Summer is coming…

Summer is coming…
OK, OK, summer officially starts June 21st, so we have more than a month to go. But… that is not a reason not to think about what you will be doing this summer right? For example you can have a rest – spend the whole day in bed, or you can have fun with friends & family. Maybe you can even travel… If you are an adult – you will probably have 10 vacation days and it probably will not be enough time to do everything you want to accomplish. But, what if you are a student and you have almost 3 months (June 12 – September 07) for summer vacation. Hmmm, maybe you can try a summer job: earn some experience, earn some money, and make a few new friends. Good combination; right?

So let’s check resources for summer jobs we have linked in TutorMentorConnection.org Links Library.

Youth Ready Chicago. For example the www.YouthReadyChicago.org/ program connects young people, ages 14 - 24, with internships, apprenticeships and jobs within Chicago’s public and private business sectors. You can get hands-on experience, gain marketable skills, see how you like a specific job, and of course – you can earn some cash. It is always good to have a little bit more money, but if it is money you earned through your own hard work – that is something special right?

Jobs For Youth-Chicago is a free program for teens and young adults ages 17 to 24.
It is a bit different that Youth Ready Chicago because you must have either a high school diploma or a GED and there is a 3 hour assessment test at the onset. Find more at: http://jfychicago.org/.

What about adults? Do we have a program to teach them how to organize the summer jobs how to work with kids?

Sure!
Youth Work Matters! is part of the University of Minnesota Extension Services. Program provides a highly interactive and very interesting online course that will help you understand youth and work with youth better.

The idea behind this program is that:

Our work with youth - both volunteer and professional - needs to come from an informed, intentional way of understanding their lives and the ways we support and promote their growth.

Sounds logical and worthy of research. Right?
Find out more at www.youthworkmatters.org
You can get enrolled in a course in less than a minute.

Check it out and send your comments; are you planning on working this summer?, can you recommend another resource, and what do you think about aforementioned sites?

I am very enthusiastic about your answers, here or at my.cabriniconnections.net >> Summer is coming… ?

Regards,

Vjeko

Street Gangs

The future is already here - it is just unevenly distributed. That was the message from the previous post.

So what is your future? What about the future of kids you saw yesterday fighting on the street?

Yes, gangs pose a significant threat to community safety. Furthermore, they are a terrifying threat for the future of kids who are or may become gang members. Right?

So, what are we doing about it?

Now when a very successful community organizer on the South Side of Chicago is the President of the USA – we can see a new federal approach to America's high-poverty areas. Check for example http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/urban_policy/.

That document states that:

Obama and Biden support innovative local programs, like the CeaseFire program in Chicago, which implement a community-based strategy to prevent youth violence and have been proven effective.

A link to the CeaseFire website is available at our Links Library; in the Gangs section:

Links Library >> Law, Justice, Poverty and Prevention >> Street Gangs.

Therefore, let’s say a few words about those links and the challenges of gang violence prevention.

CeaseFire is the first initiative of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention. It collaborates with community-based organizations to reduce and prevent violence. CeaseFire relies on community leaders such as outreach workers, faith leaders, profit and nonprofit organizations to intervene in conflicts, or potential conflicts, and promote alternatives to violence. Of course, CeaseFire cooperates with police and promotes the message that shootings and violence are not acceptable. Finally, it calls for the strengthening of communities so they become capable of controlling and responding to issues that affect them.

Find more at: www.ceasefirechicago.org

The BUILD Model is designed to develop personal competencies, strengthen commitment to education and community service, and as a result develop stable, productive members and leaders in their communities.

Therefore, if a young person is encountering risk factors like gangs, violence, substance abuse, truancy, poor academic performance she/he/they can be recruited to BUILD Core Groups, where they are engaged in activities designed to reduce risk-taking behaviors, set and reach educational and career goals and promote positive impact on community.

Find more at: http://buildchicago.org.

Crime maps. If you are interested in maps of crimes in Chicago, you can check http://www.spotcrime.com/il/chicago or http://gis.chicagopolice.org/CLEARMap/startPage.htm

How do you like it? Which do you prefer: the CeaseFire program or the BUILS Model?

There are much more links. Please check them out: Links Library >> Law, Justice, Poverty and Prevention >> Street Gangs.

And of course, send us your comments at: SVHATS Forums >> Cool Links and Cool Cash >> Street Gangs.

The future is already here - it is just unevenly distributed

You have a mobile phone: Right? A small gadget with digital video & photo camera, radio receiver, MP3 player and… Probably, you can browse the internet with your phone and you have a few video games – just in case. OK, some of us have the ‘old models’ without some (all?) of those features… Me, for example. However, sooner or later we will have newer model and…

And you have your MySpace/FaceBook/Blog Right?

All of that was like ‘science fiction’ 10 or 15 years ago... It was science fiction for most of us. Aforementioned technology already existed - for example MP3 was patented in 1991. Just the majority of us did not use it; did not even know about it. It was as William Ford Gibson said:

The future is already here - it is just unevenly distributed

The future is already here …

So, let’s say a few words about Choose Your Future web site. It is a website developed by Chicago Public Schools to enhance postsecondary education and student development.

Link is available in www.tutormentorconnection.org Links Library : College & Career >> Education Resources >> Career mentoring.
Or simply click www.chooseyourfuture.org

Chooseyourfuture.org was developed to provide students with the resources they need to plan a successful path to graduation and post-high school success.

Therefore, check the site, find more about ASAP (All Students Are Powerful) group, make a plan for your future and send us your comments.

What do you think about that site?

Post your comments here or at SVHATS >> Cool Links and Cool Cash >> ChooseYourFuture.org

Think global, think diverse, think & act

Barack and Michelle Obama are in Europe and it seams to be the most important news on the world. Yes, yes the G-20 summit is an important event. That is the reason why they went there. Right?

But it seams that Michelle Obama’s speech in the Elizabeth Garret Anderson Language School in London (one of the most diverse schools in UK) is more important for Brits. You remember when she said:

My husband – you know him? – he is going to be very jealous of my afternoon. He's meeting with important people, but it's not as much fun as being here.

A day latter, during his speech in Strasbourg (France) Barack addressed the challenges and possibilities confronting world and young people:

It would be a tragedy if all of you who are so talented and energetic -- if you let that go to waste, if you just stood back and watched the world pass you by.

Better to jump in, get involved -- and it does mean that sometimes you'll get criticized and sometimes you'll fail and sometimes you'll be disappointed -- but you'll have a great adventure. And at the end of your life, hopefully you'll be able to look back and say, 'I made a difference.

It seams Obamas made a great introduction to discussion about Diversity Strategies links,

You can find a full list of links at Links Library >> Business Involvement & Resources >> Diversity Strategies

The Diversity Pipeline Alliance is a network of national organizations dedicated to preparing students and professionals of color for leadership and management in the 21st century workforce. The “pipeline” symbolizes system that carries students from success in middle school through college, the MBA and successful leadership positions in today’s world.

Find more at: www.diversitypipeline.org

DiversityWeb is a project of Association of American Colleges and Universities’ Office of Diversity, Equity, and Global Initiatives (ODEGI). Mission of the Diversity Web is to promote diversity and global knowledge as essential elements of any effort to foster civic engagement among today's college students. To acheive those goals, the office helps colleges and universities establish diversity as a comprehensive institutional commitment and educational priority.

Find more at: www.diversityweb.org

The Global Nomads Group (GNG) is an international NGO dedicated to heightening children's understanding and appreciation for the world and its people. Using communicational technologies such as videoconferencing, GNG brings young people together face-to-face to meet across cultural and national boundaries to discuss their differences & similarities, and the world issues that affect them.

Find more at http://www.gng.org/

What do you think about aforementioned sites? What about their mission? Will you use their service or join them?

I am very enthusiastic about your proposals, ideas and questions; here or at: SVHATS >> Cool Links and Cool Cash >> Diversity Strategies >> Think global, think diverse, think & act.