To begin with, I want to see if Daniel, David, I, and any other interested folks are on the same page about the purpose and scope of this project.

It is my understanding that the purpose of the project is to do one or more of the following:

1. Identify potential volunteer tutor/mentors, do outreach to them, and connect them with appropriate organizations in their cities.
2. To identify organizations that operate in the Tutoring/Mentoring sphere that are not yet "plugged in" to the Tutor/Mentor Connection, to make them aware of that resource, and facilitate connection both with the Tutor/Mentor Connection, and with other related organizations that may be able to support their work.

In other words, it seems like there are (at least) two main potential "targets" for our network weaving -- 1. Individuals to Organizations, and 2. Organizations to Organizations.

What are your thoughts on this?

In addition to clarifying the purpose of the project, we also will need to clarify the scope of the project. The Tutor/Mentor Connection is based in Chicago. David Braden is based in Denver. I'm based in Seattle. Other potential Network Weavers are based in other cities.

I have spoken with David, and our preference would be to emphasize network weaving that focuses on our own cities. One of the reasons is that this would make use of the knowledge that we already have of our cities. It would provide the ability to use real-world, as well as Internet based, networks to do our work. And, it would also make for a much more realistic sized project to start with.

There is another reason, however. Both David and I are interested in learning how to do what David refers to as "Three Dimensional Networking." See http://www.aboutus.org/3DN_Intro duction for an introduction. As I understand it, this means that we not only focus on making connections within one particular sector, such as tutoring/mentoring, but that we also learn how to facilitate connections across sectors that strengthen all of them.

Let me offer a specific example. There is an organization called Washington State CASA (see http://www.washingtonstatecasa.o rg/) that provides Court Appointed Special Advocates for Abused and Neglected Children. They are about to engage in a major volunteer drive.

Some of the volunteers that would be interested in being Special Advocates would probably also be interested in being Tutors and Mentors (and vice versa). The programs that handle the Advocacy programs would probably be interested in connecting with Tutoring/Mentoring programs. Perhaps at some point, these programs could even partner to secure grant funding to provide continuity of services -- starting with court intervention and leading to ongoing support through a tutoring/mentoring program.

And, while we're thinking along those lines, what about other possibilities that could be woven in? For example, what about involving local businesses that would like to have an open house to share with young people the experience of what it is like to work at that business. Perhaps this could be arranged through a local Chamber of Commerce. Since I know the Seattle area, I already know some of the Chambers of Commerce (such as the Rainier Valley and Central Area Chambers) that might be interested in this sort of thing. In the process, not only would young people and businesses become aware of one another, but people who work at those businesses might become interested in becoming advocates or tutor/mentors. And, businesses that have such a program in place might well be more open to hiring young people who had gone through a tutor/mentor program and visited their open house.

I want to make it very clear that I do not think we can accomplish all these sorts of things at once! But, if we work within a specific regional area and have the intention of weaving things together across sectors, I think that it is possible for us to eventually accomplish some very interesting things.

So, Daniel (and others), what are your thoughts about having David, myself, and other Network Weavers focus on our own geographic areas for this project?

Dan sent the following message to our GoogleGroup:

Steve,

Here are two diagrams that illustrate T/MC SNA goals

Skills Needed - http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servl et/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=118 93682...

Network - http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servl et/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=118 93682...

Ideally people would be able to click into any of the boxes and get a list of people/organizations who are supporting T/MC in each area. In each category, the list could be sorted by city, country, etc. or by levels of involvement, such as current, former, prospect.

Dan

Steve,

Thanks for setting this group up. I think in your opening statement you did well at paraphrasing the goals of the tutor/mentor connection. I'd add a third priority, which is connecting business, philanthropy and other resources (people who can help) with the network and the information in the network, and the various tutor/mentor programs in Chicago and other cities who need these resources on a continuous basis.

However, I don't think this is the goal of the Ned group of the Network Weavers working with Tutor/Mentor Connection.

I think the Ned group's goal is to create a SNA driven platform that helps me achieve these objectives, while helping all of us understand the following

1. who are all the people and skills that we need to connect with Tutor/Mentor Connection
2. who is already connected in an active, passive, or potential way
3. how can we use the SNA tool to constantly enhance the network, making connections that engage people who can help the T/MC be more successful in its mission?

By this I mean some people are helping me right now, like you are; some people helped me 10 years ago, but may not be actively helping me now. They may still be listening, telling others about me, or even making donations. Then, there are many other people who the T/MC sends information to on a regular basis because we know they are assets who would benefit us, and that we could benefit them, if we could just get connected.

I know who almost all of these people are, and what they have done, or are doing, but no one else in my own organization knows all of this. Few people out of my organization know it either. If something happens to me, the knowledge of this network and its connections is lost.

I already maintain a contact list of about 14,000 people on a filemaker pro database, and have more than 4,000 in my email newsletter file. I can sort the database by city, zip code, and a few other fields, but I can't map the data visually. I can't sort the email file at all, so I have lists of people in seperate buckets which I use to send specific messages. It's very innefficent, but based on the advetising model I used at Montgomery Ward to communicate to 20 million people in 40 states each week.

If I could map this data visually, and in a searchable program, then someone could use the platform to see who in law, or healthcare, is working with me, or is on my mail list. They could sort by city to see if some of these people are in their own community. For instance, I have many tutor/mentor programs from many different cities than Chicago on my database, including Denver and Seattle. Thus, your work of drawing new people to this network is helping connect those people with programs in your own community.

At http://www.tutormentorconference .org/RegistrationList/ is an example of how such a list could create an on-line contact feature (which people would need to opt in to use).

In the T/MC links library I post links to many sites that illustrate my goals of knowlege management, networking, collaboration, innovation, etc. http://www.tutormentorconnection .org/TMLearningNetwork/LinksLibr ary/tabid/560/rrcid/13/rrscid/24 /rrpid/1/rrepp/20/Default.aspx

For instance the IKNOW network articulates some of our goals very well-- http://www.spcomm.uiuc.edu/tecla b/iknow/ . I've just never been able to get someone from IKNOW to want to apply their knowledge to the T/MC. I've never found a donor who'd give me the money to buy their help.

If we map the T/MC network, and its knowledge, the network, and the knowledge, can be used by anyone in the world to help kids in their own community, and can be enhanced by anyone who adds new knowledge, or helps other people find and use the knowledge that is on the site.

I don't think there are very many organizations like mine in the world, using knowledge and networking and the internet in a real life proble-solving application the way I do. Thus, by using your time and talent to develop this SNA application for T/MC, you're learning by doing. You're helping me achieve my goals.

More importantly, you're creating a tool and expanding a network that can help each of you and many others in their own communities.

Steve, the links don't work in the post you transferred for me.

Here are the direct links:

Skills - http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servl et/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=118 9368290546_1787162000_15115& partName=htmltext

Network - http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servl et/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=118 9368290546_1415158112_15114& partName=actualhtmltext

For some reason I'm having a problem keeping the links working on a couple of my cMap pages. If anyone has some expertise in this, I'd appreciate some help.

Daniel said:

More importantly, you're creating a tool and expanding a network that can help each of you and many others in their own communities.

Ok Daniel you sold me. I particularly like the idea of being able to sort a list of contacts based on the contacts characteristics (and I think I understand your links library better as well). I do have some experience with data base design as Source Tree Commons is working on a new data base structure that they refer to as "uber relational".

I'm wondering if we can think in terms of all the ways the individuals interact within your network - i.e. programs - volunteers - donors - parents of children - children served - etc.

and think of ways that each of those groups could submit information on themselves about what types of contacts are useful to them.

If you think of my network and web resources as a library of "everything known about poverty and ways for volunteers and business to help kids to careers" then it would have something of value for almost anyone in the world.

For most of the past 15 years collecting this informatin h as been a one-way street, with me and T/MC doing the collecting. While we've had much of this on a web site since 1998, it was not easy to find information until a rebuild in 2006, and it's only been in the past year that people were able to add and update their own information about a tutor/mentor program in the Chicago region, or about a web site they operate or value.

As we built the T/MC we also had to advertise, or communicate regularly, to invite people to use the information, or to be a volunteer or donor at a different tutor/mentor program in Chicago, or at our own organization. The costs of communications includes researching and writing stories, creating publications, and printing and distributiing them. I managed to send a printed newsletter to a growing number of people (12,000 by 2000) three times a year up till 2001, whe my costs of space increased by about $75,000 and my revenue fell by $150,000. Since then most of my communications has been by email.

Getting people to visit a web site, or read a publication, is essential if we're to educate people about poverty and about ways they can be involved in tutor/mentor programs, so finding ways to increase traffic, without incresing costs, is one of the real values of network weaving.

However, even as we get more peple to our web sites (our traffic last month was over 9,000 visitors and 100,000 page views), we still need a way to help people find the information they want, help them understand it, and help them put it to action where they live or work. My vision for this is that we duplicate some of the success of eBay or wikipedia where many people volunteer time to help maintain the quality of the information, and help others find and use what they are looking for. I think network weaving can play a role in finding others who would want to take this role.

So far the T/MC site does not have a profile module like at Ned, or ning.com, but it does have a discussion board where people can introduce themselves. This feature has only been available for about a year so the number of people using it is growng slowly.

However, this does not need to be the only place where tutor/mentor stakeholders are meeting or introducing themselves. In fact there are several other places where I have a profile, such as here, to meet with people who come to other sites, rather than mine.

I think that you're extending your thinking beyond the SNA analysis which tells us who is part of the network and what their different skills are.

What type of database would enable us to code names so they sort in various fiels (which would enable us to analize the people already on our database) and which would enable new visitors to our web sites to build their own profile? At http://www.crossroadsoflearning. com/clc.htm they have a great tool for doing something like this. You need to register to see how it works.

I want to repeat something I've said in the past. I need to find an intern or someone who will spend time in my office working with the database if I'm going to be able to re-code information and put it into any SNA tool. I don't have the time to devote to that work and still keep my organization in business.

Daniel,

I have to run off now but the database is being designed to local businesses who will enter their own information and customers can also enter information about their experience with the business. They are also planning functionality for businesses to list needs and offering. This is what I was talking about as a part of local organizing and the planetary mind.

I'm not the person who has built the databases I use, which are more than one. I'm just the orchestra leader trying to get these things to work together, and get people with the talent to do what needs to be done to take a seat in the orchestra.

The Source Tree Commons looks useful if a) you can get database developers; and b) you can get people like me to point the developers to projects/goals they might not be thinking of.

I've connected up with a (very!) local tutoring program. Their office is 4 blocks from my house :-)

They run programs in 5 housing projects around Seattle. The program is called the Youth Tutoring Program. See http://www.ytpseattle.org for details.

I met with Erica, the program manager, today. The needs of the program include:

1. Finding some additional tutors to meet current demand. They have around 200 tutors at the moment, and need about 150 more as soon as possible.
2. Increasing (dramatically!) the diversity of the program. They are interested in increasing the percentage of people of color doing tutoring from the current 5% to 25%.

I gave Erica a bunch of leads, and will be doing network weaving in support of this project. To start with, my focus will be on the two needs as outlined above. Over time, other ("third dimensional") opportunities may enter the picture, as well as helping to fill in the other blanks as provided in Dan's diagrams.

I think that, for the moment, this is all I can realistically commit to.

Dan, I'll be making an introduction to Erica shortly.

Thanks Steve. Looks like Erica has a great program. I'll look foward to networking and sharing ideas with her. If they are trying to get 150 volunteers in a short period, they are going to need to do a combination of things. If anyone in this forum is in the Seattle area, they migght be able to help them.

1. get some sort of media stories that can reach large numbers of potential volunteers,
2. get big companies in the area to post announcements to employees
3. give each of the current 200 volunteers a letter they can tailor and send to 2-3 friends, asking them to consider volunteering
4. get heads of big churches to announce need for volunteers in church events

Usually a program plans it's recruiting in advance of the time volunteers are needed, so it's possible that Erica's program is already doing some of these things.

They way network weavers can help is to open doors to media, business and church leaders to help get communications campaigns launched.

I'll introduce myself to Erica via email and we'll talk more that way.

Dan

Thanks so much, Dan. This program is very well established, and typically has around 600 volunteers over the course of a year. However, this is Erica's first fall working with the program. So, the more support we can give her, the better!

By the way, I met today with another associate of mine named Harriet. She's very interested in the possibility of establishing tutor/mentor programs -- in association with her projects in Africa!

I've been some network weaving in support of those projects, and just happened to mention the Tutor/Mentor Connection. Never would have thought of that particular connection :-)

Harriet is offering to help me develop my portfolio of case studies of social network analysis and network weaving. Looking forward to sharing the results with my fellow network weavers.

Dan, I'll make an intro to Harriet in the next few days.

By the way, I'm finding it interesting how simply by doing this project with the Tutor/Mentor Connection, I'm noticing several tutoring programs that I didn't know about. For example, a friend was over the other day and "just happened" to mention that she is doing volunteer tutoring with the United Indians of All Tribes. I would absolutely love to support that organization, but for the time being, I've got my hands full.

And, earlier today, I saw an announcement for tutors needed by the Refugee Women's Alliance.

My guess is there are hundreds of small tutoring programs like this throughout the Seattle area. And, except for a few big ones like Erica's, my guess is they don't know about one another. Just like the situation you've described in Chicago about 15 years ago when you were just getting started, Dan. Imagine that :-)

This is the goal. As we get more people thinking about this we connect our networks. Next is making sure we build libraries of this information so others can find the people and information we've found.

Programs in other states can add their links here on the T/MC site: http://www.tutormentorconnection .org/TMLearningNetwork/LinksLibr ary/tabid/560/rrcid/11/rrscid/58 /rrpid/1/rrepp/20/Default.aspx

Or, if enough programs from the same city are interested, we can create a section like this: http://www.tutormentorconnection .org/FindaProgram/ChicagoAreaPro gramLinks/tabid/561/Default.aspx

Or, if someon is acting like a T/MC in their own city, and keeping a list of other programs, they could add their link at http://www.tutormentorconnection .org/TMLearningNetwork/LinksLibr ary/tabid/560/rrcid/11/rrscid/94 /rrpid/1/rrepp/20/Default.aspx

Dan

Here's another way network weavers can help myself and other tutor/mentor program leaders.

On Friday I was a panelist for a Pathways into Health confernece held in Chicago. The focus of this group is to help build mentoring and learning programs that reach American Indian and Alaska Native youth and lead them to jobs and careers in the health care field.

I posted a message summarizing this at http://www.tutormentorconnection .org/GetInvolved/DiscussionForum s/tabid/474/forumid/122/postid/2 37/view/topic/Default.aspx

With this I included a pdf showing how hospitals could be leaders in helping build comprehensive, volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs all over the country.

For many years I've been inviting hospital leaders to the May and November Conferences (http://www.tutormentorconference .org ) that I host in Chicago with a goal that one or more would take on this leadership role, with T/MC as a partner or resource.

My next conference is Nov. 15 and 16 and if you know leaders of inner city hospitals, or teaching universities, who may already be involved in prevention, mentoring, or workforce development, I encourage you to consider hosting workshops at the conference, intended to draw more of their peers togehter, connecting them to myself and other tutor/mentor programs.

Healthcare is one of the categories I included on the network diagram I posted. Until we identify two or three people who are actively working to create a healthcare-T/MC strategy, we won't get the involvement needed in all of the places where it is needed.

As you expand your thinking about who you might connect with the Tutor/Mentor Connection, this is an example of the range of people and organizations you might connect.

I was at a Back to School fair today, sponsored by a neighborhood art gallery that I do some networking with. They had lots of displays about health issues provided by Group Health Cooperative. I used to work for Group Health, and the owner of the gallery still works for them.

Dan, I will try to talk with her about this suggestion. Thanks for making it.

I'm not sure how many of you know, but Steve Habib Rose died suddenly this week. A memorial is taking place at http://www.wiserearth.org/group/ habibsgarden

Steve was a generous network weaver, and maybe the glue that kept me coming to Omidayar and now to Ned. His actions lived up to his words.

He'll be missed.

Dan,

Please keep in touch - I know that I am not as focused as Habib was - but I do keep your process and needs in mind as I do my work.

For the past 15 years I've been building a network of people focused on helping kids living in inner city poverty connect with volunteers who help them stay in school and move to careers. I actually started this work in 1973, when I first became a tutor for a 4th grade boy living in the Cabrini Green area of Chicago. This concept map illustrates the time line since then: http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servl et/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=118 3757961687_847212265_22470&p artName=htmltext

I started this discussion on Omidyar several years ago, then on Ned in 2007. My goal is to encourage the growth of this network. You can read the progress of the past year in the previous threads.

In 2008 I continue this Journey and encourage any one who shares a similar mission to join me here, or in other forums where I support this process. If you visit http://tutormentor.blogspot.com you can find links to all of the web sites of the Tutor/Mentor Connection and to many other places where I'm networking and sharing ideas with other people.

On May 29 and 30, 2008 I'll be hosting another Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference = http://www.tutormentorconference.org . I'll do another one in November. One result of these conferences is a new funding source for volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in Chicago. In 2007 the SunTimes Judge Marovitz Lawyers Lend a Hand to Youth Program - http://www.lend-a-hand.net - made grants totaling over $200,000 to 31 different organizations. When we held the first conference in May 1994 the award was $2,000 to a single program headed by Arne Duncan, who is now CEO of Chicago Public Schools.

If we network, collaborate, and work toward a common purpose, such funding can become available to tutor/mentor programs in every major city, and from more industries than the legal profession.

I hope those who visit this site and read this message, who are concerned with the same issues, will introduce themselves and invite others in their network. This Collaboration Pdf illustrates the way I encourage people to work together: http://www.tutormentorexchange.n et/Partner/CC/Presentations/coll aboration/Collaboration%20Goals. pdf

The graphic on the first page was created by a volunteer who I met in the Omidyar.net forum in late 2006. He's on the West Coast. I'm in Chicago.

This is just one small example of how people from different places can use their time and talent to help each other. I hope many people join this thread in 2008.

Visit http://mappingforjustice.blogspo t.com to follow progress the Tutor/Mentor Connection is making in 2008 to use maps and visual communications as part of network building. While we apply these ideas in Chicago the Internet enables us to share with others who might apply the same ideas in other places, and in collaboration with us in Chicago.

I encourage you to take a look at the new Map Gallery that has been created for the Tutor/Mentor Connection by a volunteer based in Wisconsin (we're in Chicago). The link is http://www.horizonmapping.net/pr ojects/tmc/tmc_gallery/Tutor_Men tor_map_gallery.html

This illustrates how we're using maps to focus attention on all of the non profit tutor'/mentor programs in poverty neighborhoods of Chicago. We'll be updating all of our maps over the next few months, so I encourage you to bookmark this and visit from time to time.

As you look at the way we use maps in Chicago, imagine a world map where people could click into a country, and a cause category, and see what NGOs are working on specific issues within that country. Such an analysis tool could lead to a better distribution of resources, as well as a better distribution of needed services in all of the places where a service is needed.

I like your maps Dan :)

I posted a Guest Map on the Tutor/Mentor Connection web site a few months ago, to encourage people visiting the site to show where they come from. It's beginning to grow. You can see it at http://pub39.bravenet.com/guestm ap/show.php?usernum=3270670679&a mp;lightmap=0&icons=0&&a mp;entrylist=0&zoom=0&we lcome=1

This map illustrates the growth of a network of people focused on a common issue, or at least meeting occasionally in the same space.

Here's another map, that shows knowledge that the network of people visiting the T/MC site might use to support their innovations, and actions. http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servl et/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=119 0497378765_679544355_12515&p artName=actualhtmltext

What's nice about the concept map is that it can link to an interactive database, and a discussion of the data, so that as people get together to talk, they have more knowledge at their disposal than just what they have gained from their own experiences.

I hosted a 29th Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference since 1994 on Thursday and Friday of last week. View the Attendee List at http://www.tutormentorconference .org/RegistrationList/ and you can see that people came from all parts of the country.

By hosting this conference and the attendee list, this is an example of how I try to connect a network of people who care about kids with each other, and with my own organization.

If any of you who browse discussions on Ned are working with youth in your own community, or with issues of social justice, poverty, workforce diversity, etc., I encourage you to introduce yourself here and see if we can get some idea sharing going.