Volunteer Opportunities with the Cabrini Connections Tutor/Mentor Program at 800 W. Huron, Chicago, Il. 60642

As a result of the work we do, youth born in poverty will be starting jobs/careers by age 25.

The mission of Cabrini Connections is to provide an organized framework that empowers and encourages volunteers to give their time, skills, and support in seeking life-changing solutions for children who live in an educationally, disadvantaged environment. This is accomplished through a direct-service Cabrini Connections program and through the Tutor/Mentor Connection (T/MC). The TMC gathers and organizes information known about successful after-school tutor/mentor programs, shares knowledge to expand its availability and enhance the effectiveness of services to children throughout Chicago.

Visit these pages to learn more about the Cabrini Connections Tutor/Mentor Program :
* Cabrini Connections web site: www.cabriniconnections.net
* Annual Jimmy Biggs Memorial Cabrini Connections Golf Benefit
* Weekly Newsletter of the Cabrini Connections Tutor/Mentor Program

Starting with seven volunteers and five teens in January 1993, the Cabrini Connections Tutor/Mentor Program now serves 75-80 young Cabrini-Green residents, from seventh graders to high school seniors—and a growing number of alumni now in college or in the workforce. The cadre of dedicated volunteers includes business professionals, lawyers, accountants, and managers, as well as students from nearby universities. The program connects the tutoring, mentoring and school-to-work concepts because it has found that before we tutor we often need to mentor and motivate and to motivate we have to make a connection between work and learning. Furthermore, in poverty neighborhoods short term solutions provide little benefit because the lessons and motivations students learn from a mentor/tutor must be reinforced continually if they are to be sustained, particularly since it is likely they are not consistently reinforced by family, peers or in some cases, even schools. We’re always looking for adults to serve as tutor/mentor volunteers or to help organize the various learning programs we offer.

While volunteers are needed to be one-on-one and group mentors, we really also need volunteers in many other ways, ranging from fund raising to marketing to administrative and scrounging work. If you'd like to join, or offer your help in other ways, please email info1@cabriniconnections.net

· Enroll 75-80 7th to 12th grade teens each year in our one-on-one program, with attendance rates of 80% or better in weekly one-on-one Wednesday/Thursday evening tutor/mentor sessions. More than 75% of these teens will be veterans with one to five previous years of participation.

· Enroll teens in additional learning opportunities offered through the Cabrini Connections program. These include college and career readiness projects, writing, arts and video creation projects, travel programs to places like Aspen, Colorado and to Europe, and technology programs, using our computer lab.

· Increase number of teens, volunteers, staff and supporters who use eLearning strategies to connect, share information, collaborate, and achieve the goals of Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection. Each year we hope to have a growing percent using the SVHATS portal at http://www.cabriniconnections.net/feedback

· Keep teens in school and progressing on schedule to graduation. 85% of teens will return to the program each year. 65% of volunteers will return each year.

· Prepare and support teens for a college and career-development track from the time they leave the program until they are anchored in a career.

· Enroll 100 adult volunteers, with a goal of 75% average weekly attendance, in one-on-one and group learning matches with teens in evening sessions.

o Recruit 65% of the volunteers who were with the program at the end of the past school year

o Retain veteran volunteers, with at least 25% of each year’s corps having 3 or more previous years experience tutoring/mentoring youth via Cabrini Connections.

o Recruit volunteers to lead group activities such as the video group, writing program, or computer lab.

· Provide training, one-on-one consulting, and other support to maximize a volunteer’s stay with the program through the end of the school year with a goal of 85% completing the year.

· Increase percent of volunteers who are evangelists for tutoring/mentoring in their own personal, professional network, and who help recruit additional volunteers and raise the money needed to operate Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection

Our volunteer tutors and mentors commit to the program for only one night a week, either Wednesday or Thursday, from 6PM until 7:45pm. We meet at the Tutor/Mentor Learning Center, located at 800 W. Huron in Chicago. This is one block south of Chicago Avenue. Street parking is normally available.

As a tutor/mentor you are a role model, an advisor, an advocate, a surrogate parent, a friend, a coach. You're someone who commits for a minimum of one year to be someone who cares, who will listen, who will show up each week, and who will not give up on a child, even if that child sometimes gives up on him/herself.

There's lots of support for our volunteers, including veterans who have volunteered for three to ten years. There are social opportunities. There are networking opportunities. There are great kids and different lifestyles to experience and understand. However, it's not always easy. Kids’ don’t always progress as fast as volunteers expect. They face tremendous negative peer influence as they grow older, as well as economic pressures that some times make it difficult to maintain regular attendance. Cabrini Connections is a non-profit, so we don't always have all the latest learning tools and technology, nor enough staff and resources to support everything volunteers might want. But we've a long history. Teens who joined Cabrini Connections in 1993 and 1994 as 7th and 8th graders are now beginning to graduate from college. More than 40 alumni, and more than 20% of our volunteers have 3 or more consecutive years of service. If you'd like to join us, call , 312-492-9614 for an interview, or send an email to info1@cabriniconnections.net

Pick a volunteer role that fits your schedule

At Cabrini Connections we’ve found that if a volunteer’s schedule keeps him/her from attending regularly, the volunteer often feels unsuccessful and leaves the program. Therefore we’ve created a variety of entry choices for volunteers.

One-on-One. This is for the volunteer that thinks he/she can make a weekly commitment from September through May, with only one or two absences for business vacation or illness. You’re matched with one student who we hope you’ll stay with for several years.

Two-on-Two. This is similar to the One-on-One, except the volunteer joins along with another volunteer. This could be a spouse, co-worker, friend, etc. When one volunteer finds he/she cannot attend, the other volunteer works with both teens for that session. This keeps a regular continuity of the same one, or two people, with a single youth throughout the year. (While you can connect in a two-on-two with another volunteer, it is best that you recruit a friend to join you at Cabrini Connections so you already have this partnership in place when you join.)

Two-on-One. This is for the volunteer that travels or cannot attend each week. Two or three volunteers team up to mentor one youth. Sometimes both volunteers attend the session, but usually only one can make it. This still keeps a regular continuity of the same one, or two people, with a single youth throughout the year. (This works best when you recruit a friend or co-worker to share tutoring/mentoring roles with you at Cabrini Connections.)

Substitute. This is for the person who wants to work with a youth but does now know what days he/she can attend. This volunteer shows up when they are able. They don’t call in advance and they don’t get called to fill a void. They just come. Usually one or more of the other volunteers do not attend and there is a student waiting for a substitute. Some of our most dedicated volunteers started in this role.

Each of these roles is intended to help a volunteer succeed with his/her commitment, yet keep a regular continuity of the same few adults devoted to a single child. This is what makes mentoring effective. If you'd like to join us, call 312-492-9614 for an interview, or send an email to info1@cabriniconnections.net

Note: while we need help at Cabrini Connections, hundreds of other tutor/mentor programs in Chicago (and in other communities) also need help. If you want to volunteer in another neighborhood, or another age group, visit http://www.tutormentorexchange.net and use the Program Locator and Program Links to find contact information for other programs in Chicago. Visit www.tutormentorconnection.org and use the on-line library to learn about the various types of tutor/mentor programs that operate in different parts of the country and learn where and why these programs are needed.

Not everyone can make the time to volunteer as a tutor/mentor. There are many other ways you can help Cabrini Connections.
Volunteers serve in leadership roles, from our Board of Directors and Advisory Council to the groups who organize our Holiday Party, Field Trips to Business and College Sites, and our annual Video Festival. Volunteers also help with the Tutor/Mentor Connection.

Please review the list of volunteer opportunities shown below and call us (312-492-9614) or email (info1@cabriniconnections.net ) if you're interested in helping on one or more. This list is organized alphabetically. The committees on Volunteer Recruitment and Training, which are at the bottom of the list, are just as important as the committees at the top. Volunteering with the Tutor/Mentor Connection is just as important as volunteering with our own Cabrini Connections program. Volunteers can serve on more than one committee and can also be one-on-one tutors/mentors if they wish.

WOW! This is a long list! Yes it is. A non profit has just as many functional roles that need to be filled by talented, committed people as do for profit corporations. We just fill these roles with people who are paid by feeling good about how they are making a difference, instead of by how much is in their bank account.

Career Development Committee -- Cabrini Connections knows that jobs and internships are essential to helping kids from poverty move to careers. These serve as a PULL SYSTEM, and show the relationship between work and education. We seek volunteers who will lead our Career Development Committed. This group works with businesses to develop mentoring/internships at the company site, then supports teens as they enter those internships. The committee also organizes a variety of job shadowing and skill building workshops that help prepare students for the workforce by introducing them to a variety of careers and educating them on the steps they need to take and the skills they need to posses, to succeed in the work world. Time Commitment: Approx. 2-6 hours per month

Communications Committee -- Volunteers from this group have graphic arts, public relations, writing, journalism, web design and other communications backgrounds. They help prepare all of the many publications, brochures and other material used to connect youth, volunteers, parents, donors and other stakeholders with each other and the Cabrini Connections community. Volunteer roles can be on-going or by project. Time commitment varies.

Computer/Technology Committee -- Volunteers from this group are meeting in an on-line planning and networking forums. The committee is responsible for developing and implementing the technology plan for Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection. This ranges from determining the technology needed, to getting the technology from a variety of fund raising efforts, to working with teens and volunteers to maximize uses of the technology. This and other Cabrini Connections on-line planning groups are located at the Discussions section of one of the T/MC web sites. To join a group just click into the one that interests you, or , email info1@cabriniconnections.net . Time Commitment: Approx. 4-8 hours per month.

Database/documentation/Technology Committee -- The goal of this group is to develop and maintain interactive Internet-based databases that can be used to collect and share information. Currently Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection collect and maintain information on a variety of databases which are not connected. This creates an inefficiency and redundancy. The primary goal of this committee is to develop a web-based database that collects information from various entry points and supports multiple users and purposes. For instance, this database would feed the T/MC's Geographic Information System (GIS) which we use to map the locations of tutor/mentor programs in the Chicago region. Volunteers working on this project should have extensive experience in database design.

Educational Resource -- Cabrini Connections is not a school, and its volunteers are not professional teachers. However, our goal is to help our teens succeed academically, socially and in the work place. Through this committee we seek to help our volunteers and students maximize the academic opportunities of our technology and the weekly tutoring/mentoring sessions. Time Commitment: Wednesday or Thursday evening from 5:30-7:30; additional 1-4 hours per month

Events Committee -- This group plans group events for students and volunteers, such as the Halloween Party, the Holiday Party, the Black History Celebration, and the End-of-Year Dinner, as well as fund raising events such as the Year End Dinner and Annual Sponsor Program (May), Golf Benefit (July) and Art Festival (Fall). Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month per event.

Evaluation and Documentation Committee -- This group has a research background and a business “track and chart” mentality. They want to document everything and look at the outcomes of the program from a dozen different angles. Their mission is to build systems that make it easier to collect actions and outcomes from volunteers, students and other stakeholders, as well as to analyze, evaluate and share this information with an extended network of program leaders and supporters throughout the country. See www.cabriniconnections.net/feedback and http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/OHATS/Intro_OHATS.htm for examples.

Fund raising/Incentives -- Raising money to fund Cabrini Connections is a constant challenge. It is a shared responsibility of every volunteer who is part of Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection. This group leads fund raising efforts and helps obtain merchandise donations for the Cabrini Connections program. Volunteers from this group take the lead on different events and fund raising activities, such as the Year End Dinner and Annual Sponsor Program (May), Golf Benefit (July) and Art Festival (Fall) and annual year end holiday fund appeal. Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month

GIS Mapping/Youth Apprentice -- Volunteers with expertise in Geographic Information Systems and Internet are working to build this capacity. Once a GIS is in place at Cabrini Connections, we seek volunteers who will teach teens to create map views and web pages that show where tutor/mentor programs are needed and where they are located. This is a career development activity. Time Commitment: Approx 4-6 hours per month.

Grade Groups -- There are seven grade groups at Cabrini Connections. These serve our 7th through 12th grade teens, plus our alumni. The goal of this committee is to design and lead a plan to help Grade Groups achieve goal of building camaraderie and a support system among volunteers and students within each group. Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month

Higher Education Committee -- Helps students take the necessary steps to prepare for post-secondary education (e.g. a 2-year or 4-year college or trade school) and to help prepare them to succeed once they enroll. Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month

Innervision Youth Productions -- Volunteers are needed to organize the annual IYP Program where students and volunteer create new videos and learn video production skills. Volunteers are also needed to provide leadership for the IYP Advisory Board that provides structure to the program and acquires necessary resources. The Advisory Board also organizes the annual Video Festival and helps raise funds to support the IYP component of Cabrini Connections. Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month

Leadership College -- Volunteers are needed to create and lead student leadership activities, such as the Summer Leadership College. The goal of Cabrini Connections is to create future leaders for Cabrini Connections and other tutor/mentor programs by teaching students to take ownership of their own future, and share ownership of the mission of Cabrini Connections. Through student leadership college youth learn to do a needs assessment, strategic planning, and outreach, using the arts, video and technology programs that they participate in. Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month

Net-Worker. The easiest, and possibly most important role anyone can take is that of a Net-Worker. This is someone who actively spreads the word about tutoring/mentoring to others. Just by encouraging someone to visit this web site, or the www.tutormentorconnection.org web site, you enlarge the army of tutors/mentors and resource builders in Chicago. You can spread the word through church sermons, web site links, email, letters, word-of-mouth. We don't have advertising dollars, so this grass-roots networking is essential to building support for tutor/mentor programs throughout the Chicago area.

Resources Committee -- Identifies and acquires resources to be used by volunteers and students to achieve program's mission. Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month

Scroungers – These are people who can find anything, at any time. This group works with the Resources Committee and the Fund Raising/Events Committee. If you need a book, a computer, a speaker, etc., these are people who thrive on finding hard-to-get stuff. If that’s you, give us a call!

Tutor/Mentor Connection Volunteer – These are people who work with Cabrini Connections to help make tutor/mentor programs more available in all other parts of Chicago and in cities throughout America. Volunteers help organize major events, such as the Chicagoland Tutor/Mentor Volunteer Recruitment Campaign, the May and November Tutor/Mentor Leadership Conferences, an on-going Public Awareness Campaign, etc. Volunteers also work within their own business, professional and social networks to develop T/MC partnerships such as the Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Lend-A-Hand Program at the Chicago Bar Association/Foundation (www.lend-a-hand.net) Time commitment: Approx 4-6 hrs per month.

Student Recruitment/Retention Committee -- Designs and implements programs that will encourage and motivate students to achieve. Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month

Volunteer Recruitment Committee -- Develops and implements recruiting plan, including designing materials and identifying recruiting opportunities. Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month. This committee works with the T/MC's citywide recruitment campaign to draw volunteers to Cabrini Connections and other programs.

Volunteer Social/Recognition Committee -- Schedules social activities to give volunteers the opportunity to interact and support each other. Time Commitment: Approx. 2-4 hours per month (plus time spent participating in events)

Volunteer Training Committee -- Designs training workshops and materials to help volunteers succeed. Time Commitment: Approx. 3-6 hours per month. This group works also with the Tutor/Mentor Leadership Conference planning group so that knowledge from Cabrini Connections is shared with hundreds of other programs and the knowledge of others is available to Kids' Connection volunteers, students and staff.

WUZ-UP! and Student Writing Programs -- Volunteers are needed organize a student editorial team to produce four annual issues of WUZ Up! as well as develop writing workshops and programs throughout the year that encourage all youth in Cabrini Connections to become prolific and talented communicators. Time Commitment: Approx. 4-6 hours per month

Cabrini Connections is a 501 (c)(3) non profit. Each year we must raise more than $400,000 to keep this organization operating. This is a constant struggle because many donors can't give each year and many organizations are competing for the same donor dollar. Yet we have made a commitment to help each youth who joins our program in 7th and 8th grade be starting a job/career by age 25. To keep that commitment we need help from volunteers and donors. If you are able to make a contribution to support our programs, or if you have a foundation which would accept a grant proposal, please call 312-492-9614, or send your contribution to