Daniel Bassill's Posts - Tutor/Mentor Connection2024-03-19T10:04:49ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentorhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/10389860854?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=tutormentor&xn_auth=no30 year reflectiontag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2024-01-23:783429:BlogPost:1407532024-01-23T18:14:46.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>I created this Ning forum in 2007 to support the growth of intermediaries who would help volunteer-based youth tutor/mentor programs reach more kids in high poverty areas of Chicago and other places with long-term support that helped those kids through school and into adult lives.<br></br><br></br>The site shares a strategy that I started in 1993, and named, Tutor/Mentor Connection (T/MC). In 2011 I created the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC to continue the T/MC in Chicago and help it grow in other…</p>
<p>I created this Ning forum in 2007 to support the growth of intermediaries who would help volunteer-based youth tutor/mentor programs reach more kids in high poverty areas of Chicago and other places with long-term support that helped those kids through school and into adult lives.<br/><br/>The site shares a strategy that I started in 1993, and named, Tutor/Mentor Connection (T/MC). In 2011 I created the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC to continue the T/MC in Chicago and help it grow in other places.<br/><br/>Ning changed its hosting structure nearly 10 years ago and it became less valuable as a networking and idea sharing forum. I kept using the site through 2015 to host interns who worked with me in Chicago and to share photos from conferences and other actions of the Tutor/Mentor Connection.</p>
<p><br/>It still offers potential for people from around the world to connect and share ideas for duplicating the Tutor/Mentor Connection strategy in other places.</p>
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<p>Every January I write a reflection. You can see my 2024 article <a href="https://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2024/01/30-years-later-new-year-same-goals.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at this link</a>.<br/><br/>If you're creating an intermediary with similar goals and you share ideas via a blog and visual essays, share links to your work in this forum and on social media sites. </p>Facilitated meetings - much changed since 1990stag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2021-07-08:783429:BlogPost:1368932021-07-08T19:45:31.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p> In the early 1990s I became aware of something called Group Systems, which was a meeting facilitation aid, where everyone used computers to brainstorm ideas, then to organize and vote on them. In this <a href="https://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2020/02/maps-planning-network-building.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Feb 2020 blog article</a> I include a quote from a 2000 article about group systems. </p>
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<p>Much has changed since the 1990s. Today I participated in a webinar…</p>
<p> In the early 1990s I became aware of something called Group Systems, which was a meeting facilitation aid, where everyone used computers to brainstorm ideas, then to organize and vote on them. In this <a href="https://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2020/02/maps-planning-network-building.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Feb 2020 blog article</a> I include a quote from a 2000 article about group systems. </p>
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<p>Much has changed since the 1990s. Today I participated in a webinar focused on technology and broadband access, hosted by the Arizona <a href="https://www.futureoftechcommission.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Future of Tech Commission</a>. They pointed people to a <a href="https://jamboard.google.com/d/1-FtQ4ALPM8aVStKYjjvUYfLek_gNx1p0XYVkcDGek18/viewer?f=4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jam Board</a> where ideas were collected. <br/><br/>Imagine if we'd had this available to us in the middle 2000s as we were bringing people together for face-to-face Tutor/Mentor Conferences in Chicago and building participation on this forum. </p>
<p><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/9222611891?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-left" style="padding: 9px;" width="387" height="225"/></p>Archive of Twitter posts using Wakelettag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2018-02-07:783429:BlogPost:666522018-02-07T22:41:41.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543468?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543468?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 8px;" width="450"></img></a> I post messages daily intended to draw visitors to my blogs and use hashtags like #tutor #mentor #learning to narrow the focus.<br></br><br></br>This week I learned about Wakelet which is a platform to archive and share collections of Tweets, based on specific #hashtags.<br></br><br></br>This graphic shows five collections on my page that I created in just a few minutes. <br></br><br></br>See this…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543468?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="450" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543468?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450" class="align-left" style="padding: 8px;"/></a> I post messages daily intended to draw visitors to my blogs and use hashtags like #tutor #mentor #learning to narrow the focus.<br/><br/>This week I learned about Wakelet which is a platform to archive and share collections of Tweets, based on specific #hashtags.<br/><br/>This graphic shows five collections on my page that I created in just a few minutes. <br/><br/>See this in <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2018/02/archiving-twitter-posts-using-wakalet.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this blog article</a>.</p>Think of idea sharing as exploding fireworkstag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2017-09-22:783429:BlogPost:654522017-09-22T18:36:29.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543747?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543747?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 8px;" width="450"></img></a> I started this forum in 2007 when platforms like Ning were a new way to meet, connect and share ideas. While a few people still join every year the forum has not been very active for a few years.</p>
<p><br></br>However, I still use it to archive work done in the past and to maintain connections for those who did join.<br></br><br></br>I created this graphic recently to show how an idea…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543747?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="450" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543747?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450" class="align-left" style="padding: 8px;"/></a>I started this forum in 2007 when platforms like Ning were a new way to meet, connect and share ideas. While a few people still join every year the forum has not been very active for a few years.</p>
<p><br/>However, I still use it to archive work done in the past and to maintain connections for those who did join.<br/><br/>I created this graphic recently to show how an idea I or others launch with a post, like this one, explodes into a network of people who we know, or who are also part of the forum.<br/><br/>What you do to share this post in your own networks is similar to how new explosions of fire works emerge from the initial bomb bust, one after another. In network building these represent an idea being blasted into larger and larger networks of people. <br/><br/>I used this graphic in <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2017/09/bombs-bursting-in-air-ideas-spreading.html" target="_blank">this article</a>. Take a look and share it with others.</p>Holiday Appeal from Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLCtag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2016-12-12:783429:BlogPost:636552016-12-12T18:08:35.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543697?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543697?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" style="padding: 6px;" width="750"></img></a> I created the Tutor/Mentor Connection in 1993 as part of a non-profit organization that also was creating a site-based tutor/mentor program serving teens in the Cabrini-Green neighborhood of Chicago. I created the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC in 2011 to keep the T/MC strategy going in Chicago and share it with other cities after support for the strategy was discontinued in…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543697?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543697?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" style="padding: 6px;" class="align-center" width="750"/></a>I created the Tutor/Mentor Connection in 1993 as part of a non-profit organization that also was creating a site-based tutor/mentor program serving teens in the Cabrini-Green neighborhood of Chicago. I created the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC in 2011 to keep the T/MC strategy going in Chicago and share it with other cities after support for the strategy was discontinued in the original non profit.</p>
<p><br/>Not being a 501-c-3 non profit has made it almost impossible to find dollars to fund this work, yet the need for an intermediary doing what I've been doing is greater than ever.</p>
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<p>This is my annual <a href="http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/images/PDF/letter%2012-12-16.pdf" target="_blank">holiday appeal letter</a>. I hope you'll read it, and offer support if you can. Visit <a href="http://www.tutormentorconference.org/20-year-effort.htm" target="_blank">this page</a> to find a PayPal button that you can use to send a contribution.</p>Are you using annotation to support student, volunteer and staff learning?tag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2016-12-04:783429:BlogPost:634552016-12-04T16:46:18.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>Here's<a href="http://impedagogy.com/wp/blog/2016/12/03/kyteachmeet-presentation-on-annotation" target="_blank">blog article</a> showing three annotation tools.</p>
<p>In addition, here's<a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2016/01/annotation-new-learning-and.html" target="_blank">article</a> I wrote in Jan 2016 to introduce annotation. In the comments section of the blog I've added updates. Are any of you using these tools?</p>
<p>If so, post a comment and link showing how you are using…</p>
<p>Here's<a href="http://impedagogy.com/wp/blog/2016/12/03/kyteachmeet-presentation-on-annotation" target="_blank">blog article</a> showing three annotation tools.</p>
<p>In addition, here's<a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2016/01/annotation-new-learning-and.html" target="_blank">article</a> I wrote in Jan 2016 to introduce annotation. In the comments section of the blog I've added updates. Are any of you using these tools?</p>
<p>If so, post a comment and link showing how you are using these.</p>Follow this "Learning Path" through the ideas of the Tutor/Mentor Connectiontag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2016-04-27:783429:BlogPost:614542016-04-27T19:14:16.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543210?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543210?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 4px;" width="350"></img></a> I've hosted this Ning site since 2007 with the goal that teams from colleges, faith groups, businesses, etc. in Chicago and other cities would use the information and ideas to build strategies that make mentor-rich youth programs available in all high poverty neighborhoods, and help each get the on-going flow of talent and operating dollars needed to constantly move from…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543210?profile=original"><img width="350" class="align-left" style="padding: 4px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543210?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"/></a>I've hosted this Ning site since 2007 with the goal that teams from colleges, faith groups, businesses, etc. in Chicago and other cities would use the information and ideas to build strategies that make mentor-rich youth programs available in all high poverty neighborhoods, and help each get the on-going flow of talent and operating dollars needed to constantly move from good, then to great, at helping kids move safely through school and into jobs.</p>
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<p>I've used concept maps to provide a guide to all of this information, including the one shown on this graphic (<a href="http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/rid=1238727620187_1975064065_30237/TMC%20First%20weeks%20on%20job.cmap" target="_blank">see here</a>) . This is a "Learning Path" that can guide learners through the basic information on the various web sites in some sort of sequence. In 2015, an intern from South Korea, via IIT, converted this into a Prezi, with an English language narration, then a Korean language narration. After that she converted the Prezi to a YouTube video, which you can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGCDgzKMQfM" target="_blank">see here</a>.</p>
<p>This illustrates roles students from many cities and countries can take. As they do their own learning, they share what they are learning via visualizations and blog articles they create and present to adults and other students, thus enlarging the community of people understanding and applying this information.</p>
<p>There's no fee to engage your students in this process. You're invited to join <a href="http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/group/cktmc" target="_self">this group</a>, or start a new group, where I can coach students from my base in Chicago. I'm available to connect on Skype or come speak to your students, for a fee that would include costs involved. I hope to see groups from many places creating these presentations in the future.</p>
<p></p>View library of illustrated essays on Scribd.com and Slidesharetag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2015-09-29:783429:BlogPost:593522015-09-29T22:30:03.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>Since the mid 1990s I've tried to visualize my ideas and strategies using PowerPoint and other drawing tools. I've been uploading these to slide share and other platforms for past few years. Here's one example.…</p>
<p style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;"></p>
<p>Since the mid 1990s I've tried to visualize my ideas and strategies using PowerPoint and other drawing tools. I've been uploading these to slide share and other platforms for past few years. Here's one example.</p>
<p style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;"><a title="View Problem-Solving Strategy-Explanation and Overview on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/86904421/Problem-Solving-Strategy-Explanation-and-Overview" style="text-decoration: underline;">Problem-Solving Strategy-Explanation and Overview</a> by <a title="View Daniel F. Bassill's profile on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/daniel-f-bassill-7291" style="text-decoration: underline;">Daniel F. Bassill</a></p>
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View these to expand your own understanding and use these in group meetings to help others understand these ideas and innovate ways to apply them in your own community, or support my own efforts here in Chicago.Use Concept Maps to Visualize Strategies and Show Networkstag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2015-05-24:783429:BlogPost:583522015-05-24T17:06:27.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543134?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 6px;" width="350"></img></p>
<p>This is one of many concept maps I've created to visualize the commitment I and other leaders need to make to help youth in all high poverty neighborhoods of a city get the support systems they need to more successfully move through school and into careers. While you can click through the nodes on this map, to other maps, I created this <a href="http://www.tutormentorconference.org/conceptmaps.asp" target="_blank">library of concept maps</a>, to show the wide variety that…</p>
<p><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543134?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-left" style="padding: 6px;"/></p>
<p>This is one of many concept maps I've created to visualize the commitment I and other leaders need to make to help youth in all high poverty neighborhoods of a city get the support systems they need to more successfully move through school and into careers. While you can click through the nodes on this map, to other maps, I created this <a href="http://www.tutormentorconference.org/conceptmaps.asp" target="_blank">library of concept maps</a>, to show the wide variety that are available.</p>
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<p>The primary value of this Ning community has been to support interns who are looking at my maps and visualizations, then creating their own videos and graphics to communicate the ideas in different ways. Visit <a href="http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/group/cktmc" target="_self">this group</a> and you can see work done since 2007. </p>
<p><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543338?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-left" style="padding: 5px;"/></p>
<p> This is one of many visualizations that have been done. At <a href="http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/definition-of-issues/ideasanimation" target="_blank">this page</a> you can see a collection of many projects done in the past. </p>
<p>The only way these ideas will reach more people is for members of this group to enlist youth in their own community, and teach them to create their own interpretations of these ideas. If you're not in Chicago, just change the maps and focus the ideas on the needs of youth where you live. </p>
<p>If you're already doing this, please share links to your projects and maps.</p>
<p></p>Experimenting with webinars. Join me on April 21, 2015tag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2015-04-20:783429:BlogPost:581672015-04-20T01:03:07.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997542484?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997542484?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 5px;" width="400"></img></a></p>
<p>I'm hosting a webinar focused on volunteer recruitment for tutor/mkentor programs at 2pm EST on April 21. You can sign up…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997542484?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997542484?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400" class="align-left" style="padding: 5px;"/></a></p>
<p>I'm hosting a webinar focused on volunteer recruitment for tutor/mkentor programs at 2pm EST on April 21. You can sign up <a href="https://www.wiziq.com/courses/about-course.aspx?cInfo=MP7Z4Xew36%2fSPGAgRvj5PlLDh93rUuEJoLpv0gC%2fLf2UXLlWIE2lq7fQ9fEBgnBwnzOC1%2bm1OS66Yhd3%2b%2bVV1%2fF5LXYGnPXr8RXdL4b5D3dmgyY%2bZRPCjtIYFW1fTUt%2bZCkwnFjnVo2DlbFHiPte0l23ibA5wyr2k8LT0FI%2fL2g%2bLAniwZcp0HElkaMBBz7UaCP%2fuGaBs8s%3d" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>
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<p>I've been sharing strategy ideas via pdf visualizations and blog articles for many years and have done a few on-line presentations. I'm using WizIQ for this one and if it works out well I'll do more.</p>
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<p>I feel the on-line events are a way to reach more people, and encourage collaboration among larger groups of people. It's not just what you learn, but who you meet, and how that leads to further connections, interactions and shared efforts to help solve community problems that are common in many places.</p>
<p>If you attend the webinar, come back here and offer your comments for future presentations.</p>
<p></p>Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2015tag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2014-12-23:783429:BlogPost:563642014-12-23T15:53:24.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>I hope all who visit this forum or who have joined it since 2007 will enjoy this holiday season and have peace, happiness, health and prosperity in 2015.</p>
<p><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997541631?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 6px;" width="350"></img></p>
<p>While there's not a lot of activity on this site, I keep adding new blog articles to the <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com" target="_blank">tutor/mentor</a> blog and <a href="http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com" target="_blank">mapping for justice</a> blog. The other blogs I point to on the home page are…</p>
<p>I hope all who visit this forum or who have joined it since 2007 will enjoy this holiday season and have peace, happiness, health and prosperity in 2015.</p>
<p><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997541631?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-left" style="padding: 6px;"/></p>
<p>While there's not a lot of activity on this site, I keep adding new blog articles to the <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com" target="_blank">tutor/mentor</a> blog and <a href="http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com" target="_blank">mapping for justice</a> blog. The other blogs I point to on the home page are also updated often, so consider this site an entry point into a wider network of ideas. </p>
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<p>The goal of this forum remains the same as when it was launched. To collect and share ideas and information that anyone can use to build volunteer based tutoring, mentoring, arts, technology and learning programs that help youth in disadvantaged neighborhoods move through school and into adult jobs and careers.</p>
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<p>I find few support systems that are collecting the type of information I collect, and who also take action daily to draw people to the information, and to draw people directly to youth organizations in the Chicago region who require a consistent flow of dollars, volunteers, talent, technology and ideas to build and sustain life-changing relationships with youth and volunteers. </p>
<p><br/>To my friends in Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. I encourage you to draw from this site, and to duplicate what I'm doing. The causes of poverty, the challenges NGOs face, and the solutions that are working in your country are different than what's happening in Chicago. The map of your city/country is different. The organizations already working with youth is different. Thus, you need to build your own web library. <br/><br/>However, the challenges of getting large numbers of people to look at this information, understand it, then act consistently to support youth serving organizations throughout a geographic area are similar. Thus the ideas I share can be used to support this network-building effort, as can the ideas you share.</p>
<p><br/>Hopefully 2015 will bring us a beneficiary who will provide needed financial support to this effort in addition to helping me find and train younger leaders to carry the Tutor/Mentor Connection and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC forward in future years.</p>
<p>With your, help, God's help, and good luck, this can happen.</p>
<p>Thank you for visiting.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Daniel F. Bassill, D.H.L.<br/>Tutor/Mentor Connection - <a href="http://www.tutormentorconnection.org">http://www.tutormentorconnection.org</a><br/>Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC - <a href="http://www.tutormentorexchange.net">http://www.tutormentorexchange.net</a></p>Use web library to support the growth of your tutor/mentor effortstag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2014-06-21:783429:BlogPost:540212014-06-21T15:36:25.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>This graphic is what you see when you visit the Tutor/Mentor Connection <a href="http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/LinksLearningNetwork/LinksLibrary/tabid/560/language/en-US/Default.aspx" target="_blank">web library</a>, which I've been building for more than 20 years (and on the Internet since 1998). </p>
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<p><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997541507?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 4px;" width="350"></img></p>
<p>The library is organized into categories, just like any other library. You can find research showing where and why volunteer based tutor/mentor programs…</p>
<p>This graphic is what you see when you visit the Tutor/Mentor Connection <a href="http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/LinksLearningNetwork/LinksLibrary/tabid/560/language/en-US/Default.aspx" target="_blank">web library</a>, which I've been building for more than 20 years (and on the Internet since 1998). </p>
<p></p>
<p><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997541507?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-left" style="padding: 4px;"/></p>
<p>The library is organized into categories, just like any other library. You can find research showing where and why volunteer based tutor/mentor programs are needed. You can find information to support organization and fund development. You can find training for volunteers as well as strategies for volunteer recruitment. You can find dozens of blogs focusing on learning, collaboration, network building, etc. </p>
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<p>When you visit the site, click on any of the 8 boxes and the library will feature links for that category. It will also show sub categories within each major section.</p>
<p></p>
<p>There are 26 categories in the library, so the graphics only point to 8 of them. You'll need to browse the listings below to know what other categories are available.</p>
<p></p>
<p>While some of this information focuses on Chicago, most of it can be used by anyone in the US to help build mentor-rich learning supports for youth in different places. The ideas on process improvement, collaboration, innovation and learning can be used in any part of the world, not just the US.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thus, if you're building your own web library, with information specific to your community, a link to the Tutor/Mentor Connection library gives your site visitors access to all of the links I've aggregated, without you needing to do that work.</p>
<p><img width="150" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2866047186?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="150" class="align-right" style="padding: 5px;"/></p>
<p><br/>What's really needed, are people who spend time building their own understanding of information in this web library, and on forums like this, then reach out to people they know to help them find and use the information in their own actions that support youth in one, or many, places.</p>
<p></p>
<p>As you browse the web library and find links of interest, I encourage you to write about what you find. Here's a blog<a href="http://www.markjcarter.com/2014/06/volunteering-leadership-mentoring/" target="_blank">article written by Mark Carter</a>, a consultant in Chicago, telling his readers about an article found in <a href="http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/library" target="_blank">another section</a> of the web libraries I host. </p>
<p></p>
<p>You can use your own blog on this forum to write similar articles, or any other blog you may host, to write similar articles. If more people take this role, they help others find and use the information, and this helps bring more support to tutor/mentor programs in youth in Chicago and throughout the world.</p>Visualization of services offered by youth organizationtag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2013-11-23:783429:BlogPost:506082013-11-23T18:00:00.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543399?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543399?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 4px;" width="350"></img></a></p>
<p>I'm trying to create a visualization that any youth serving organization might be willing to use to visually communicate what time of day they reach youth, what age range they serve and what types of learning and mentoring activities are offered.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This is what I've done so far. This could be downloaded and colored in by hand, then scanned and uploaded…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543399?profile=original"><img width="350" class="align-left" style="padding: 4px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543399?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"/></a></p>
<p>I'm trying to create a visualization that any youth serving organization might be willing to use to visually communicate what time of day they reach youth, what age range they serve and what types of learning and mentoring activities are offered.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This is what I've done so far. This could be downloaded and colored in by hand, then scanned and uploaded as a jpg. Perhaps it could be imported into photo shop or a paint program and colored in. Or perhaps someone could create a graphics program that enables people to fill in this information via their computer, then produce a jpg that could be posted on their web site.</p>
<p></p>
<p>If we found a way to make this easy to create, and to motivate a larger number of organizations to put this on their web sites it might have two benefits. Programs might see activities that are included in work of other programs and try to duplicate that in their own programs. Donors might begin to differentiate between school based, non school, volunteer based, etc. and use this information to support fund raising or volunteer involvement decisions.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543496?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997543496?profile=original" width="232" class="align-left" style="padding: 6px;"/></a></p>
<p>The collection of information about programs, based on what they do, needs to also be part of a matrix showing who they serve, and where they are located. Programs operating in big cities have a different costs of operating framework than programs in smaller communities.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I don't know of anyone collecting and analyzing this information.</p>
<p></p>
<p>In the next class of <a href="http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/group/cktmc" target="_self">interns</a> I'll offer this as a project. If anyone viewing this would want to create their own version and share it, please do.</p>Follow up to November 4 Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference.tag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2013-11-06:783429:BlogPost:503122013-11-06T20:34:47.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997544036?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997544036?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 3px;" width="350"></img></a> On Monday I hosted another <a href="http://www.tutormentorconference.org" target="_blank">Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference</a> in Chicago. This was the 40th in the past 20 years. I'm still going through attendance information, evaluations, etc. but it looks like about 105 attended.<br></br>One participant, Changyue An, is a graduate student from IIT in Chicago.…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997544036?profile=original"><img width="350" class="align-left" style="padding: 3px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997544036?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"/></a>On Monday I hosted another <a href="http://www.tutormentorconference.org" target="_blank">Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference</a> in Chicago. This was the 40th in the past 20 years. I'm still going through attendance information, evaluations, etc. but it looks like about 105 attended.<br/>One participant, Changyue An, is a graduate student from IIT in Chicago. Here's some information he shared from a workshop titled "Mentoring Urban Youth"</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>1. </b> <b>Two important principles we must remember</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Young people do not see what you see.</li>
<li>If they are gangs, you must see them as individuals.</li>
</ul>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b> </b><b>2. </b> <b>The Approach to be a good tutor/mentor</b></p>
<ul>
<li>What you see might not be what others see.</li>
<li>What you experience plays an important factor on how you react and handle situations.</li>
<li>Gained knowledge allows you to make certain judgments about situations and/or people.<br/><br/></li>
</ul>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle"> <b>3. </b> <b>Build Methodology-Relationship Building</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Diversity</li>
<li>Respect</li>
<li>Open & Honest Communication</li>
<li>Trust</li>
<li>Teamwork</li>
</ul>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b> </b><b>4. </b> <b>M&M’s-another way to be a good tutor/mentor</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Meet youth where they are at</li>
<li>Make a connection</li>
<li>Master their needs and interests</li>
<li>Maintain positive relationship</li>
<li>Manage their trust</li>
<li>Motivate them to positive programs</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p>If any of you attended the same workshop, please add your own thoughts. If you would like to post a review of other workshops you attended, or of the overall conference, I encourage you to do that, too.</p>
<p>In the Groups section of the forum <a href="http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/group/cktmc" target="_self">one sub group</a> shows interns from universities working with me every six months to create strategy visualizations. In <a href="http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/photo/albums/tutormentor-leadership-and" target="_self">this album</a>, and <a href="http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/photo/albums/conference-2009" target="_self">this album</a>, you can see photos from previous conferences, which were taken by interns who attended those. </p>
<p>These illustrate roles young people can take as intermediaries, and communicators, using their own skills to draw attention to events, activities and ideas. Youth from many schools could be doing this and the result would be greater attention for social issues like tutoring/mentoring of youth, and a greater flow of resources from those who could help tutor/mentor programs operate in different cities.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>Community Wealth-Building, Anchor Institutions, Tutor/Mentor Programstag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2013-04-27:783429:BlogPost:464522013-04-27T16:43:46.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997533685?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997533685?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="padding: 6px;" width="400"></img></a></p>
<p>In every high poverty neighborhood there are one or two anchor institutions, like a hospital, university, bank, etc. that could provide leadership and strategic support to strategies that support the growth of youth mentoring programs.</p>
<p></p>
<p>If those same institutions also focus on community wealth building then they may be more likely to build the types of…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997533685?profile=original"><img width="400" class="align-left" style="padding: 6px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997533685?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"/></a></p>
<p>In every high poverty neighborhood there are one or two anchor institutions, like a hospital, university, bank, etc. that could provide leadership and strategic support to strategies that support the growth of youth mentoring programs.</p>
<p></p>
<p>If those same institutions also focus on community wealth building then they may be more likely to build the types of leadership support needed to take a long term approach to youth mentoring program growth. </p>
<p>This graphic is included in <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2013/04/community-wealth-building-anchor.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a> that I wrote today on this topic. I encourage you all to review t his and use the ideas in reaching out to anchor institutions in your own communities.</p>If we agree on importance of non-school programs reaching youth in high poverty areastag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2012-12-17:783429:BlogPost:430552012-12-17T14:11:06.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997533039?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997533039?profile=original" width="553"/></a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997533039?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997533039?profile=original" width="553"/></a></p>If we agree that connecting a youth and adult mentor is a good idea....tag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2012-11-24:783429:BlogPost:426522012-11-24T16:34:55.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2866047628?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2866047628?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450"></img></a></p>
<p>I created this graphic last week to illustrate the progression of thinking that I've followed for the past 20 years.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I know from my own experiences and those of others, and from much reading, that connecting youth with caring adults can have a positive impact.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I also know that building and sustaining these adult-youth connections in high…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2866047628?profile=original"><img width="450" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2866047628?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450"/></a></p>
<p>I created this graphic last week to illustrate the progression of thinking that I've followed for the past 20 years.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I know from my own experiences and those of others, and from much reading, that connecting youth with caring adults can have a positive impact.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I also know that building and sustaining these adult-youth connections in high poverty neighborhoods is very difficult without some organizational structure to enable youth and adults to meet in safe places and without supportive mentor-leaders in place to support weekly interactions. Thus, finding the existing volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in any city, and finding ways to help them get the ideas, talent, resources, volunteers needed to operate and constantly improve would seem to be a good idea.</p>
<p><br/>Once we agree that organized programs are a good idea, then if we plot locations of existing programs on a map showing poverty and other indicators of youth needing extra adult support, we can quickly identify neighborhoods with few or no programs. It would seem that leaders in business, media, politics, philanthropy and other sectors would want to work together to help existing programs grow and to help new programs grow in areas that are without programs.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Through the Tutor/Mentor Connection (T/MC) which I started in 1993, and the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC, which I formed in 2011, I'm trying to support all three levels of this thinking. Browse the articles I've posted <a href="http://www.scribd.com/my_document_collections/3299390" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/tutormentor/" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.tutormentorexchange.net" target="_blank">here</a> and in <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com" target="_blank">my blog</a> to learn more about this thinking and to find ideas that you can apply to support these ideas in your own community.</p>Recruiting Talenttag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2012-09-28:783429:BlogPost:421702012-09-28T19:54:52.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>Here's a presentation you all might share to recruit talent to help your own organizations.…</p>
<p></p>
<p>Here's a presentation you all might share to recruit talent to help your own organizations.</p>
<p><a title="View Recruiting Talent Volunteers for Youth Tutoring, Mentoring, Learning Programs on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/100857089/Recruiting-Talent-Volunteers-for-Youth-Tutoring-Mentoring-Learning-Programs" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">Recruiting Talent Volunteers for Youth Tutoring, Mentoring, Learning Programs</a></p>Effective story telling - volunteers neededtag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2012-09-15:783429:BlogPost:418172012-09-15T17:14:14.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>I just read <a href="http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/the_problem_with_problem_statements" target="_blank">this article</a> on the Stanford Social Innovation review and I'm guilty of leading with problem statements and scaring off people who might want to help.</p>
<p></p>
<p>However, teaching old dogs new tricks is something that's hard to do, as is breaking long-term habits. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Thus, my solution is to recruit volunteers who might help shape the messages in ways that don't…</p>
<p>I just read <a href="http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/the_problem_with_problem_statements" target="_blank">this article</a> on the Stanford Social Innovation review and I'm guilty of leading with problem statements and scaring off people who might want to help.</p>
<p></p>
<p>However, teaching old dogs new tricks is something that's hard to do, as is breaking long-term habits. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Thus, my solution is to recruit volunteers who might help shape the messages in ways that don't scare off those who want to be involved. Want to help?</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>Free knowledge, learning opportunities to anyone with internet accesstag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2012-07-07:783429:BlogPost:412752012-07-07T14:01:54.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>I've been reading Curt Bonk's book titled the <em>World is Open</em> and have put in dozens of sticky notes on pages with links to on-line learning resources that he mentions. I intended to go back and find these, one at a time, and add them to my own library on the Tutor/Mentor Connection site.</p>
<p></p>
<p>However, Curt's already done much of the work of building a list of resources. Visit <a href="http://www.trainingshare.com/resources/weblinks.php" target="_blank">this page</a> and …</p>
<p>I've been reading Curt Bonk's book titled the <em>World is Open</em> and have put in dozens of sticky notes on pages with links to on-line learning resources that he mentions. I intended to go back and find these, one at a time, and add them to my own library on the Tutor/Mentor Connection site.</p>
<p></p>
<p>However, Curt's already done much of the work of building a list of resources. Visit <a href="http://www.trainingshare.com/resources/weblinks.php" target="_blank">this page</a> and <a href="http://www.trainingshare.com/resources/" target="_blank">this page</a> and you'll find resources that anyone can use in their own teaching, mentoring, parenting and learning.</p>
<p></p>
<p>If you visit this page and begin to use some of the resources please post a comment to this blog sharing what you looked at and how you used it. Bonk's book focuses on "sharing" via the Internet. We can put the spirit of the book to work in our own efforts if many of those on the Tutor/Mentor Connection will share ways they are using the information he is sharing.</p>Social Desgin Blog - great readingtag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2012-01-20:783429:BlogPost:369522012-01-20T17:21:32.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>In the groups and blogs on this forum you can see how interns working with me in Chicago are creating visualizations that communicate our ideas in new ways.</p>
<p></p>
<p>In this blog titled <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/news?viewArticle=&articleID=5562644269547659264&gid=1249287&type=member&item=88708621&articleURL=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.csi.edu.au%2F2012%2F01%2Fwhat-is-social-design%2F&urlhash=yqLC&trk=group_most_popular-0-b-shrttl" target="_blank">Design for…</a></p>
<p>In the groups and blogs on this forum you can see how interns working with me in Chicago are creating visualizations that communicate our ideas in new ways.</p>
<p></p>
<p>In this blog titled <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/news?viewArticle=&articleID=5562644269547659264&gid=1249287&type=member&item=88708621&articleURL=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.csi.edu.au%2F2012%2F01%2Fwhat-is-social-design%2F&urlhash=yqLC&trk=group_most_popular-0-b-shrttl" target="_blank">Design for Social Change</a> the writer provides tips and reasons to use design to communicate ideas.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I hope members of the Tutor/Mentor Connection forum, not just my interns, will take a look and begin to find ways to communicate their vision, strategies, needs and ideas visually.</p>Drawing attention to volunteer-based tutor/mentor programstag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2011-09-26:783429:BlogPost:317532011-09-26T15:00:00.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997532791?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997532791?profile=original" width="320"></img></a> In other articles I've pointed attention to the year-round strategy of the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC and Tutor/Mentor Connection and shown how the May and November conferences have helped to get stories in Chicago media. I've now created a page on the web site where you can <a href="http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/news-pr" target="_blank">view and read many of these…</a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997532791?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997532791?profile=original" width="320"/></a>In other articles I've pointed attention to the year-round strategy of the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC and Tutor/Mentor Connection and shown how the May and November conferences have helped to get stories in Chicago media. I've now created a page on the web site where you can <a href="http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/news-pr" target="_blank">view and read many of these past view articles</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Imagine how many more articles might be written about tutoring/mentoring programs if the many members of this forum began to take an active part in the May and November conferences or the August/September Back-to-School volunteer recruitment campaign, encouraging media to tell the story from their perspective, and focusing on their program and city. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The next conference is November 7, 2014 in Chicago and I don't encourage anyone from beyond the Midwest to try to attend. If you're close and can do a workshop or be a participant, <a href="http://www.tuormentorconference.org" target="_blank">visit the web site</a> and then register or submit a workshop proposal. If you are already planning to attend and/or host a workshop, then why not send a press release to your local media and see if you can generate a story showing why you do what you do and why networking and learning from peers is important.</p>
<p><br/> If you'd like a copy of a handout we've created, just post a note and I'll send it to you. If we can generate more news coverage on a regular basis we can also attract more volunteers and donors to support what we're all trying to do.</p>10,000 hours of practice to create experts in field - Malcolm Gladwelltag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2011-08-26:783429:BlogPost:297532011-08-26T18:22:55.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2864970318?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" height="228" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2864970318?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="305"></img></a> This article quotes Malcolm Gladwell saying "<a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4969415.ece" target="_blank">if you want to shine, put in 10,000 hours</a>".</p>
<p>It goes on to say "The greatest athletes, entrepreneurs, musicians and scientists emerge only after spending at least three hours a day for a decade mastering…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2864970318?profile=original"><img width="350" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2864970318?profile=RESIZE_480x480" height="228" width="305"/></a>This article quotes Malcolm Gladwell saying "<a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4969415.ece" target="_blank">if you want to shine, put in 10,000 hours</a>".</p>
<p>It goes on to say "The greatest athletes, entrepreneurs, musicians and scientists emerge only after spending at least three hours a day for a decade mastering their chosen field."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The map at the right shows nearly 180 locations where great leaders are needed to operate volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs that are constantly improving their ability to transform the lives of youth and adults.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>How many of the leaders and key staff or board members have 10,000 hours of experience learning to lead a tutor/mentor program? </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Our <a href="http://www.tutormentorprogramlocator.net/InteractiveMap.aspx" target="_blank">maps</a> show that there are many neighborhoods and zip codes in Chicago and the suburbs with no tutor/mentor programs. How many more are needed? How many more leaders are needed? How many incorporate the "mentoring to careers" vision of the Tutor/Mentor Connection? In the 25 cities of the US with youth populations of 100,000 or more, <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2864970318?profile=original"><img width="300" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2866062971?profile=RESIZE_320x320" height="262" width="202"/></a>how many more tutor/mentor programs and experienced leaders are needed?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The chart at the right illustrates the K-16 path young people take to finish school and begin jobs and careers. What will it take to convince industry, philanthropic and government policy makers that we need systems of leadership development that begin to prepare people to lead tutor/mentor programs in high poverty areas when those people are in middle school and high school!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Imagine service learning programs in city and suburban schools engaging youth in research that enables them to learn about poverty and its impact on learning and aspirations. Imagine if the same programs were providing service opportunities and were teaching youth to make videos, write blogs and organize social media communities aimed at building greater understanding of the challenges faced by inner city kids and aimed at generating a flow of volunteers and operating dollars to the different tutor/mentor programs operating in different neighborhoods.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If students practice this and learn from their service they can log 10,000 hours before they are in their mid-twenties and they can log another 10,000 hours as they move from that stage of life till they depart this worldly existence.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone subscribed to this Ning community can be part of this learning and information sharing and can apply the ideas to building a network of experienced leaders for youth development and social problem solving programs in their own communities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Gladwell says, "it is practice, however, that makes perfect. The best way to achieve international stardom is to spend 10,000 hours honing your skills."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Process maps - apply to your worktag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2011-05-26:783429:BlogPost:234862011-05-26T15:14:27.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>These I-Open process maps provided by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/betsey.merkel" target="_blank">Betsey Merkel</a> are very good. I'd like to hear from any members of this forum who are finding ways to integrate them in their efforts to build and sustain high quality tutor/mentor programs in one, or more locations.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Here is the process of <span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">culture building,…</span></span></p>
<p>These I-Open process maps provided by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/betsey.merkel" target="_blank">Betsey Merkel</a> are very good. I'd like to hear from any members of this forum who are finding ways to integrate them in their efforts to build and sustain high quality tutor/mentor programs in one, or more locations.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Here is the process of <span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">culture building, one aspect of the I-Open Civic Forum Process <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iopen/4788169291/in/set-72157624482024386#/photos/iopen/4788169291/in/set-72157624482024386/lightbox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.flickr.com/phot</span><span class="word_break"> </span><span>os/iopen/4788169291/in/set</span><span class="word_break"> </span><span>-72157624482024386#/photos</span><span class="word_break"> </span><span>/iopen/4788169291/in/set-7</span>2157624482024386/lightbox/</a></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Here is the timeline and repeating activities <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iopen/5609058458/in/set-72157624482024386#/photos/iopen/5609058458/in/set-72157624482024386/lightbox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.flickr.com/phot</span><span>os/iopen/5609058458/in/set</span><span>-72157624482024386#/photos</span><span>/iopen/5609058458/in/set-7</span>2157624482024386/lightbox/</a></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Where are the philanthropic investors who would provide the money/manpower/talent for us to integrate some of these ideas in the Tutor/Mentor Connection?</span></p>Mentor Michigan Census Builds Understanding of Mentoring in Statetag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2011-04-17:783429:BlogPost:205532011-04-17T20:30:00.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p> </p>
<p>Reposted from email I receive:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Mentor Michigan Census Reports Available</strong></p>
<p>April 12, 2011: Mentor Michigan, a MENTOR affiliate, has now made the latest Mentor Michigan Census (MMC) available online.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is Wave VIII of the census, which is a survey of organizations operating mentoring programs in the state of Michigan. It was conducted in the fall of 2010, and 137 organizations responded for a 58 percent response…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Reposted from email I receive:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Mentor Michigan Census Reports Available</strong></p>
<p>April 12, 2011: Mentor Michigan, a MENTOR affiliate, has now made the latest Mentor Michigan Census (MMC) available online.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is Wave VIII of the census, which is a survey of organizations operating mentoring programs in the state of Michigan. It was conducted in the fall of 2010, and 137 organizations responded for a 58 percent response rate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Among the findings of this survey:<br/>* Various academic outcomes are an area of focus for more than 80 percent of responding programs, including school-based programs. Within academics, improved attendance and grades/GPA are the highest priorities. Additional focus areas reported included pro-social skills and health and wellness.</p>
<p>* The biggest changes in demographics since the last survey were a 4 percent increase in mentees between 12 and 14, as well as a 4 percent decline in African-American youth served.</p>
<p>* The biggest improvements in registry-based screening procedures were for use of SafetyNET, which increased by 8 percent since the last survey. (SafetyNET was the highly-successful pilot program that allowed youth-serving organizations access to the nationwide FBI fingerprint database in screening potential volunteers and employees. SafetyNET ended March 31, and a bill to create a permanent successor to it has been introduced in both houses of Congress.)</p>
<p><br/>* Wave VIII showed a small increase in mentor retention; however, the percentage of male mentors — new and returning — has decreased.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>According to Mentor Michigan Director Amber Troupe, "The primary purpose of the MMC is to understand the scope and nature of mentoring and mentoring organizations in our state. Specifically, we aim to identify, count, describe and track mentoring organizations, programs, mentors and mentees; understand program components, processes, resources and needs; and encourage and support program evaluation."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"The more information we know about the mentoring programs we serve, the more help we can offer them toward becoming even more effective," noted MENTOR President and CEO Dr. Larry Wright.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To hear more about Mentor Michigan's MMC, Wave VIII, register for the free, online webinar being hosted by evaluator Bob Kahle this Thursday, April 14, at <a href="https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/564339762">https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/564339762</a>. To access all current and past MMC reports, go to <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/mentormichigan/0,1607,7-193--110977--,00.html">www.michigan.gov/mentormichigan/0,1607,7-193--110977--,00.html</a>. For more information about youth mentoring in general, visit <a href="http://www.mentoring.org">www.mentoring.org</a>.</p>
<p>-------------------------------</p>
<p><strong>Tutor/Mentor Connection comment:</strong> We would be doing this type of census for Chicagoland if the money were available. We'd use the information to support marketing that builds on strong programs and helps improve weak programs, while helping new programs grow where too few now exist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Unleashing your personal powertag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2011-04-04:783429:BlogPost:192542011-04-04T17:47:48.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2871172423?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2871172423?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></img></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is a graphic that I include in many articles I write, illustrating the role individuals can take in reaching out to people they know to draw them to information we share on our web sites and to tutor/mentor program locations where they can be volunteers, leaders, donors, etc. I am speaking to a group of students from Governors State University tonight…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2871172423?profile=original"><img width="350" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2871172423?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"/></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is a graphic that I include in many articles I write, illustrating the role individuals can take in reaching out to people they know to draw them to information we share on our web sites and to tutor/mentor program locations where they can be volunteers, leaders, donors, etc. I am speaking to a group of students from Governors State University tonight (4/5/2011) and at Loyola University on Thursday (4/8/2011) and <a href="http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/images/PDF/neworkbuilding2011.pdf" target="_blank">created this pdf essay</a>to try to illustrate the ways they and others can help tutor/mentor programs grow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>While my mission and focus is on tutor/mentor program growth, these ideas can be applied to build more consistent and long-term support of organizations involved in any form of social problem solving where resources need to be consistently available in order for organizations to build the strength and knowledge to begin to have an impact on those issues.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I encourage anyone who reads this to share it. I also encourage you to create your own leadership essays so you can share your own thinking on these topics. If you want to volunteer time and talent to help convert this idea to a video or a graphic animation we welcome your involvement.</p>Building Philanthropic Capital to Fuel Good to Greattag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2011-03-13:783429:BlogPost:180572011-03-13T16:30:00.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>In my <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Tutor/Mentor Blog</a> I use graphics like the one below to illustrate our goal of helping inner city youth grow up over a period of 10 to 20 years. We all start at birth and it takes 20 years to get through the first formal stages of education and into the college, vocational or job stage of our lives. Yet, if you live in high poverty areas, you face more challenges.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thus, tutor/mentor programs, i<strong>f they…</strong></p>
<p>In my <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Tutor/Mentor Blog</a> I use graphics like the one below to illustrate our goal of helping inner city youth grow up over a period of 10 to 20 years. We all start at birth and it takes 20 years to get through the first formal stages of education and into the college, vocational or job stage of our lives. Yet, if you live in high poverty areas, you face more challenges.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thus, tutor/mentor programs, i<strong>f they are available, and well supported for many years,</strong> can provide extra adult support to help kids in these areas. <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2866062971?profile=original"><img width="216" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2866062971?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="216"/></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>So how can non profit organizations build the support needed to fuel this year to year grow. </strong> I've been following a <a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/an-investment-approach-to-philanthropy" target="_blank">set of blog articles</a> written by Sean Stannard-Stockton, CEO of Tactical Philanthropy Advisors and I encourage you to read them yourself.</p>
<p><br/>These articles have helped me understand the difference between donors who give us small <strong>grants to support the "transactions</strong>" of tutoring/mentoring that we do each week and donor/investors --- who Sean names "<strong>Philanthropic Investors</strong>". </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<strong>Philanthropic Investors</strong>" invest in the organization, and its leaders, and provide the flexible, long-term support that organizations need to grow from <a href="http://www.jimcollins.com/books/g2g-ss.html" target="_blank">good to great</a>.</p>
<p><br/>Below I've posted some excerpts I took from these Tactical Philanthropy articles. I've added some of my own commentary. Sean's articles were posted over several days, so I have linked to each article where you can fund the full text that I pulled my comments from.</p>
<p>-------------------------</p>
<p>March 3, 2011<a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/an-investment-approach-to-philanthropy">http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/an-investment-approach-to-philanthropy</a></p>
<p>…The critical distinction is not between business and social, but between <a href="http://www.jimcollins.com/books/g2g-ss.html" target="_blank">great and good</a>. We need to reject the naive imposition of the “language of business” on the social sector, and instead jointly embrace a <em>language of greatness</em>.”</p>
<p><i>…before you become good, there are many stages of growth. Many businesses and non profits never reach the stage of being good because of poor ideas, poor leadership and lack of access to capital to develop their ideas.</i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p>Business-like investing means focusing in on the likelihood that an investment in a company will be rewarded by financial profits out of the company that are attractive relative to the investment made. If we simply replace “financial profits” with “social impact” we have a recipe for a successful approach to philanthropy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I think philanthropy is most intelligent when grantmaking decisions are driven primarily by the questions "In what enterprise?” and “On what terms is the commitment proposed?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<strong>In what enterprise?</strong>” means that you don’t make a grant “to support education” but instead focus your attention at the nonprofit enterprise level.</p>
<p>“<strong>On what terms</strong> is the commitment proposed?” means that you make a grant if, and only if, you believe that the social impact generated by the nonprofit enterprise will be attractive relative to the grant that you’ve made.</p>
<p><br/><strong>The investment approach to philanthropy is wholly different from the problem solving approach to philanthropy.</strong> This recognition is critical because the two approaches require entirely different methods of implementation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>------------------------------------</p>
<p>March 4, 2011<i><a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-four-core-philanthropy-approaches">http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-four-core-philanthropy-approaches</a></i></p>
<p>One of the reasons it is so important for us to recognize distinct approaches to philanthropy is because doing so allows us to avoid “debates” that are really only a function of lack of awareness of the different styles. For instance, there has long been a debate about the value of general operating support grants vs restricted grants. But this debate falls away when we recognize the distinction between problem solving strategic philanthropy and an investment approach to philanthropy. The <u>investment style seeks at its core to support the nonprofit enterprise</u>. General operating support is the default choice because it is most useful in supporting the enterprise. But <u>strategic philanthropy seeks to create a solution to a problem on the philanthropist’s own terms</u>. The general operating support grant is only preferred if it best advances the strategic philanthropist’s solution.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Charitable Giving</strong> seeks to buy nonprofit program execution that will accrue to beneficiaries. It is classic “buyer” behavior as defined by George Overholser is <a href="http://nonprofitfinancefund.org/files/docs/2010/BuildingIsNotBuying.pdf">Building is Not Buying</a>. The Charitable Giver is concerned primarily with the value of the programmatic execution relative to grant size and cares little about the nonprofit enterprise for its own sake.</p>
<p><strong>Philanthropic Investment</strong> seeks to invest resources into nonprofit enterprises in order to increase their ability to deliver programmatic execution. It is classic “builder” behavior as defined in Building is Not Buying. The Philanthropic Investor, like a for-profit investor, is primarily focused on the longer term increase and improvement in programmatic execution relative to grant size.</p>
<p><strong>Strategic Philanthropy</strong> seeks to buy nonprofit goods and services in a way that aligns with a theory of change defined by the strategic philanthropist. It too is “buyer” behavior, but the funder is primarily concerned with the degree to which the net result of the programmatic execution across their grantees advances the solution that they believe is most likely to solve the problem they seek to address.</p>
<p><strong>Social Entrepreneurism</strong> seeks to directly execute programs that align with a theory of change, defined by themselves. They are the enterprise with which the other approaches engage. They are primarily concerned with the net social impact that is a result of their programs.</p>
<p><cite>In the comments section for this article, George Overholser</cite> posted the following comments:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-four-core-philanthropy-approaches/comment-page-1#comment-12678">March 6, 2011 at 3:34 pm</a></p>
<p>We might boil it down even further by asking: (1) Who pays for the work?, (2) Who shapes the work? and (3) Who does the work?</p>
<p>“Buyers” pay for the work. They merely exchange money for program execution without asking the nonprofit to change what it does.</p>
<p>“Builders” shape the work. In effect, they say: “You are not equipped to enact our strategy, so we are unwilling to pay for what you already are capable of doing. Instead, we would like you to change what you do. Of course, it is entirely up to you. But unless you make changes, you won’t get the money.”</p>
<p>Organizations are the one’s that do the work. Sometimes they are entrepreneurial. Sometimes they are mature. Sometimes they are their own funders — as in an operating foundation.</p>
<p>Payers/Shapers/Doers = Buyers/Builders/Organizations</p>
<p>All three types are needed. And all three types need to be strategic.</p>
<p><strong>The problem comes when multiple shapers converge upon a single organization</strong>. Everyone is being strategic… but unfortunately they don’t necessarily share the same strategy. So the result can be an organization that is shaped, and re-shaped and re-shaped again.</p>
<p><u>If the organization were well-capitalized, it might be in a position to say no to the chronic re-shaping. (“Sorry, that’s not our strategy, and we won’t go bankrupt by turning you down.”)<br/></u></p>
<p>If our capital markets were more mature, they would aggregate the capital of like-minded shapers. Through syndicated capital campaigns, an organization’s shapers would be aligned for long periods of time with a single strategic plan.</p>
<p>This captures the goals of the Tutor/Mentor Connection!</p>
<p>But our nonprofit capital markets are not mature. Shapers tend to take turns, rather than pool their resources. For this reason, the organizations fail to stay focused long enough to build the capacities and track records they need to attract type of simple payers (buyers) that won’t try to re-shape them.</p>
<p><strong>If you think about it, “strategic” shapers are actually not being strategic if they allow the organizations they support to be whipped around by other “strategic” funders.<br/></strong></p>
<p><cite><a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/">I posted a comment myself .....Dan Bassill</a></cite> says:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-four-core-philanthropy-approaches/comment-page-1#comment-13484">March 11, 2011 at 8:10 am</a></p>
<p><em>George, thank you for your comments. Sean, thanks again for hosting this discussion.</em></p>
<p><em>This sounds like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abilene_paradox" target="_blank">Abilene Paradox</a>. We all agree that lack of consistent revenue flow keeps organizations from building the strength and capacity to impact problems that are long term, yet aggregating resources and connecting donors around common goals seems to be an unreachable goal.</em></p>
<p><em>As a result the Good to Great theme might be summarized to say “they don’t get good, they don’t get great, and the don’t stay great long enough to do good.”</em></p>
<p><em>With that said, where can we find forums where different investors are connecting with social entrepreneurs focused on specific social issues? In one of Sean’s post “tutoring” was brought up as a transaction a donor pays for. If this were framed as “helping to raise kids living in high poverty areas” would more investors be interested in helping build the organizational strength needed for many organizations to provide the long-term support kids in many places need to grow up? There are thousands of tutor/mentor programs in the country, each spending scarce resources looking for scarce investors. Where is a forum where investors and program leaders who want to help kids living in poverty can be sharing ideas and working to “aggregate the large pools of capital” needed to support the entire universe of these programs over a quarter century or more?</em></p>
<p><em>Who want so help build such a meeting place?</em></p>
<p>--------------------------------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>March 7, 2011<i><a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-effective-charitable-giver">http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-effective-charitable-giver</a></i></p>
<p><br/>The Charitable Giver seeks to buy nonprofit program execution that will accrue to beneficiaries. It is classic “buyer” behavior as defined by George Overholser is <a href="http://nonprofitfinancefund.org/files/docs/2010/BuildingIsNotBuying.pdf">Building is Not Buying</a>. The Charitable Giver is concerned primarily with the value of the programmatic execution relative to grant size and cares little about the nonprofit enterprise for its own sake.</p>
<p>There is a sense in professional philanthropy that “philanthropy” is a superior form of “charity”. Philanthropy is often positioned as getting at the root cause while plain old charitable giving only addresses symptoms. I think this is both incorrect and confuses the purpose of charitable giving and strategic philanthropy.</p>
<p>Let’s take the case of a <u>nonprofit afterschool tutoring program</u> that provides services to inner city school children (a case study that George Overholser has often used). A Charitable Giver is a <u>donor who wishes to purchase tutoring services on behalf of the children who will benefit</u>. We call this “buyer” behavior, because the transaction is <u>similar to a consumer who buys afterschool tutoring services for their own child from a for-profit tutoring service</u>. The fact that the service is being bought on behalf of someone else makes the transaction a charitable one, but does not change the nature of the transaction. Both are a purchase of tutoring services.</p>
<p>Now the effective Charitable Giver, like a savvy shopper purchasing things on their own behalf, <u>wants the best value for their expenditures</u>. If nonprofit tutoring organization A provides more hours of tutoring or higher quality tutoring per dollar spent than tutoring organization B, the effective Charitable Giver should seek out organization A.</p>
<p>So the effective Charitable Giver needs to <u>first decide what category of social value they are interested in purchasing</u> (education, environment, arts appreciation, etc) and then comparison shop for the best value for their grant dollars.</p>
<p><strong>This means that the effectiveness of charitable giving is dependent on the success of comparison shopping for the most/best program execution per dollar.</strong> For the most part, organizational analysis is not part of the equation, the issue is programmatic analysis. The Charitable Giver should seek the services of a theoretical Consumer Reports of nonprofits, not a Morningstar (investment advice) of nonprofits.</p>
<p><strong>My (Dan Bassill) comment on this. </strong> <em>What this does not account for is the lack of needed services (tutoring) in many areas where they are most needed. Or, the existing service is not as good as others in different parts of a city, or does not have the capacity to handle more kids than it already serves. A donor who want to buy services in this zip code would be limited to a) supporting a poorly run/small program; or b) not donating at all. The third choice is to help build the capacity of the existing programs in the zip code, or to help start new programs to offer the service. </em></p>
<p><em><br/>Unfortunately, a consumer report of non profit tutor/mentor programs does not yet exist. T/MC has been trying to find funding to do this for 18 years.</em><br/> <br/> <em>Without someone aggregating information showing where the need for a service is, and what providers are in that area, Charitable Givers may gravitate to brand name programs based on reputation, not based on their actual record of delivering the service the donor wants to buy. It also means that good programs go unnoticed, and under funded, so they never become great, or they cannot stay good or great for very long.<br/></em></p>
<p>---------------------------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>March 8, 2011<a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-effective-philanthropic-investor">- http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-effective-philanthropic-investor</a></p>
<p><br/><strong>When an equity investor in a for-profit or a nonprofit provides equity, their expectation is that the organization can use those funds to grow their organization in such a way that future earnings or social impact will be enhanced.</strong></p>
<p>Whereas the Charitable Giver’s relevant metric is the relative value of program execution compared to grant size, the metric of importance to the Philanthropic Investor is social return on equity. The social return on equity is dependent on the degree to which the nonprofit is able to use the equity invested to expand and/or improve their program execution.</p>
<p>For instance, in the case of the nonprofit tutoring program I <a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-effective-charitable-giver">mentioned yesterday</a>, the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Philanthropic Investor is interested in the degree to which the organization can expand the availability of their tutoring program and/or improve the value of their tutoring services in relationship to the equity provided.</span></p>
<p>I believe the lack of understanding around the role of equity in the growth of nonprofits is a primary reason why since 1970 <a href="http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/how_nonprofits_get_really_big/">only 144 nonprofits</a> have launched and grown to annual revenues of at least $50 million while in the for-profit field, 46,136 organization have crossed the $50 million revenue hurdle during the same time frame.</p>
<p>Philanthropic Investors provide the equity capital needed to create/build the organizations which can offer the best value propositions to Charitable Givers.</p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><cite>In the comment section of this article, George Overholser</cite> says:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-effective-philanthropic-investor/comment-page-1#comment-12959">March 8, 2011 at 1:23 pm</a></p>
<p>The philanthropic investor (Builder) assumes that current capacities aren’t able to solve the problem. And so, <u>their strategy is to become a partner in re-shaping what organizations can do</u>. They partner with the management team, the board, and with co-investors around a single coherent re-shaping plan. In the end, their strategy succeeds or fails depending on whether the organization eventually becomes so compelling that other (charitable giver) funders flock to pay for years and years of high-quality program execution.</p>
<p>Stepping back, you might call this the <strong>OPM strategy (Other People’s Money</strong>). “If my philanthropic investment works, it will attract other people’s money towards the program I like.” This is analogous to a venture capitalist that helps to build a company that other people (customers) then use to turn money into products and services.</p>
<p><strong>I feel that our greatest opportunity may be for more philanthropic investors to realize that they must work together, and not one after the other, when they support the re-shaping of an organization.</strong> This is because it can take years to re-shape an organization. During these years, the organization must stay focused and not be jumping from one funder’s re-shaping agenda to another’s. By being willing to aggregate their capital around a single multi-year strategic plan, the philanthropic investors raise the probability that their investment will be successful.</p>
<p><i><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2955553110?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2955553110?profile=original" width="300"/></a></i></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sean says in this final article, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">"Philanthropic Investor is interested in the degree to which the organization can expand the availability of their tutoring program and/or improve the value of their tutoring services in relationship to the equity provided." </span> <strong> </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br/></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>After reading the <a href="http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2011/03/the-effective-philanthropic-investor" target="_blank">Tactical Philanthropy</a> ariticles, I received the most recent copy of the Stanford Social Innovation Review.</strong> One article is titled "<a href="http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/increasing_civic_reach/" target="_blank">Increasing Civic Reach</a>" and shows how non profits need to recruit board members who have influence, access to power and can help build high level support for the non profit. I think this is an obvious aspiration for any non profit, but most of us don't have the connections to recruit this type of leader, at least not in the context of our single, small non profit organization.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>This is exactly what the Tutor/Mentor Connection has been trying to do for 18 years, yet we've not been able to find philanthropic investors in Chicago to support this vision.</strong> <strong> </strong> I've not yet been able to build the network of leaders, the civic reach, needed to fully implement these ideas.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>However, if we were to think of ourselves as a "<strong>connection of non profits who share the same vision</strong>" of helping kids living in poverty, we are a much larger enterprise and we work to help kids all over the world. This Ning forum and other <a href="http://www.tutormentorconnection.org" target="_blank">T/MC web sites</a> are intended to be a meeting space and work space where we can work together to <strong>create a better operating system of support</strong> that helps each of us have the philanthropic capital needed to build strong organizations that grow to be good, then great, and can stay great for the 20 years it takes for kids to go from birth to work.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I hope you'll read this, and add your own time and talent to helping us shape this new operating system.</strong></p>
<br/>Send message to five people and multiply the networktag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2011-02-07:783429:BlogPost:140232011-02-07T21:52:07.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2871181752?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" height="391" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2871181752?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="603"></img></a></p>
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<p>This is a graphic that I <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2011/02/building-future-impact.html" target="_blank">posted on my blog</a> last Friday. It's intended to illustrate how we want leaders and volunteers to develop strategies that not only say "we have a problem" but also say "…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2871181752?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2871181752?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="603" height="391"/></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is a graphic that I <a href="http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2011/02/building-future-impact.html" target="_blank">posted on my blog</a> last Friday. It's intended to illustrate how we want leaders and volunteers to develop strategies that not only say "we have a problem" but also say "<a href="http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/LinksLearningNetwork/LinksLibrary/tabid/560/rrcid/17/rrepp/20/language/en-US/Default.aspx" target="_blank">go here</a>" to learn more about the problem, and go <a href="http://www.tutormentorprogramlocator.net/" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/FindaProgram/ChicagoAreaProgramLinks/tabid/561/Default.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>" to choose organizations that you can support with time, talent and/or dollars.</p>
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<p>Since most of the 300-plus members of this forum work with non profits and NGOs that need money to operate, the more people who visit this forum to learn what we each do, and to help us with resources, the greater will be our ability to succeed in our work.</p>
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<p>Thus, if every three months you send out an email or some other correspondence pointing to something that is going on in this forum, in Chicago, or in your own city/country, you can increase the number of people who hear this message and respond to it.</p>
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<p>If we can teach our friends, volunteers, family, youth and others to also send such messages, we can dramatically increase the number of people who are learning ways to help us.</p>
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<p>If we can teach media, celebrities, CEOs, ministers, elected officials, etc. to do this, they can draw more resources into high poverty neighborhoods on a consistent basis, and do more to help effective non profits and social services do good work in many places.</p>
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<p>Anyone can take the role of teacher, or evangelist, to spread this message and help others accept it and adopt it. Give it a try.</p>
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<p> </p>See how maps can be used in community organizing and capacity buildingtag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2011-02-02:783429:BlogPost:140032011-02-02T22:53:12.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997530010?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997530010?profile=original" width="139"></img></a> This photo shows Mike Trakan with one of the maps he has created for Tutor/Mentor Connection since he joined us in Jan 2008. View the maps and read the articles he writes on the <a href="http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com" target="_blank">mappingforjustice blog</a><br></br><br></br>The T/MC received a $50,000 donation from an anonymous donor in Nov. 2007 which enabled us to hire…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997530010?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2997530010?profile=original" width="139"/></a>This photo shows Mike Trakan with one of the maps he has created for Tutor/Mentor Connection since he joined us in Jan 2008. View the maps and read the articles he writes on the <a href="http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com" target="_blank">mappingforjustice blog</a><br/><br/>The T/MC received a $50,000 donation from an anonymous donor in Nov. 2007 which enabled us to hire Mike and rebuild our mapping capacity. We used this money to also create an<a href="http://www.tutormentorprogramlocator.net/InteractiveMap.aspx" target="_blank">interactive program locator</a> where you can create your own map.<br/><br/>We depleted all of the funds from this grant in early 2009 and have been organizing events like the<a href="http://www.tutormentorjam.org" target="_blank">Tutor/Mentor Jam</a>concert to raise money and encourage more people to use the maps. </p>
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<p>We need help finding another angel investor who will help us continue this mapping. Please forward this story to people in your network who might help us find such a donor.</p>
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<p> </p>Thanks for Mentoring Experiencestag:tutormentorconnection.ning.com,2011-01-26:783429:BlogPost:139622011-01-26T18:16:47.000ZDaniel Bassillhttp://tutormentorconnection.ning.com/profile/tutormentor
<p>I posted a message on Facebook telling how I'd been involved for 37 years and how my life has been enriched as a result. One of our former students posted this response:</p>
<p><em><span>No, THANK YOU for caring when no one else would, you started a movement and I have watched it blossom into something I couldnt imagine back at St. Matthews Church, you and your family have sacrificed so much time, and Im proof that just one person can make such a huge impact on someone's life. Love ya…</span></em></p>
<p>I posted a message on Facebook telling how I'd been involved for 37 years and how my life has been enriched as a result. One of our former students posted this response:</p>
<p><em><span>No, THANK YOU for caring when no one else would, you started a movement and I have watched it blossom into something I couldnt imagine back at St. Matthews Church, you and your family have sacrificed so much time, and Im proof that just one person can make such a huge impact on someone's life. Love ya Dan...Im getting the itch to start my own :)</span></em></p>
<p><br/><strong>Hearing from alumni like this just reinforces my point on how I've been blessed by making a consistent effort to help others.</strong></p>
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<p>We need leaders and investors who will think of the <a href="http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/images/PDF/tippingpoints.pdf" target="_blank">Tipping Points</a> that would enable more programs Cabrini Connections and long-term leaders like me to be involved in more places. If members of this group and our network share these ideas in their own networks on a regular basis, we can find those people and motivate them to join us.</p>