Market Research - collecting info

Since 1993 the Tutor/Mentor Connection has been collecting information about volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in Chicago and its suburbs. Our initial aim is to know what organizations provide these services, who they serve, what age group, what type of tutoring and/or mentoring and where they are located.

In 2004 we created an interactive portal that people can use to search our database. This graphic shows what it looks like.

In 2008 we created an interactive map that would show where these programs are in the region, and show where they are most needed based on high poverty or poorly performing schools. The map below was created using this feature.


Now we're trying to find sponsors and partners who will help us maintain this service and keep it free to users. With help we can upgrade the technology, provide more training, build greater awareness and more use and make this service available to other cities. If you can help join the GIS planning group on the Tutor/Mentor Connection forum.

Interactive World Map - nice!

We're always inspired to see how others are creating maps to help build better understanding. This map web site is one that I encourage you to browse.

Mapping Actions

This graphic represents the vision of Dan Bassill and the Tutor/Mentor Connection (T/MC) which began to pilot a use of maps in 1993.

This shows a cycle of collecting information about non-school, volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs operating in the Chicago region, and using maps to show where these programs are most needed, based on poverty, poorly performing schools, violence, etc. The strategy is based on what big companies like Sears, WalMart, Bank of America, etc do to support thousands of branch locations with central organizing, planning and advertising strategies.

The T/MC wants to help high-quality, constantly improving tutor/mentor programs reach kids in high poverty neighborhoods of Chicago and other urban areas in the USA and the world.

We have never had enough resources to do this so the graphic on the chart shows some actions that we do, but not with enough impact, and some actions that we will do when we find investors and partners to help us. We outline the GIS strategy on this WIKI along with other complementary strategies that make our use of maps unique.

If you want to help implement this strategy in Chicago, or in your own city, please email tutormentor2@earthlink.net and offer your time, talent and/or dollars. We cannot do as much working alone as we can with the help of others who might benefit from what we're trying to do.

Process Maps and more

The Tutor/Mentor Connection seeks to use more forms of visualization than just geographic maps. This map shows participation in a Tutor/Mentor Connection conference. It is one of several conference Social Network Analysis (SNA) maps that you can see here.

These I-Open process maps provided by Betsey Merkel are very good.

Here are maps showing the process of ...culture building, one aspect of the I-Open Civic Forum Process

Here are maps showing a timeline and repeating activities

View the various slides and you'll see many examples of applying social network analysis to understand how groups are forming around common purpose. We have been doing this for 18 years but don't have the capacity to demonstrate this yet due to lack of funding. We do have donated software that interns have been trying to learn. You can follow our progress in this forum.

The maps Bestsy has created demonstrate what the Tutor/Mentor Connection would be doing if it had the philanthropic support needed. We'd go a step further and apply these concept maps to the process of building volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in all poverty areas of the Chicago region and helping more k-12 youth finish school prepared for 21st century jobs and careers.

Can you help us find that support?

Rosland raises $2 million for Promise Neighborhood

I read an article in Catalyst Notebook today about the Roseland Children's Promise Zone, a project that will coordinate educational and social services for young people in the far South Side community.

This is one of the maps we've created in the past, showing the Roseland neighborhood, and showing how leaders such as the Rev. James Meeks, could be supporting the growth of youth serving organizations in the area.

I hope the group leading this effort has found and used these maps. We've not had any contact from them, so don't know if they are planning to incorporate maps and marketing into their efforts to build a distribution of k-12 support programs and services in the area.

We'd be available to help if someone can help us raise the money to keep this service available to Chicago.

We're hosting a Tutor/Mentor Conference on May 19 and 20, 2011 in Matteson, Il. We've tried to spread the word to people in Roseland and other neighborhoods that need Promise Zone strategies. So far we're just too small a voice to be heard.

Spread the word if you want to help.

Collective action in South Suburbs

This is a map showing the South part of Chicago, the South Suburbs and Northern Indiana. If you compare this to other maps on this blog you can see that there are many concentrations of high poverty in the city, and in the suburbs.

Yet, if you look at the Chicago Program Links section, we don't show many volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in these areas. Furthermore, if you compare the web sites of organizations we show, to this list of features we feel a tutor/mentor program web site should include, you'd see that some need help in telegraphing that they are a tutor/mentor program and why they are needed in the neighborhood they serve.
We're holding a Tutor/Mentor Conference in Matteson, Il. on May 19 and 20, which is right in the middle of this area. It's intended to connect people and organizations who are concerned about poverty and want to do more to make high-quality, mentor-rich programs available in many parts of the region.

As of today the registration is less than 60 people.

Margaret Mead said "a few people can change the world" and maybe this is all that's needed. However, if you're in this part of the Chicago region and want to change the way poverty impacts you and other people in this region, I encourage you to try to attend, or to be an evangelist and encourage other people to attend.