Despite the incredible growth of the Internet since the early 1990s,
many citizens still do not have easy access to basic IT tools,
whether it's access to hardware, software, or the Internet itself.
Access is an issue that affects people at home, at school and in the
community at large. Neighborhoods with less technology access are at
a disadvantage in contrast to those neighborhoods with more access
when it comes to seeking better education, better jobs, even higher
levels of civic participation.
Different groups often lack access for very different reasons. In
rural America, especially Indian Country, the high cost of
establishing a communications infrastructure has meant that these
areas are often the last to see the benefits of the Internet. The
disabled community, including the visually impaired, the homebound,
and millions of people with other disabilities, often find
themselves lacking basic Internet tools because of the limited
investments in assistive technologies development.
And K-12 schools across the country continue to struggle when it
comes to bringing the Internet into the classroom. Despite the
enormous success of initiatives like the federal E-Rate program,
schools must still contend with aging computers, crumbling buildings
and limited hardware funds. No matter the situation, the access
dilemma rears its ugly head in profound ways.
New research titled "Youth Labor Market and Education
Indicators for the State of Illinois" shows that huge numbers
of minority youth, age 16 to 24, have left high school, lack
credentials and are unemployed or essentially unemployable without
interventions such as job training and placement. This meeting
reinforced the urgency that Tutor/Mentor Connection and others who
receive this email have placed on developing strategies to create
"alternatives routes beyond traditional public schools to
provide skills, socialization and credentials these youth require.
The research was sponsored by The Alternative Schools Network is
available on the http://www.asnchicago.org web site.
A second report, published by the Diversity Pipeline Alliance,
titled "The Pipeline Report: Building Leaders, Building
Business", takes a revealing look at the downward turn over the
past several years in the level of
minority participation in business education and the pursuit of
business careers. This can be found at www.gmac.com
Both reports reinforce the T/MC's call for greater business
involvement in on-going actions that PULL youth to careers, using
employees, jobs, dollars, technology as strategic resources. When
companies encourage employees to become involved as volunteer
tutors, mentors, leaders and change-agents in the lives of youth who
have too few adult support systems, they reduce the disconnection,
provide positive learning opportunities, and develop future workers.
Read more about these concepts in the Tutor/Mentor Institute section
Following are links to a few organizations in Chicago where the
primary mission is to create a long-term connection between inner
city youth and adult tutors and mentors. Each of these organizations
is constantly looking for volunteers and donors to sustain this
connection. Visit the LINKS section at http://www.tutormentorexchange.net to find
additional listings of Chicago programs, along with links to similar
programs in cities throughout the nation.
AGAPE Youth Network
Cabrini-Green Tutoring Program, Inc.
Chicago Youth Programs, Inc.
Midtown Education Foundation
where you can meet leaders and exchange ideas:
MENTOR'S Online Community
hosted by the National Mentoring Partnership
Check out the Elements online at http://www.mentoring.org/elements to get a jump on
hosted by the National Mentoring Center
Join the Tutor/Mentor Connection's Volunteer
Recruitment and Leadership Conference eGroups.
Visit the Discussion section at http://www.tutormentorexchange.net
Donor On-line Resources
Workplace fund raising is now in full swing. Business can support
tutoring/mentoring programs that connect youth with adult support
systems by encouraging employees to make payroll deduction
contributions to local or national tutor/mentor programs. Following
are on-line resources that can help volunteers and donors learn
about such programs in Chicago or beyond:
State of Illinois
Volunteerism & Community Service
Chicago's Community Resource Network