ideas.

I've been responding to these "calls to action" for more than 25 years with ideas and strategies posted in my newsletters, web sites and on this blog.  Instead of re-writing all this again, like some sort of narrow grant proposal, I invite city planners to skim through the information that has been available to them for so long, then invite me into their brainstorming and planning where I can help them understand it and ways to apply it.

I shared this with Bruce Dold and the Chicago Tribune on a few Tweets which I'm showing below:

While #ChicagoForward focuses on opportunity youth, age 16 - 24, a #Chicago strategy needs to focus on birth to work and use #maps to draw resources to #tutor #mentor #jobs & learning programs in every poverty neighborhood. Do the planning. https://t.co/X34iauWmWB pic.twitter.com/1qRLg3BG5K

— Daniel Bassill (@tutormentorteam) January 12, 2020

Since October 2019 I've been attending meetings hosted by Mayor Lori Lightfoot's team, which is developing a plan that also aims to reach youth throughout Chicago. Here's one Tweet that I posted.

Some thoughts from today's #everyYouthConnected meeting in #Chicago. This #cmap shows planning needed to fill every neighborhood w k-12 learning programs. Open links under each node for deeper learning. https://t.co/DPGvFxGUpa pic.twitter.com/kvvD9vCzDZ

— Daniel Bassill (@tutormentorteam) December 11, 2019

Here's another one where I focus on the long-term, flexible funding needed to support youth serving programs in every high poverty neighborhood. This needs to be part of the planning.

I attended the #EveryKidConnected, #EveryYouthConnected meeting on Thursday. This is more relevant now that I know the goals. It's one of hundreds of articles on my blog that planners might look at for ideas. https://t.co/yOfH87OYTD

— Daniel Bassill (@tutormentorteam) October 11, 2019

Here's a Tweet that focuses on the talent needed in every single youth program.

To reach every youth in Chicago with non school #tutor #mentor and learning the talent pipeline needs to be filled. Finding the money will be big challenge.#EveryYouthConnected#EveryKidConnected https://t.co/xolUlho68r

— Daniel Bassill (@tutormentorteam) October 10, 2019

Here's another Tweet, visualizing the many challenges facing youth and families in high poverty areas. Just focusing on providing youth programs won't address the many other issues.

This #conceptmap illustrates your point. While I focus on youth #tutor #mentor orgs who help kids in poverty move through school there are many other related issues that need to be addressed at the same time, and in the same places. https://t.co/vdCfR0kmMo pic.twitter.com/6So8exkRvZ

— Daniel Bassill (@tutormentorteam) September 7, 2019

I've been using Maps since 1993 to focus attention and resources to all high poverty areas of Chicago and its suburbs. Here's one Tweet showing that.

Since 1994 I've been using #maps in efforts to help volunteer-based #tutor #mentor orgs grow in all high poverty areas of Chicago. While #mapping tech has improved I still don't see many doing the same as I do. https://t.co/PFtPw2REdh https://t.co/AUqfOlG46P

— Daniel Bassill (@tutormentorteam) December 20, 2019

Finally, here's one where I show the Tutor/Mentor Program Locator search page, which the Tutor/Mentor Connection launched in 2004. Prior to that we had shared our list of programs via a printed directory, first published in 1994.

This is resource #EveryYouthConnected initiative of @chicagosmayor should look at. https://t.co/UG6v3lq4E8

— Daniel Bassill (@tutormentorteam) October 10, 2019

This is just a sample of the information available to the planners at the Chicago Tribune, Chicago SunTimes, City of Chicago and other places. There's so much here that included in any planning needs to be a focus on learning.

Below is a video showing steps to learning all this information, created by one of the interns from South Korea via IIT who worked with me from 2006 to 2015.



One of my Tweets posted above shows the front page of the October 15 Chicago SunTimes, which also was a call to action. This is a deeply rooted problem that requires involvement of many sectors, in many ways, and for many years.

The media and city leaders need to take on the intermediary role that I've consistently taken, to encourage others to look at this information, discuss it, then incorporate what they learn in actions that make birth to work youth tutor/mentor programs available in every high poverty area of the city and suburbs.

I'm on Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook where I hope to connect with others who will help share these ideas, while adding their own.