Creating the World We Want - Engaging Youth

I've been following Dan Rather, retired news commentator and reporter, on Facebook. Today he posted this article, talking about "deep and abiding fear and panic across a lot of the country", resulting from the Presidential election in the US and similar elections taking place throughout the world.

He ended by saying, "There are no simple answers or silver bullets, but I would begin by saying you can start by doing something. Pick a worthy cause, like education, the environment, racial justice, and seek out where you can volunteer your time and energy."

I created the above graphic many years ago to show the power of individuals to influence change in the world, or to help non-school, volunteer-based tutoring, mentoring and learning programs be available to youth in more places.

Below is a presentation that shows how young people and adults can unleash their own personal power to influence change.

Network Building - Unleash Your Personal Power to Make Good Things Happen by Daniel F. Bassill on Scribd

I created a version of this, focusing on a specific issue, STEM education, to illustrate how a group could focus on distributing a specific form of learning in many places.

I've been building the Tutor/Mentor web library for over 20 years, so there's much more information available than any person can learn in one visit. Just like reading the Bible, or earning a college degree, is an on-going process of learning, I encourage groups of people to dig into sections of my library on a weekly basis, then form discussion groups to share what they are reading with a larger network of people.

This graphic is from an animation created by an intern from South Korea, who came to the Tutor/Mentor Connection via a program at IIT in Chicago. You can find it and many others on this page.

Here's another page, titled "Getting to know the T/MC and T/MI", introducing past interns and work they have done.

As you look for ways to use your time and talent in 2017 and beyond, and for ways to engage young people and their talents, consider enlisting students and volunteers as your "research" team.

Have them dig into my web sites and presentations just as past interns have done, then create blog articles, visualizations and videos that share what they learn and show how the ideas can be applied in their own community, or by universities, businesses,  hospitals, faith groups and others, to help make more learning and work opportunities available in more places.

Teach them that solving problems, building networks, and building resources is an on-going effort that requires daily and weekly actions and outreach via traditional and digital media channels.

Creating the world we want requires the work of many people, in many places, who are on-going in their efforts, and who are connecting, learning, inspiring and supporting each other, again, using traditional and Internet based formats for connecting.

I'd be happy to help you think this through. Leave a comment or connect with me on one of these social media spaces.