Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection: Networking for Purpose

8/7/2019 Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection: Networking for Purpose

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Creating a Network of Purpose:The Tutor/Mentor Connection

A Networking Strategy

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Tutor/Mentor Connection, 800 W. Huron, Il. 60642 [email protected] http://www.tutormentorconnection.org

Property of Tutor/Mentor Connection, 800 W. Huron, Chicago, Il. 60642 Email for permission to use: [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]://www.tutormentorconnection.org/http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/mailto:[email protected]


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Monique left for Howard University lastweek, where she has a FULL RIDE

SCHOLARSHIP.Message from Joey Molenda who wasMoniques tutor/mentor for six years.

Maurice has his GED and nowworks in construction...thanks to Mike Mazucca who hasbeen part of his life for more than10 years, and to Tom Li, anotherCC volunteer who helped set up ajob interview for Maurice at acompany where he now works.

Cabrini Connections playeda major role in my life duringmy high school years.Marquita Hall (l) 2004 collegegraduate; with sister, Alicia Hall,who attends NortheasternIllinois University.

Willie was recently informed that he wasaccepted at Morgan State in Baltimore. He isalso receiving a very generous scholarship. Weowe an awful lot to your program and to your stafffor providing such a great place to foster arelationship and afforded us so many greatopportunities. I honestly believe none of this wouldhave been possible without you providing such agreat environment for us to meet each week.

The goal of the Tutor/Mentor Connection is to connect inner city teenswith adults who will act as tutors, mentors, coaches, advocates and

friends in structured programs that encourages many of these adults tostay involved in the lives of kids for many years.

The long term goal is that our teens finish high school and that ourvolunteers help open doors to advanced learning, jobs and careers. Insuch programs, volunteers also must learn to take on roles of leaders,fund raisers, advocates, etc. so that programs constantly expand the

resources available to them.

The T/MC has operated a Cabrini Connections tutor/mentor programin Chicago for more than 15 years. 520 teens and 700 volunteers

have participated for 1 to 7 full years since 1993.On this page are some of our alumni.

Visit www.cabriniconnections.net to learn more.

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http://www.cabriniconnections.net/http://www.cabriniconnections.net/http://www.cabriniconnections.net/


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We created the Tutor/MentorConnection (T/MC) in 1993 tohelp programs like CabriniConnections grow in every

poverty neighborhood of thecity and suburbs of Chicago.

Chicago

Using the Internet, the T/MC is nowconnected to organizations throughout theworld, and is helping tutor/mentor

programs, and citywide networks grow inChicago and other cities.

In 2005 a new interactive web portal was

created for the T/MC by IUPUI inIndianapolis as part of an partnershipintended to help a T/MC strategy grow inIndiana. This demonstrates a growing abilityto find needed resources and partnersbeyond the Chicago region for actions that

support programs in Chicago.

While we operate a single tutor/mentor program in one neighborhood...

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CabriniConnectionsserves teensin the Cabrini-Green area ofChicago

Tutor/MentorConnectionhelps programslike Cabrini

Connectionsgrow in everypoverty area ofthe city andsuburbs

Light gray areas havepoverty concentrations of20% or higher. Dark grayareas have poverty levelsof 40% and above.Black dots areorganizations that offer

various forms ofvolunteer-based tutoringor mentoring


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The Tutor/Mentor Connection focuses

daily on one big questions:

What will it take to

assure thatall youth born in

poverty are entering

careers by age 25?

What does it take to make

programs like CabriniConnections available to

more youth, in more places?

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We know others are asking the same question.

The T/MC seeks to connect people and groups who are

already spending many hours doing research and

innovating ways to help kids to careers, into one on-

going tutor/mentor learning network.

In such a network people and organizations can shareideas, learn from others, create collaborations, and can

apply new ideas and resources at any time to their own

efforts to help kids in their own community.

My participation in on-line forums is part of the T/MC

network-building strategy.

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All kids grow on the same 25year timeline:

From birth to starting a career, takes about 25 years formost kids. There are well defined stages along the way.

For kids living in concentrated, inner-city poverty, there areextra challenges to reaching careers.

School-Time Programs

3-5 PM Non-School Programs

Pre-K K - 5th 5th - 6th 6th - 8thHigh

SchoolCareerTrack

After 5 PM and Weekend Programs

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Http://www.tutormentorconnection.org [email protected] PH: 312-492-9614

The light blue shaded areashave poverty rates of 20% andabove.

Poverty rates in the dark blue

areas are 40% and above.

The dots on this map areschools placed on the IllinoisState Warning list in November2001.

Children growing up in these

neighborhoods need extraadults to help them reachcareers.CHICAGO

We use maps and charts to create visual understanding

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These are just a few of the questions that need to be

answered to to achieve this goal:

How do we help good programs be in more of theplaces where they are needed?

How do we help each program have effective, long-term leaders?

How do we increase the number of volunteers fromdifferent work backgrounds who get involved, and

stay involved for many years?

How do we provide consistent, flexible, multi-yearfunding in all locations, not just a few?

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How do we get individuals, and teamsof people from colleges, business,

media, education, arts, etc. thinkingabout this every day?

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How do we connect those who are alreadydeliberating and discussing these questions in ways

share knowledge and good ideas and encourageothers to be involved?


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Tutor/Mentor Learning Network

Since 1993 we have been building a Chicago areanetwork of programs and supporters and anationwide network of knowledge centers.

We call this a

Tutor/Mentor Learning Network (TMLN)

The following slides show the steps weve taken to

create this network.

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Database(see Program Locator at

www.tutormentorexchange.net

Information CollectionPrior to 1993, no organizationwas attempting to maintain acomprehensive database of non-

school tutor/mentor programs.

The database and web site alsoincludes LINKS to other organizationsworking to help kids succeed in school

and move to careers.

The T/MC database and web siteProgram Locator now includes mosttutor/mentor programs in the Chicagoarea, as well as lists of potentialresource providers.

Step 1: Build and Maintain knowledge base

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What types of organizations? Who needs to be involved?

Birth

Career

PreSchool

Family Industry

Church

ElementarySchool

After

SchoolPrograms

HighSchool

College orVocational

A child

MiddleSchool

Arts,

Sports,Recreation

Travel,Internet

For most children, their Birth to Age 25 support system looks like this. Neighbors, family,and a variety of community supports model education as a path to careers, while opening

doors and providing learning experiences as youth grow up.

This is an informal network and it works for most kids.

Mentorsand Tutors

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The Support System for Kids in Poverty is Different

than for middle and upper income kids.

Birth

Career

Family Industry

Church

AfterSchool

Programs

A child

living inpoverty

Arts,Sports,

Recreation

Travel,

Internet

Youth living in neighborhoods of concentrated, segregated, inner city povertyhave less of these positive learning influences .

While the church is a factor, many church groups do not have a diversity of

workplace volunteers, and many who do have diverse congregations, do nothave strategies to mentor neighborhood children to careers.

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As a Result, Schools Struggle. The Prison system grows.

Birth

Career

PreSchool

Family Industry

Church

ElementarySchool

AfterSchool

Programs

HighSchool


A child

living in

poverty

MiddleSchool

Arts,

Sports,Recreation

Travel,Internet

Gangs Welfare

Prison, Juvenile Homes

ExOffenders

Ill legal jobs

As a result youth go to school un prepared to learn and with few adult models showing thevalue of education for jobs and careers. Schools struggle. High School drop out rates exceed

35%. Many careers are learned while in prison or in the juvenile justice system. Few youth goto college and too few of these graduate.

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Each of these boxes represent HUBS ofknowledge in the TMLN

Birth

Career

PreSchool

Family Industry

Church

ElementarySchool

Tutoring

HighSchool


A child

living inpoverty

MiddleSchool

YouthDevelopment

WorkforceDevelopment

Each box represents a category of people and organizations working to help youth grow upsafely, succeed in school, and be prepared for 21st Century jobs and careers. By connectingthem in a Learning Network, we create greater opportunities for understanding, collaboration,

and capacity building in every neighborhood where kids need help.

ServiceLearning

Welfare Reform

No Child Left Behind; Federal Juvenile Justice, Workforce Training Programs, etc..

Mentoring

Crimeprevention

After SchoolPrograms

Civic Engagement

Volunteerism

National Service

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Database

Many of the volunteers who joined Cabrini

Connections between 1993 and 2001helped create the Tutor/Mentor Connection

Through its Cabrini Connectionstutor/mentor program(www.cabriniconnections.net) , theT/MC has helped more than 600 adult

volunteers connect with Cabrini Greenteens.

Volunteer Mobilization

Step 2: Volunteer Mobilization: Advertising

Many are still connected to teens, helpingthem move through college and into jobs.

The T/MC seeks to create a daily call toaction that increases the number of timesa person is invited to learn more abouttutoring/mentoring in Chicago.

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http://www.cabriniconnections.net/http://www.cabriniconnections.net/


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Database

Because the T/MC maintains adatabase with contactinformation for most tutor/mentorprograms in Chicago

b) As these volunteers bond with kids, many

will help build better programs, the sameway that Cabrini Connections volunteershave helped build the T/MC

a) The T/MC is able to lead advertising andpublic education efforts that recruitvolunteers and donors for more than 100

other programs throughout the Chicagoregion.


Help all programs recruit and retain volunteers

c) This increases the number of adults,businesses and churches that are involved.

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A successful collaboration orpartnership is built on trustand mutual self-interest.

The T/MC leads an annual sequence ofcapacity-building actions that draw morethan 300 programs together for regularknowledge sharing, resource building.

These actions are essential for buildingtrust and relationships.

No other organization brings so many of thesame programs together as often from yearto year. Without the regular invitations fromthe T/MC, and the constant informationsharing, most organizations would remain

isolated from each other.

Database


Building a network of

tutor/mentor leaders

Step. 3 Build network of leaders.

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Building Better Understandingof Needs, Opportunities

By bringing programs together on aregular basis, and by supporting thisprocess with surveys and an Internetlibrary of tutor/mentor information,T/MC seeks to create a betterunderstanding of what works, who/howmany are being served, whereprograms are needed, and what it takesto help good programs be in everyplace where they are needed.

Database




Building Better

Understanding of Needs,

Opportunities

Step 4: Information sharing

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OUR GOAL: SUPPORT THEGROWTH OF TOTAL QUALITY

MENTORING PROGRAMS THATHELP INNER CITY YOUTH REACH

CAREERS

To SUCCEEDWe must recruit business

leaders who will use theirresources in PULLING

Youth to Careers

To SUCCEEDWe must help tutor/mentor

program leaders, volunteers,schools and parents be more

effective in PUSHING

Youth to Careers




SchoolCareerTrack


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SHARING RESPONSIBILITY To f in ish schoo l andenter a c areeryouth who participate in

great K-8 programs still needsupport to finish high school,college and to enter careers.

EXAMPLEA program serving 5th and 6th grade kidsis able to do more if programs serving

the SAME kids in K-5 have laid areading/math learning/motivation

foundation.




SchoolCareerTrack


Programs serving youth in one age level,

or one time frame, can do better work ifthe child comes to them better prepared.

These are feeder programs. Ifkids have access to good K-5programs they will perform betterin 5th and 6th grade and high

school programs.

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THE GOAL IS NOT TO FINISH 6TH GRADE. ITS TO REACH A CAREER.

Agenc ies t ha t he lp each o t he r domore t o he lp k ids s tay in schoo land reach careers .Instead of competing for resources, the T/MC

seeks to help programs work together to increasethe availability of resources for all tutor/mentor

programs.




SchoolCareerTrack


Every program serving youth on thistime line needs volunteers, dollars,technology, etc.

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Networking Strategy

As a small non profit, T/MC does not havethe advertising budgets of largecorporations. Thus, it relies on an on-

going networking strategy to draw peopletogether, and to build awareness of

tutoring/mentoring.


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The Worlds LargestPing Pong ball table.

Every action of theT/MC or a memberof the T/MCLearning Network,

causes a chainreaction thatmoves every other

ball.

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Thi i i h


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Aug/SeptChicagoland

Volunteer

Recruitment

Campaign

November

Conferences

Jan. National

Mentoring

Month; Feb.

Leadership

Development

May Conferences

Each year the T/MC helps programs recruit volunteers in Aug/Sept. and helpsprograms train those volunteers and convert them into leaders as eachprogram moves through the School year. As each program ends the year ithas more people helping it build capacity and quality for the following year.

By repeating this call to involvement each year for the past 12 years, wecreate greater public awareness of tutoring/mentoring, and greater traffic toweb sites of the Tutor/Mentor Learning Network.

This is an on-going, year-to-year growth process

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Using the Internet to network and learn

Blogs like http://tutormentor.blogspot.com

Forums like http://www.socialedge.org, http://www.omidyar.net,http://www.mentoring.org/community

Conferences, eConferences http://www.tutormentorconference.bigstep.com

At http://www.tutormentorconnection.org were hosting a links library,with links to organizations that we want to connect with

At www.Google.com you can search for tutor mentor and find theT/MC and numerous other organizations who could be invited to come

together for networking, learning, collaboration

At T/MC b it li k t i ti th t
http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/http://www.socialedge.org/http://www.omidyar.net/http://www.mentoring.org/communityhttp://www.tutormentorconference.bigstep.com/http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/http://www.google.com/http://www.google.com/http://www.google.com/http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/http://www.tutormentorconference.bigstep.com/http://www.mentoring.org/communityhttp://www.omidyar.net/http://www.socialedge.org/http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/


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At T/MC web sites we link to organizations thatrepresent specific areas of expertise. We call these

hubs

VolunteerRecruitment

Fund Raising

Tutoringinfo

T/ MC Web Site

These hubs could be in different

cities, or even different countries!Pg 28



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As HUBs link to each other more knowledge is

shared...

Hub

Hub

Hub

and greater traffic circulates to

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Create a Learning Network

Birth

Career

schoolsfamily Faith

groups

Business

HigherEd.

HealthCare

Communityorgs

Govt

Laworgs

SocialService

Philanthropy&

Volunteers

Americas

Youth

ALL of these groupsneed to be involved

in helping kidssucceed in schooland move to jobsand careers.

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Connecting HUBS: A Blueprint

Birth

Career

schoolsfamily Faith

groups

Business& Media

HigherEd.

HealthCare

Communityorgs; socialservice

Govt

Laworgs

Entertainment& Sports

Philanthropy&Volunteers

Americas

Youth

AND each groupneeds to be

connected to eachother, in an on-going learningprocess.

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This can lead to shared efforts to

increase visibility and draw morevolunteers and donors to everytutor/mentor program in the Chicago

area as school starts every year inAug/Sept.

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Step 5: Actions that increase flow of resources


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Using the map, and the database,leaders can stimulate a flow ofresources to all programs, in allneighborhoods.

By working as a group, T/MC helpsprograms generate greater impact thanmost programs could generate bythemselves.

Database




Building Better


Opportunities

This is intended to draw volunteers, dollars,public attention, technology and trainingdirectly to tutor/mentor programs in every

neighborhood.

Without a steady flow of these resources no

program can succeed.

Actions that increase the

flow of resources to each

program

Step 5: Actions that increase flow of resources

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All Tutor/Mentor Programs have

Common Needs

* volunteers

* public visibility

* operating dollars* technology

* training/learning

* evaluation tools/staff

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WE SEEK TO DRAW RESOURCE TO EVERY PROGRAM IN EVERY


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POVERTY NEIGHBORHOOD.

The Tutor/ MentorConnection seeks

LEADERS to helpraise and distributeneeded resources toevery tutor/mentorprogram in the cityand suburbs ofChicago.

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Each of these boxes represent INDUSTRIES


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pwho need to be involved in the TMLN

Birth

Career

Family Support Youth Development

Religion,Ethics

Arts,Culture

A child

living inpoverty

HigherEducation

Law, Justice

Students join aTutor/Mentor

Program between 1st

and 12th grade.

Technology

Finance,Insurance

Until we put names of individuals or organizations in each box, we wont have theleadership needed to mobilize volunteers and donors who go from an industry out to

all tutor/mentor programs in a big city like Chicago.

Science,Engineering

Retail,Wholesale

Health Care

Hospitality,Entertainment

Manufacturing

Communications

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With the help of volunteersand structured programs,

they finish high school

With the help ofmentors, they startjobs and careers.

When business leaders use their


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visibility, advertising and influence to

encourage people to volunteer, ordonate, to a tutor/mentor program, we

increase the number of volunteers anddonors at every tutor/mentor programin the Chicago area.

We also lower the costs for each

organization to acquire theseresources, and help organizations keepleaders and key staff longer.

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Step 6: The result of Steps 1 to 5


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Better programs in moreplaces for more age groups

As a result of the previous steps,

Chicago, and other major cities,begins to have more effectivetutor/mentor programs serving

more youth in moreneighborhoods.

Database




Building Better


Opportunities



program


Step 6: The result of Steps 1 to 5

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Step 7: The Result


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If Step 1 to 5 are happening in every

poverty neighborhood, youth and familieswill have access to more of the help theyneed, better programs, and moreconsistent, longer-term services.

This will begin to achieve the changes inschool performance and career preparationthat we all want:

better attendance in school lower drop out rates

less youth violence better academic performance business reports better preparedworkersDatabase




Building Better


Opportunities



program


More youth stay in school, aresafe in non-school hours,

graduate, and move to careers

Step 7: The Result

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Step 8: Long Term


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This SUCCESS is not achieved

in one or two years.

Database




Building Better


Opportunities



program


More youth stay in school, aresafe in non-school hours,

graduate, and move to careers

THE RESULT

It will never be achieved withoutthe work done at the base of thispyramid each year.

Step 8: Long TermCommitment

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THE RESULT Thi i T/MC Th


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At the T/MC Web Portal, discussions onbuilding the network of tutor/mentorprograms are on-going.

In May and November, on-line and face to face

conferences provide visibility and engergize these

discussions. We invite you to join us at

http://www.tutormentorconnection.org

http://www.tutormentorconference.bigstep.com

If you host a similar forum, add yourLINK to the T/MC web library.

Database




Building Better


Opportunities

Actions that increase theflow of resources to each

program

Better programs in more

places for more age groups

More youth stay in school, are

safe in non-school hours,graduate, and move to careers

THE RESULT

Become part of the Tutor/MentorLearning Network.

This is T/MC Theory

of Change

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http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/


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Tutor/Mentor Learning Network: A Theory ofChange proposed by the Tutor/Mentor Connection

If this (initiative) is accepted and acted upon, it can change the

way philanthropy and charities work together in America andthroughout the world. It can change the future for millions of kidsborn into poverty each year.

--Daniel F. Bassill, President of Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection

Http://www.tutormentorconnection.org [email protected] PH: 312-492-9614

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Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection: Networking for Purpose