Borrow from planning strategies I've shared for over 25 years

During the late 1990s I participated in many on-line discussions.  I printed copies of many messages that I posted and I've been digitizing these recently.  Yesterday I found a June 19, 1999 post made in response to a request for help from an educator in St. Paul, Minnesota.

She wrote "We are struggling with how to implement something in the wake of Littleton. We have no money and right now little direction.  How did you get started?"

Below I've posted JPGs showing my response. You can open the PDF and enlarge it to read it more easily.

I began by writing, "I've been listening to this conversation and have not entered because "venting" is not as productive as "building" solutions.  Michael (and others) asked for suggestions of what we could be doing.  Here's what myself and a few volunteers have been building for the past six years in response to these issues.  I invite any of you to borrow from these ideas, or join in."

I described the Cabrini Connections program that we created in late 1992 to help 7th and 8th graders connect with volunteers who would help them through school.  Then I wrote, "However, it's not that which I'm offering as a plan (although I welcome anyone who wants to borrow from what we do with these kids)."

I continued, "We recognized when we formed Cabrini Connections in 1992 that there are nearly 200,000 youth in Chicago alone who could be described as "at-risk" because of poverty, segregation, lack of jobs and poor schools.  We realized that the Mayor, the media and the leaders of the school system would never give day-to-day commitment to building quality afterschool/nonschool tutor/mentor programs with adult mentors serving as friends, coaches, counselors, career advocates and leaders.  These folks just had more pressing issues than this single issue.

So we formed what we call the Tutor/Mentor Connection, with a simple goal of reaching out to our peers with a "what can we do to help you succeed?" message.

Enlarge the JPGs to read more, or open the PDF. 

In the concluding paragraphs, I wrote:

Think of the potential.

"What this means is that anyone in this list could use the events we have in place in Chicago, duplicate them in their own cities, and lead a campaign which motivates people to be involved, motivates their peers to become leaders, and build resources for the movement. Each event builds to the next event and each year builds greater awareness of the movement, the programs in the movement and the leaders who champion the message.

This is not "venting".  This is an action plan started by individuals who said "the buck stops here" and each day for the past six years we've got up in the morning and said, "what can we do today to move this forward".  We had no money when we started. We had no corporate or foundation support and no rich friends. We still have little money and we've no government funding.

If we could build this in Chicago, think what any of you could do in your own communities."

---- end1999 message ----

In the mid 2000s I created this graphic to show the quarterly events we had piloted and how year-to-year repetition and support from high profile leaders could lead to greater and greater support for volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs throughout the Chicago area.

Open this PDF to learn more about the year-round strategy.  Visit this page to learn more about events piloted by the Tutor/Mentor Connection in the 1990s. 

I've shared this message over-and-over for many years with people in almost every state and in other countries.  In this folder you can view contact history with a few people in other places.

However, I'm like a prophet in the desert saying "there's a better way".

I've had too few resources to share these ideas as widely and as effectively as they needed to be shared, or to do the follow-up work to know who has tried to implement the ideas.

However, based on what I do see on my social media platforms, and the continuing persistent poverty in many places throughout America, the type of campaign I've described still is not taking place in most cities and states.  

Think of the potential.

Assign someone to do the research, digging through my archives, to learn what I and others have tried to do, then build a network of people who will use those ideas to do better work over the next 10-20 years.  

If you're leading a campaign like I describe, or know of others who do, please share links in the comment box so others can learn from your efforts.

I'm on Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and other platforms. Find links on this page.  Please connect with me. Share your strategies and share mine.  

If you're able to help me, visit this page and make a small contribution to Fund the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC.  

Understanding complex problems using concept maps

For many years I've posted articles describing the information-based problem solving strategies that I've piloted since forming the Tutor/Mentor Connection in 1993, and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC in 2011. 

Since 2005 I've communicated my ideas using concept maps, created using free cMapTools.  Below is one of those. Open the map at this link. 

This map includes three elements.

1) The "mentoring kids to careers" graphic focuses on the 10-16 years of age-specific support needed to help kids living in high poverty areas move through school and into jobs and careers.

2) There's a small inset of a map of Chicago, with high poverty areas highlighted.  In my last article I focused on using maps to understand where help is needed and to guide distribution of resources to all of these places.

3) The right side of the concept map shows many of the challenges that kids, families and schools in high poverty areas face. Each of these needs to be understood, then addressed. 

What my maps do not have is a narration on the maps that explains what the viewer is looking at. That could be fixed with an audio narration, or perhaps by using a different tool than cMapTools.  Below I'm pointing to some options.  I've tried to explain some of the maps with articles like this one and, this one. 

In the lower left corner of the concept map shown above, I wrote, "This information focuses on challenges facing youth in the United states.  What would this map look like for youth in Asia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, Central and South America?  Create your own version!"

Someone did! But I don't think this was inspired by my work.

Yesterday, I found Pierce Gordon who has used a different visualization tool, called KUMU.io, to create a visualization that focuses on Systems Thinking and Youth Unemployment in Botswana, Africa.  The graphic below is from that presentation.

I was alerted to this through a post I saw on Twitter (X). 

We recently ran across a Kumu project by Pierce Gordon which looks at youth unemployment in Botswana from a systems lens.
He created a powerful presentation showcasing the forces at play, as well as providing a cool intro to #systemsthinking!#kumunity #youthunemployment #SADC pic.twitter.com/PC6sNCFKgy

— Kumu (@kumupowered) July 16, 2024

This Twitter (X) post includes a video that provides a quick overview of the analysis.  I encourage you to view it.

Then visit the KUMU page on LinkedIn where they announced the presentation and provided this link to the KUMU project shown in the video. 

Here's another systems map, shared with me by Pierce Gordon. It is an "interactive Youth Employment System Map. Designed in 2021. It is the first attempt to map the youth employment system in England. It provides a visual representation of the barriers and opportunities young people from marginalized backgrounds face as they seek good jobs."  Visit this page and then follow the link to the causal loop map. There are great explanations for how to use this, and why.  

Spend as much time as you can to look at these presentations, then connect with Pierce, or Kumu, or both and learn how you can make similar visualizations. 

Then, take a look at some of the past articles I've posted about mapping complexity.

This graphic by Christian Sarkar was included in my Nov. 17, 2022 post.

In this 2018 article my headline was "Wicked Problems. Getting "Everyone" in the Room. Who cares?   

When we started building our list of Tutor/Mentor programs  in 1993, we also began building a list of others who were already involved, or needed to be involved.  I can't tell you how many meetings I've been in when business, philanthropy, media, entertainment, sports and/or political leaders were not participating.  

Below is one of my concept maps that visualizes the talent and skills needed in a big, or small organization.

This concept map shows talent and skills. In the blue box at the top is a link to a similar map, that shows organizations.  If you don't have these skills in your tool box, or a representation from all of the stakeholders in the ecosystem, you'll have a tough time getting anything done, let alone changing complex systems.

Back in 1973 when I began volunteering as a tutor at the Montgomery Ward headquarters in Chicago, I realized I knew little of "being a tutor" so I started searching beyond my own program's training materials for other people who I could learn from.  As I did this, I began collecting names and addresses. When I became a program leader in 1975 I expanded this search, reaching throughout Chicago and the country to find people involved with volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs.

When an executive a Wards said in 1976 "Dan, you don't know much about leading a tutor/mentor programs. Why don't you invite other programs to lunch and see what you can learn."   I did. They came. We all shared and learned.  

I kept doing that for the next 46 years.  I found out that by keeping a list, I was the only one who could effectively "invite" people to gather, or could "knowledgably" speak about the availability of organized tutor/mentor programs in Chicago.  

Building and maintaining a list is a huge, on-going challenge.  That's another story. 

But why do this?

At the top of the graphic at the right I show outcomes that "we all want" for kids.  At the bottom I show the need for an information base which should include "who is involved, and who needs to be involved". View this graphic in this article. 

The Botswana article and the Youth Employment in England map both focus on "System Thinking".  This is what I hope you'll focus on.  

In the past, I've posted many articles focused on Systems Thinking. Here's one.  I've also pointed to KUMU.io in several articles. 

Another concept mapping tool that I've written about is NodeXL.  I point to it in this article, titled, "Building Networks - Understanding Who is Involved."

In my past articles you'll see how I've been influenced by the work of Gene Bellinger, who I met on LinkedIn many years ago.  He posted this article yesterday, showing a causal loop diagram created using a tool, called "the brain". The question this addresses is "If the current societal tendency is toward collapse or dystopia what might a third attractor look like?"  

I've recognized the potential value of Kumu, and these other tools, but because all of my concept maps were made using cMap Tools, I have not been willing to recreate them using any of them.  But, as I wrote above, I've invited others to take on that task.

Visualizations like the those I've shown in this post should be available in every metropolitan area in the world, as well as other geographies.  They address the "what do we know and what do we need to know" questions as well as "who is involved".  That should lead to, "who is missing, and how do we get them involved."

They should also focus on on-going actions that repeat over many years, and in many places. If you view my 4-part strategy map you'll see that all the information I point to in this article is just part of Step 1.  Step 2 and 3 focus on getting more and more people to look at this information and understand it.  Step 4 focuses on how people use this information in many places to help kids move through school and into jobs and careers.

There is a lot of information in this article, on my blog, and in the websites I point to.   It's too much for casual learning.  But if cities and countries are going to invest millions, or billions, of dollars in solving the complex problems we face, I feel they should invest a small percent in building an information base.

Looking at what I'm sharing should be part of their research.  Appoint someone from your team to follow these posts on LinkedIn and learn how concept maps and causal loop diagrams can support your planning and problem solving. 

One final thought. While the visualizations I'm point you to are fantastic, there needs to be a long-term, on-going effort, to share these and engage the public in using the information to help people in places where the maps show help is needed. I've been doing that on this blog since 2005.

If you've been doing work like this already, connect with me on social media (see where you can find me) and share what you're doing. 

If you value the information I'm sharing please visit this page and make a contribution to help fund the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC. 

7-19-2024 update - here's another KUMU visualization, titled "Aotearoa Futures Network Map" which explores the futures ecosystem in New Zealand.  click here

Build information base to support anti-violence efforts

 I saw an announcement that Chicago business leaders were pledging $100 million to support anti-violence efforts in Chicago.  Gee. When have I heard that before.  

Let's see. Here's a 2013 article talking about a $50 million business commitment.  How'd that go? 

Of course, I've been pointing to this October 1992 Chicago SunTimes article for over 30 years. 

What's not happening? 

First, there's no comprehensive strategy, and nothing has lasted for 10-20 consecutive years.

What should be in a comprehensive strategy?

First.  Maps.  Maps can show where poverty is most concentrated in a geographic region like Chicago. They can show other indicators, such as poorly performing schools, violence, health disparities, etc.

This concept map points to many data platforms leaders can use to build their own map stories and map-based strategies.  I've posted more than 280 articles on this blog demonstrating ways maps can be used.  I've posted many more on the MappingforJustice blog. 

Second. Understand the different needs of kids living in areas of high poverty vs living in other areas. Then inventory existing youth serving programs to understand what programs are serving which kids.

View the graphic shown above in this article.  It's one of several articles in this group, that focus on designing youth programs based on the needs of the youth being served.  View this article to learn of the Tutor/Mentor Connection's 1992-2010 efforts to collect, map and share this information.

Then, look at articles like these, asking "How Many Youth Programs are Needed?"

Concept maps can also serve as blueprints, showing what's needed at each age level. Use this map as a starting point, then create your own version.

Understand what other programs and leaders are already doing, in Chicago, and around the world.
Open the Tutor/Mentor Library and look through the different categories and sub-categories.  There are more than 2000 links to other people's ideas that you can borrow for your own planning.  Don't reinvent the wheel if you can avoid it.  Don't start something new if there's already a project in place that you can support.  

Third. Use this information in an on-going planning process.

This concept map shows the planning cycle. 

This concept map shows planning needed, that fills areas of the map with a full range of programs helping kids through school and into adult lives, and keeps those programs fully funded for 10-20 years.

Before you do any of this, view this "Role of Leaders" visual essay, which I created in the late 1990s.  Look at "Step 2" on Page 10, where it says "Appoint a "get it done" leader.  and "Step 3" on page 11, where it says, "Do your homework."   Then, look at "Step 7" that focuses on CEO commitment to  year-to-year growth and process improvement.  

Role of Business Leaders - Helping Kids From Poverty Areas Move to Careers from Daniel Bassill

I share 30 years of thinking on this blog and on the www.tutormentorexchange.net website that leaders can use to build a comprehensive, long-term plan that actually reduces violence because it reduces the root causes, reaches kids and families in every high poverty area, and reaches the larger community to build and sustain the commitment, and financing, needed.

I've been spreading this message for over 30 years.  But, too few have ever heard what I've been sharing because I had too few resources to tell the story with reach and frequency.

That's still the case. But now, anyone who reads any of my articles can share them with their network, create their own versions, and build the awareness and commitment needed for building and sustaining strategic, long-term plans.

I'm on Twitter (X), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Mastodon, Bluesky and other places. You can find links on this page.  Please connect with me. Share your own vision and strategies.

I'm also dependent on a small group of  donors to help keep this information available.  Visit this page and send a contribution if you'd like to help me. 

The Internet: A Force for Change

As I've digitized my files from the 1990s I've found many letters and messages posted to Internet conversations where I've shared many of the same ideas that I'm still sharing in 2024.  I feel that some of these are worth reposting, since so few people actually saw them in the 1990s. 

"The Internet can be a powerful force for change, if we use it."   I wrote this on December 7, 1998, as a comment to a discussion on the "High School Reform Discussion Group".

First it allows us to "vent", but in doing so, it allows us to find folks from around the world with common concerns and interests.

It is what we do (or not do) with this which will determine the look of the future. I happen to believe we can do much more today to change the status quo, using technology, than we ever could have just a few years ago.

In my case, I look at school reform and school-to-work from a distribution and quality improvement point of view.  I've built a data base of nearly 10,000 people who have demonstrated some interest in helping kid during the non-school hours (and without schools, if necessary) and have begun to connect them with each other, using newsletters, conferences, and a website.

While I inject my own views, using charts and maps showing where poverty is concentrated in Chicago, and where afterschool programs are most needed, I also post websites and profiles of others who may have their own methods of helping kids.  The combined weight of this information provides choices for individual program leaders/collaborations to use in building and constantly improving their own location.

However, I don't stop with just sharing information.  I've identified common needs of programs serving kids in the non school hours (such as for volunteers, training, ideas, equipment, public visibility and operating dollars) and have formed events and partnerships to generate those resources, not just for my own program, but for every other program in the city.

At this point it is like trying to open a hole in the Hoover Dam of resources, using a toothpick. Slow going, to say the least.  But a trickle can lead to a flood, and we have made some tremendous headway.  For instance, the Chicago Bar Foundation has established a foundation which raises money for general operations of one-on-one tutor/mentor programs.  As long as we (I'm part of the Advisory Council) raise more money each year, we've pledged to giving programs on-going money...as long as they keep demonstrating constant improvement (in their own definition of improvement).

We've also developed an annual volunteer recruitment campaign timed for when kids are going back to school and when every tutor/mentor program is looking for volunteers.  This fall more than 80 different agencies in Chicago, Evanston,  Peoria and Quincy, Illinois all were recruiting on the same weekend at 20 different volunteer fair sites.

At the same time, we've generated a stack of newspaper stories on the needs of tutor/mentor programs that is now about 1.5 inches thick. Not bad since this is the third largest population center in the US.

All this is intended to draw direct resources to afterschool programs that already are operating, and focus on neighborhoods where there are voids, and where a church, a company, a health center or a library could host a new program to fill the void.  It's also intended to focus on the 20-year process of moving a child from first grade to a first job, with all of the many forms of learning a child needs to be exposed to during each of those years, and all of the different adults who need to be there along the way to help each child along.

As more and more people, businesses, donors and educators become more committed to the total process and an end result of a child in work and constantly growing, we'll come closer to the vision ... because we'll have more partners and resources helping it happen.

We started my organization with no money and seven volunteers just six years ago. Our first conference was in May of 1994 and was attended by only 70 people. Our 10th conference was in November 1998 and was attended by 265 people.

Think what could happen if everyone on this list began to think in terms of "what do we need to do to make this happen" as they share what they think it should look like.

---- end 1998 article ----

Over the past few months I've been sharing archives of work I was doing in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s to support the growth of volunteer-based tutor, mentor and learning programs that reach kids in every high poverty area of Chicago and other places.

One collection of records consists of copies of email conversations and posts from Internet list serves which were active in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  Note above where I highlighted that I've "built a data base of nearly 10,000 people".  This grew to nearly 14,000 people by 2003. These were people who I connected with in Internet conversations or who responded to newsletters and media stories, with requests to be "added to the mailing list" or "receive a Directory" or "get more information about the next conference".  

Once I've digitized all of these files you'll be able to view them and see the wide range of people that I was connecting with in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Unfortunately the fund raising challenges of the early 2000s caused me to stop sending the  printed newsletters.  The last issue was this one from Spring 2004.  (open PDF here)

Prior to that I was only able to send the newsletter twice in 2001 and once in 2002.  We moved to an email newsletter, but only a small portion of the people on the database ended up on the email list.  

So these contacts have been lost.  At least until I find them, or they find me, and we re-connect on the Internet!  

What I wrote in 1998 is a vision that I still maintain in 2024.  There are thousands of people who could be connected to on-line libraries, and each other, and using this information to solve some of the complex problems facing the US and the world.

Watch for more posts like this in coming months as I share what I was writing in the 1990s and who I was connecting with.  The "we can do more if we're connected" is still true, but in a fragmented media and Internet world, it's still "like trying to open a hole in the Hoover Dam of resources, using a toothpick".

Let's connect.  Find me on social media.  See the links on this page.   Or, subscribe to my monthly email newsletter. 

And, if you're able, send a small contribution to help me keep doing this work.  Visit this page. 

What will July 04, 2025 look like?

In two days American's will celebrate the July 4th holiday. But with great fear among many of us, that this will be the last celebration of a democratic America.

November's elections will determine our future.  

I've been posting articles around July 4th for many years.  Below is what I posted in 2022, with a few updates.

Today millions of Americans are celebrating the founding of this country, while millions also are wondering when freedom and full rights of this country are available to them. Even more are fearing that freedoms that have been gained are now being taken away.

Many are sharing the quote from Benjamin Franklin, who said something like "It's a democracy, if you can keep it."

I'm often reminded of the image at the left. Is the person trying to stop a boulder from rolling downhill, to destroy everything below? Or is he trying to push it uphill, to achieve some lofty goal? 

Maybe both.  As you celebrate today, which role are you taking?

I've posted several "4th of July" articles in the past.

Below are a few concept maps that point to resources in my library that you and others can use to better understand the challenges we face and the opportunities that exist.

The many challenges we face: https://tinyurl.com/TMI-Potus46-to-do-list

Here's another view of challenges. http://tinyurl.com/TMI-civic-engagement

This concept map points to articles in the Tutor/Mentor library. https://tinyurl.com/Law-Justice-Poverty-Links

Since my focus for the past 30 years has been to help organized, volunteer-based tutor, mentor and learning programs grow in areas of persistent poverty, helping kids move from first grade through high school and into college and beyond, I've added another concept map from my collection.

This concept map shows challenges facing youth in high poverty areas as they move from birth to work. 



The challenges shown on this map are also shown on the  "POTUS TO-DO" list map shown above.

Getting people to vote has to be a priority over the next four months and next 40 years!  Look at the work Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II is doing to unite poor and infrequent voters of every color, not just Black and Brown Americans.   

Let's mobilize our power! Today, we’re having a #MoralMarchOnWashington & then working to reach 15 million poor & infrequent voters who can, in fact, be a major swing vote that can transform the political landscape in this country. #PoorPeoplesCampaign https://t.co/t2KWlhH54g

— Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (@RevDrBarber) June 29, 2024

Look at the Twitter (X) feed for Dr. Barber, and see the ideas  he is sharing.  

As you gather with friends and family, or sit alone in your home, I urge you to take time bookmark these resources, then later take time to dig into the websites and articles I point to. Find ways you can help preserve and improve on what the founders created over 200 years ago.

Happy 4th of July. 

Drawing from my archives

 I've spent time over the past months and years (since 2019) digitizing all of the paper files that I had accumulated in leading tutor/mentor programs since 1975 and the Tutor/Mentor Connection since 1993.  

Yesterday I found a document with comments I'd made in response to a blog exchange held in 2007 with Steve Habib Rose. I show that below and you can view the PDF at this link.

The yellow highlights were my comments to what Steve had written.

I did a search on this blog to see if I'd written about this and, sure enough, found this article from March 4, 2007.  It's titled "Connecting Networks". 

In the first paragraph I wrote "I encourage you to read what Habib Rose is writing about networking and how this relates to connecting volunteers and leaders of tutor/mentor programs to each other."

When I clicked on the link, I found that it was broken. So I went to the Internet Archive, and found the article at this link. 

Then I looked at the TAGs on his blog and found several posts under "Tutor/Mentor Connection".   One is shown below.

These posts remind me of who I was connecting with in past years and how I was trying to build a network of people who would work to help kids in high poverty areas connect with volunteer tutors and mentors and extra learning opportunities in organized, on-going non-school programs. 

Some people I'm able to look up on LinkedIn and re-connect with. Others, like Steve Habib Rose, are no longer with us.  In fact, Steve died suddenly shortly after this blog exchange.  It's a reminder of how difficult it is to create a movement and sustain it for decades.

About the same time as I was connecting with Steve Habib Rose one of my interns gave me a book, titled "The Starfish and the Spider".   I pointed to that on this page of the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC website.

This book illustrates my role as a catalyst in building a decentralized network of leaders who support volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs.  My archives, this blog and my website are resources any one can use to draw people together, learn more about issues, see work others are doing, and innovate ways to help youth in their own community.

The final part of  "The Starfish and the Spider" talks about platforms, like eBey, which support millions of users.  If you go through my archives you'll see my efforts to create such platforms.  Most are now archives, except for my website library.  

Most are resources that you can find through your computer and the Internet, if you just make the time to look.

I've about eight boxes of paper files left to digitize, then a lot of organizing work to do. I hope to finish by this time next year.  I'll share some as I go, like I'm doing today. 

As you look at this, ask "Who will keep this resource available after Dan's no longer with us?"   I keep asking the same question.

Connect with me on social media channels (see links here).   

And, if you're able, visit this page and send a contribution, to help me sustain my work.

Navigate the Tutor/Mentor Library

I point to the same web sites over and over, and many have long links. Thus, I've created shorter tinyURL links. Since I use these frequently, I created a page so I could use the same link, over and over. These are organized by category. 

Strategy and Vision Pages - concept maps

This first set of links point to visualizations that show strategies that leaders in any city could apply to help youth tutor/mentor and learning programs grow in high poverty neighborhoods. One of these is a map showing the four sections of the Tutor/Mentor web library where you can find most of the information that I point to in the sections below.

• Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Mission - http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/mission
• Strategy map - http://tinyurl.com/tmc-strategy-map
• Mentoring to Career cMap - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-K-CareerMentoring
• T/MC 4 part strategy - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-4-Pt-Strategy
• T/MC Village Cmap http://tinyurl.com/TMC-VillageCMap-1
• Public awareness concept map - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-AwarnessPlan
• Building Funding Stream Goal - http://tinyurl.com/TMIGoal-FundingStream
• Tutor/Mentor Institute Learning Guide - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-learning-path
• Full page with all concept maps:-http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/conceptmaps
• Tag Cloud-Google Search - read blog article
• Steps to Start a Tutor/Mentor Program - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-StepsToStartTMProgram
• Operating Principles for a Tutor/Mentor Program - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-OperatingPrinciples

Note: From 1998 until 2018 the www.tutormentorconnection.org site was our main website. Due to serious hacking and no funds to rebuild the site, we've deactivated it and you can only view it on the Internet Archive. All link to the main domain will re-direct to the www.tutorntorexchange.net site.    Visit this page to see how the organization's mission was stated on the original website - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-Missionme

Places to connect with Tutor/Mentor and Each other

• Facebook page - http://tinyurl.com/TutorMentor-Institute-Facebook
• Linked in group on volunteering - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2323444/
• Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC video page - https://tutormentorexchange.net/tmi-video-1
• Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Video List - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-VideoList
• Tutor/Mentor Institute Video Channel - http://tinyurl.com/TMIVideos-YouTube
• Email Newsletter subscribe - https://tutormentorexchange.net/newsletter
• Current newsletter - https://tutormentorexchange.net/newsletters

Chicago Volunteer-Based Tutor, Mentor Program Links:

Since 1993 T/MC has been maintaining a list of Chicago area non-school tutor/mentor programs, to help volunteers, parents, donors and others find programs in different neighborhoods. This list of programs can be found at this link:  https://tutormentorexchange.net/chicago-area-program-links

Map showing location of Chicago area programs https://tinyurl.com/TMI-ChicagoProgramsMap

Chicago Are Youth Tutor and/or Mentor Programs

* Chicago North - click here
* Chicago Central - click here
* Chicago South Central - click here
* Chicago Far South - click here
* Chicago Multiple Sites/Community Based - click here
* College Access Focus programs - click here
* Chicago Suburbs North West, South, NW Indiana, Rest of Ill. - click here
* School Based Programs - click here

Other youth serving programs in Chicago or nationally - https://tutormentorexchange.net/other-youth-programs

 Additional links point to other web sites that people can use to find contact information for youth tutoring and/or mentoring programs, and other volunteer opportunities, in Chicago, or other cities.

* Volunteer Recruitment info- https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-recruitment-platforms
* Volunteer support networks - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-vol-admin-networks
* Volunteer Recruitment page on T/MI site - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-Recruitment-Ideas
* Chicago Programs on Facebook - https://tutormentorexchange.net/tm-programs-on-facebook
* Chicago Youth Programs - Instagram list - https://tutormentorexchange.net/chi-orgs-instagram
* Chicago Youth Programs on LinkedIn - https://tutormentorexchange.net/youth-orgs-linkedin
* Chicago Youth Networks cMap - http://tinyurl.com/ChicagoYouthNetworks
* Chicago area Tutor/Mentor Volunteer Recruitment Campaign - 1995-2003 reports - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-RecruitmentCampaign

Web library (2000+ links) https://tutormentorexchange.net/resource-links
Contains wide range of information anyone can use to understand where kids and families need extra help and why. Includes information to help youth living in poverty have more support helping them move through school and into adult lives.

* Tutor/Mentor Institute Library map (full) - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-libraryFull
* Library cmap (non animated) http://tinyurl.com/TMI-library
* Graphic of info in T/MI library (shown above) - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Spaces-for-learning

 Resources for tutoring/mentoring Programs, Volunteers, Youth

* College & career resources - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-college-career-links
* Homework Resources - https://tutormentorexchange.net/resource-links/homework-help
* Homework help map http://tinyurl.com/TMC-HomeworkHelp-map
* Black History Links - https://tutormentorexchange.net/resource-links/homework-help/black-history
* Tutor & Mentor Training - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-tutor-mentor-training
* Parent Info - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Parent-Resources
* Youth as leaders - https://tutormentorexchange.net/other-youth-programs/youth-leadership

Link to research section of Tutor/Mentor Institute library - https://tinyurl.com/TML-ResearchLinks 

Research section cMap - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-Research-CMap

• Research links; NCLB, education - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-EducationResearch
• Research links Drop out crisis - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-DropOut
• Research links Social Capital - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-SocialCapital
• Social Capital - concept map - http://tinyurl.com/tmi-putnam-social-capital
• Research links –Mentoring, tutoring - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Mentor-Tutor-Research
• STEM ideas - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-STEM-Resources
• Public Health, Hospitals - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-PublicHealth
• Civil liberties resources - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-PoliticalAction
• Blog articles with update links - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-blog-as-library

Equal justice, poverty mapping, inequality, prevention section of library: https://tinyurl.com/TMILibrary-poverty-inequality

* Equal Justice, Poverty Law cMap - https://tinyurl.com/Law-Justice-Poverty-Links
* Equal Justice, Poverty Law - https://tinyurl.com/TMILibary-law-justice
* Poverty and Crime Mapping - https://tinyurl.com/TMILibrary-povertymapping
* Race and Poverty research - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-race-poverty
* Prevention resources - https://tinyurl.com/TMILibrary-prevention
* Street gangs - https://tinyurl.com/TMILibrary-StreetGangs
* Rural Issues - https://tinyurl.com/TMILibrary-RuralIssues
* Violence against Women, Girls - https://tinyurl.com/TMILibrary-Women-Girls 
* Drop Box File with additional reading - click here

Links to Funding, Philanthropy, Business Involvement

• Resources map - http://tinyurl.com/TMILibrary-ResourceLinks
• Funding & Philanthropy links - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Philanthropy-FundRaising
• Blogs - Fund Raising - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-fund-raising-blogs
• Challenges Facing non profits - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Challenges4NPOs
• Making non profits more effective - http://tinyurl.com/Discuss-TMI-Uncharitable
• NPO Mgt. resources - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-NPO-MgtResources
• Corporate Social Responsibility links - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-CSR-links
• Business Diversity Issues - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Diversity-Inclusio
• Civic Engagement - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-civic-engagement
• Business School Connection - http://tutormentorinstitute.wikidot.com/business-school-connection
• Building philanthropic capital – T/MC Ning blog - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-growingNPONetwork
• University partnerships - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-university-partnerships
• Workforce Development links - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-workforce-development

Links to process improvement, innovation, etc. section of Tutor/Mentor Institute library
Much focus of 21st century education is on thinking skills, creativity, working with others. The links in this section of the library can be applied by youth, volunteers, organizations, businesses, etc. to solve day to day problems, and/or to solve complex community-wide problems.

• Process Improvement/Collaboration cMap – http://tinyurl.com/TMILibrary-Innovation-etc
• Collaboration links - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-collaboration-links
• Twitter Chats/Hashtags - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-TwitterConnections
• Visualization links - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-visualization
• Creativity, Innovation, Knowledge Mgt - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-creativity-KM-innovation
• GIS Mapping - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-GIS-mapping
• Process Improvement & Evaluation - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-process-Imp-evaluation
• Social Entrepreneur ideas - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Social-Entrepreneur-ideas


Links to blogs, opinion, on-line forums
Blogs are a format for sharing personal opinion and stories that attract attention to ideas and strategies. Most blogs include links to many other blogs. Thus, this is a constantly expanding universe of ideas. In one section I attempt to point to blogs of different tutor/mentor programs in Chicago. Thus far, too few are using blogs in all the ways they could be.

• Blog list on Inoreader - http://tutormentorexchange.net/definition-of-issues/246-blog-list
• Blogs - Learning, Networking - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Learning-Networking-Blogs
• Blogs on Education & cMOOCs - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-education-cMOOCs
• Blogs - Mentoring, tutoring program - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-tutor-mentor-blogs
• Conferences and training - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Conferences
• TMI Blog network map - http://tinyurl.com/TM-BlogNet-Map


Links to other tutor, mentor and learning programs in Illinois and beyond – benchmarking opportunities

• eMentoring; networks, etc.- https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-eMentor-Tutor
• Mentoring, networks - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Networks-Intermediaries
• Programs beyond Illinois - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-ProgramsBeyondIL
• Mentoring links – international - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-InternationalMentoring
• Links to Program Locators - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-ProgLocators-Directories
• Library links to afterschool networks/resources - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-AfterschoolNetworks
• Alternative Schools - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-AlternativeSchools
• Intergenerational resources - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-senior-cit-volunteering
• Adult Literacy Programs - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-AdultLiteracy

Technology networks and resources, cool-tools

• Digital Divide Movie; Issues: http://tinyurl.com/TMI-DigitalDivide-Issues
• Technology networks - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-tech-networks-resources
• Technology – cool tools - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-useful-tech-tools
• Data Collaboration Map - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-DataCollaborationMap


Other Categories in Library

• Chicago Public Schools. Misc Chicago links - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-ChiGov-ChiSchools
• Faith Based - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-FaithBased
• Arts Based - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Arts-Humanities
• Reference books, Dictionaries -https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-Dictionarys-RefBooks
• Suggested books - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-suggested-books
• Test Prep, Pro Tutors, Fee-based - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-TestPrep-PaidTutoring
• ESL Learning Resources (list on Tutor/Mentor blog article - click here

 
Tutor/Mentor Institute articles


While the majority of information shared on Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC web sites represents ideas of other people and organizations, a portion of the ideas represent Dan Bassill's own ideas and vision, based on 40 years of leading a single tutor/mentor program, and of helping similar programs grow in more places.

March 1, 2022 - D. Bassill interview w. Anthony Brogdon, Detroit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuyhpgwvBmI

 April 12, 2022 - D. Bassill interview with Aliyu B. Solomon, from Nigeria - tinyurl.com/DBassill-4-22-video

Since the 1990s Dan Bassill has been creating Visual Essays to communicate ideas and strategies. You can now find three pages with my collection (one page is shown below)  - https://tutormentorexchange.net/visual-essays

These presentations are also on Scribd.com at https://www.scribd.com/user/20297076/Daniel-F-Bassill

Many of these same Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC idea presentations are also available at www.slideshare.com/tutormentor where they are presented using a different format.

Concept map library:  The Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present) and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present) have been using cMapTools to create concept maps since 2005. These are sharing ideas and strategies and showing organization of information on our the Tutor/Mentor website and blogs. You can view these on this page, too. https://tutormentorexchange.net/conceptmaps

These are some of the cMaps you will find.

• Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC -2018 - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-2018
• TMI 2011-12 - http://tinyurl.com/TMI2011-12
• Concept map – strategic investment by business - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-WhyShouldBusinessInvest
• Birth to work challenges - https://tinyurl.com/ChallengesFacingYouth-TMI
• Influencing Change via on-line communities - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-InfluencingChange
• What We Need to Think About-cMap - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Logic-CMap
• Tutor/Mentor Program Locator re-build - layers needed - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-Platform
• T/MC History of using maps - 1993-present. https://tinyurl.com/TMC-Maps-History
• Reasons to engage - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-ReasonsTo-Engage
• Volunteer Growth Cycle - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Vol-Growth-Cycle
• Volunteer growth strategy - cMap - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-volunteer-growth
• Information flow strategy - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Information-Strategy

• T/MC info flow map - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-Info-flow
• Concept Map - Business Motivation - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-BusinessMotivation
• Concept map workforce development – http://tinyurl.com/TMI-WorkforceDevelopment
• Civil Liberties links - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Civil-Liberties-Links
• Complex Problems - Leaders Needed - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-complex-problems
• Civic Engagement-2020 - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-civic-engagement
• T/MC Rest of Story on Ning - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-GIS-Week
• Athletes leading - http://tinyurl.com/TMCBlog-Athletes-Leading
• Volunteer Opportunities platforms - cMap - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Volunteer-Opportunities
• Talent cmap - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-TalentNeeded
• Network Map - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-NetworkMap
• T/MC social media net - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-DanNetwork
• Building Teams cmap - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-BuildingTeams
• Career Pipeline map - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Career-Pipeline
• Virtual Team- http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Team2011
• Many to 1- http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Many-to-1
• Race-Poverty Cmap - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Race-Poverty-Map
• Race-Poverty Map - update help needed - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-race-poverty-update-help
• Collaboration Mapping - http://tinyurl.com/TM-CollaborationMapping
• Network Building Maps - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-NetworkBuildingMaps
• Connecting Networks Map - http://tinyurl.com/TM-ConnectingNetworksMap
• Map stories album on Ning - https://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/photo/Using+maps+to+focus+resources
• Program’s learning goals cmap - http://tinyurl.com/TMProgram-LearningGoals
• Learning Path 10-10-16 - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-learning-10-10-16
• Learning Path 7-14-17 - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Learning-7-14-17
• Public Health-Hope - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-PublicHealth-Hope
• Interns communicating T/MC and T/MI strategies - https://tinyurl.com/TMC-interns
• POTUS46 to-do list - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-Potus46-to-do-list
• Local Global Learning via Twitter - https://tinyurl.com/TM-Global-Learning
• Digging through digital archives w #clmooc - https://tinyurl.com/TMI-modgiwri
• 2011 Drop out Conference cmap - http://tinyurl.com/2011DropoutConf-Network
• Community Development Conf 2012 – cmap - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-CommunityDevelopment
• NCVS 2012 concept map - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-NCVS2012map
• WTTW American Graduate map - http://tinyurl.com/American-Graduate-TMI-networ



Other Visualizations of the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC strategies:

• Mentoring Kids to Career outline on Debategraph - http://debategraph.org/mentoring_kids_to_careers 


Archived Versions of Tutor/Mentor Connection websites that are no longer working

 * Tutor/Mentor Program Locator Search - archive page: https://tinyurl.com/ProgramLocatorSearch
 * Tutor/Mentor Program Locator Interactive Map - archive page: https://tinyurl.com/ProgramLocatorMap-archive
 * Tutor/Mentor Map Gallery - archive page: https://tinyurl.com/archive-TM-map-gallery
 * Program Locator Home Page - archive: https://tinyurl.com/archive-ProgramLocatorHome
 * OHATS - Organizational History and Tracking System (June 2012 version - https://tinyurl.com/TMC-OHATS-archive
* OHATS Metrics page - June 2012 - https://tinyurl.com/OHATS-Metrics-archive
* Tutor/Mentor Connection site now archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20200513125440/http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/


Strategy Visualizations Created by Interns - Between 2006 and 2016 interns from a variety of universities have created visualizations to interpret Tutor/Mentor Connection and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC strategies. Visit these links to browse this collection:

* Animations and visualizations by interns: http://tinyurl.com/Ideas-Animation
* Introduction to interns - http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/defining-a-terms/215-interns-at-tmc
* List of intern visualizations - http://michaelcnt.blogspot.com/2017/04/work-by-interns-since-2006.html
* Videos by interns - https://tutormentorexchange.net/tmi-video-1/intern-videos
* Loyola University Intern reflection - http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profiles/blogs/final-paper
* Strategy visualization Prezi - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Strategy4-Mina
* Service Learning Loop – https://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2021/06/creating-service-learning-organization.html

Tutor/Mentor Conference (1994-2015) web site - http://www.tutormentorconference.org

• Conference participation maps at http://tinyurl.com/TMConfHistoryMap
• Conference participation map on Tableau at http://tinyurl.com/TMConfHistory-Tableau
• Conference Planning. http://tinyurl.com/TMIConf2016
• Conferences since 1994 - story map - http://tinyurl.com/Conf-since94


History/Awards Tutor/Mentor Connection 1993-present; Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC, 2011-present

• Tutor/Mentor Connection 1990 - 2018 - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-Timeline1990-2015
• Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC roots 1965-1992 - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-timeline-1965-90
• Tutor/Mentor Institute CMAP - http://tinyurl.com/TM-InstitueCMAP
• 4-part strategy planning concept map - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-4-part-strategy-planning
• Tutor/Mentor Institute Planning Wiki - http://tutormentorinstitute.wikidot.com/home
• Tutor/Mentor Institute support at http://tinyurl.com/TMCSupportNet
• TMI Talent Needed (same as above). http://tinyurl.com/TMI-TalentNeededMap
• TMI – what we do map - http://tinyurl.com/TMI-WhatWeDo
• T/MC and T/MI History - http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/org-info
• Stories/Interviews w/Dan Bassill in Library - https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-StoriesAboutTMC-TMI
• Dan Bassill Awards - http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/awards-and-recognition


 Mapping for Justice and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Blog articles http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com 

 

Social Network Analysis articles
Creating networks and using network maps to understand who is participating, as well as who is missing, is an ongoing focus of Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC and Tutor/Mentor Connection. Along the left site of this blog is a list of "tags". Browse articles under networking, network building, and network analysis to follow this set of ideas.

• Network Analysis overview on Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC site - http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/sna
• 2010 SNA Training with Valdis Krebs - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-SNAday1
• Youth SNA map discussion on NIng - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-youthSNAmap
• Kalyani maps of May 08Conference - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-SNA-9-16-10
• Kalyani maps of Nov 08 conf- http://tinyurl.com/SNA-Nov08Conf
• Kalyani blog - http://tinyurl.com/Conf-SNA


NOTE: I was inspired to create this list in January 2016 after viewing a screen cast video that Terry Elliott used to highlight a list of podcasts posted on a blog by Bryan Alexander. As I viewed the screen cast I though that it might be useful for me to create a similar list, pointing to various resources in my own Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Library.  

I have had to re-create this article in June 2024 after the page was taken off line without a specific explanation. 

I hope you find this list and blog of value.  I depend on contributions to help fund my work. Visit this page if you want to help.