Look at my lists of Chicago tutor, mentor and learning programs

I started building list of Chicago volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in 1975 as I became the leader of the program at Montgomery Ward's Corporate Headquarters. I used it to invite programs to gather and share ideas, so I could find better ways to lead my own program. Over time the relationships are a big part of why I have stayed involved for so many years.

In 1993 we created the Tutor/Mentor Connection to build a better understanding of what programs were operating in Chicago and to draw more consistent media attention to ALL of them, not just our own. In January 1994 we launched this survey, asking programs to identify themselves, show what age group they serve and what type of tutor, mentor service they offered, as well as where they were located.

120 programs responded and we published that list in a printed directory in May 1994. We updated it annually each year through 2003.  At that point we put the information on-line so it would be available to more people.  View the 1996 Directory in this file.

The four maps below show how I divided the city and organized the information in the directory.

Chicago North

Chicago Central

Chicago South Central

Chicago South

I still host my lists, but have not done a formal survey for many years.  Below is how you now find the information on the Tutor/Mentor website.

Click here to view the page. I've added a few more categories over the past decade. Thus click into any of the lists below and get to know the programs. 
- Chicago North

- Chicago Central

- Chicago South Central

- Chicago South

- College Access - these programs focus on college and draw from many parts of the city

- Multiple Sites and/or Community Based - some programs have sites in each part of the city. Others don't work from sites as volunteers meet kids at community locations.  

- School-Based - My initial focus was site based non-school programs. However there are many tutor and/or mentor programs in Chicago schools

- Chicago Suburbs - this list is organized by North, West and South Suburbs, but over the past 30 years I've not found many organized tutor/mentor programs in these areas.  

While my primary focus has been on volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs I realized in the late 2000s that I should have a way of learning about programs with an arts, STEM, leadership, etc. focus. These programs also connect youth with volunteers.  So I built the page you see below. click here to open

Included on this page are other organizations who collect and share information about youth serving programs, as well as other intermediaries.  There's also a list of e-mentoring and e-tutoring. There's also a list showing programs beyond Chicago, who also can be models to learn from.  

The goal in creating these lists was that programs would show enough information about "how" they do what they do and "what" their long-term goals were that volunteers, parents and donors could make support decisions based on what they find on a website and that programs could learn and borrow ideas from each other so they are are constantly improving.

Some programs do a great job. 

Sadly.  I don't see enough of this. Lack of manpower to collect information and constantly update websites is probably the primary reason. 

Several years ago I created a "shopping guide" visual essay to show what I'd ideally find on program websites.  One role that technology and communications volunteers could take would be a help programs put this type of information on their websites. What if someone created a website "fill in the blanks" template, based on the Shopping Guide, and what they find on other program websites, then make this freely available to any program in the country?

I really depend on site visitors to help me keep these lists updated. If you find a link not working, or know of a program that should not be included, or should be added, or is in the wrong category. just reach out to me on LinkedIn and give me the information. 

As I wrote above, the goal has been to help volunteers, donors, media, parents and youth find programs near where kids live, and that fit their age group.  We launched this search page in 2004. It's now an archive but you can see it's purpose. 

In the graphic where I show the Chicago Programs lists I put a red line next to sections of the website that showed how we drew programs together for Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conferences and for annual Chicago-wide tutor/mentor volunteer recruitment campaigns.  While I no longer host these they are templates for what others could be doing in Chicago and other cities, IF they were maintaining a comprehensive list of programs.

Now that you know how these lists are organized can I count on you to share the information so more people use it to find and support youth-serving programs in the Chicago region?  Or, in your own community!

I've been drawing attention to these lists in many different ways since forming the Tutor/Mentor Connection in 1993.  But my voice is not enough. Thousands need to be following media stories, new research, and the calendar, and using their own creativity and media to draw attention to youth-serving programs throughout their city, not just the high-profile programs.

You're welcome to borrow ideas from this blog that show how I've been doing this.

Thanks for reading.  Please connect with me on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, Mastodon and/or Twitter. see links here

And, if you see value in me hosting these lists, please visit this page and send a contribution to help me pay the bills!  Thank you.