The Tutor/Mentor Connection uses maps to draw volunteers and donors to tutor/mentor programs in different high poverty neighborhoods of the Chicago region. We've been creating maps on a desktop system. We have been creating an interactive version which is now live at this link.
Please browse through the various sections to see how it works, and tell us what does not work well for you. This works best in a Safari Browser.
We have moved the interactive map to a new server, and changed the home page search so it only shows tutor/mentor programs when the site opens. You can view this here.
Mike is working on a new Rest of the Story map gallery, borrowing from Jim Cory's work. Ganesh is adding the presentation by TaeHo to the home page as an "introduction".
I'd like to get comments from people looking at this as to how it works for you where you are. Post your comments here.
We also need to find sponsors who will provide $5,000 per month to support the on-going mapping we do and the maintenance of this site. If you can introduce donors/sponsors to this, that will help us find this money.
The interactive map is now live at the http://www.tutormentorprogramlocator.net site. Please view it and post comments or tell us where you see bugs of script errors.
This is a map I created using the new Program Locator service. I first created the map view by zooming in to Cabrini Green part of Chicago. Then I added info on poverty and schools by clicking the buttons that turn on those layers of information. When the map was the way I wanted it, I hit the "print screen" button on my computer to copy the image.
Then I opened Adobe Photoshop and pasted the image onto a new screen. I cropped it and added some text, then saved it as a jpg. Once I did that I was able to put this in a blog article and on this ning page.
The Tutor/Mentor Connection incorporates various forms of visualization to illustrate its ideas and to support the involvement of others in helping tutor/mentor programs grow in many locations. Our maps are created using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, while our visualizations are created using a variety of applications. This STRATEGY MAP animated presentation is an example.
In the Links library of the T/MC site are a variety of articles illustrating uses of maps and visualizations. In the Chicago Tutor/Mentor Program Locator we support the involvement of volunteers, parents, youth and donors in tutor/mentor programs serving every high poverty area of Chicago.