Role of Intermediaries

Since 1993 the Tutor/Mentor Connection (T/MC) has served an intermediary role, collecting and sharing information that others can use to help volunteer-based tutor, mentor and learning programs grow in EVERY high poverty area of Chicago and other cities. 

Here are two Slideshare presentations that show what I've been trying to do.

This one focuses on the process of network building

Networking for Purpose - Bringing People Together to Help Inner City Youth from Daniel Bassill

This one shows role of intermediaries, consultants and others who could be doing the same as I'm doing, or helping me do it.

Intermediary and Consulting Role to Support Youth Programs in High Poverty Areas from Daniel Bassill

These are just two of more than 50 presentations I've placed on Slideshare since 2011.  I started creating visual presentations in the late 1990s to explain work of the Tutor/Mentor Connection and the youth tutor/mentor program I was leading.

In 1998 we created the www.tutormentorexchange.net web site (which since 2011 has been the primary website of the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC) and I started putting the PDFs on line.  Now in the Library page on the site you can see a long list of presentations, including some I've place on Scribd.com as well as on Slideshare.

Read about this - here

Between 2006 and 2015 interns who worked with me in Chicago created many new versions of articles that I first launched as PDF essays and/or blog articles. My hope is that students and volunteers from many places will continue this work, as part of their own effort to expand the network and help other people get strategically involved.

I've used many visualizations over the past 20 years to communicate ideas. Some I've embedded in presentations. Others in blog articles. I've put some of those on Pinterest. Others can be found by doing a Google search for "tutor mentor" than adding any of the words from the column of tags on the left side of this blog. Once you do the search, look at the images. You'll find many of mine.

I've also used concept maps to share ideas and information.  Below is an example.

This concept map shows other organizations in Chicago that serve as intermediaries. At the bottom of each node is a box with a link to each group's website.  Ideally, each of these would have similar maps and links on their websites, connecting our networks to each other, and connecting a larger world of donors to our entire sector. 

While I share this information on this blog, I continue to reach out daily via social media to people in Chicago and around the world who are concerned with the well-being of people and the planet.  You can help by just reading and sharing these articles to your own network. 



Of course, to keep doing this work I must find a sponsor, benefactor and/or a whole lot of people willing to make small contributions to fund me.

If you're one of those people, visit this page and use the PayPal to send a contribution.