Register Now for the for May 29 and 30, 2008 Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference. 

If you'd like to present a workshop in a future conference, or be part of one of the tutor/mentor program panels described below, email tutormentor2@earthlink.net to discuss your involvement.


Keynote Speakers

Registration begins at 8: 00 am

May 29, 2008 -  9:00 am  - Keynote Speaker/Welcome
Julie Biehl, Policy and Program Director, Children & Family Justice Center, Northwestern University School of Law


May 29, 2008 -  12:50pm to 1:15 pm - Keynote Speaker
Margot Pritzker, Chair of the Zohar Education Project Incorporated and President and Founder of WomenOnCall.org, http://www.womenoncall.org

Topic: How do Non-Profits Extend their Limited Resources by Using Professionals in the Most Efficient Way



May 30, 2008 - 9:00 am to 9:20 am - Keynote Speaker
Marilyn King, Two-Time Olympic Pentathlete and founder of Beyond Sports, http://www.waybeyondsports.com

Topic: Accessing the Olympian In You
Most extraordinary things in the world are done by ordinary people who have three things in common. In this presentation you will be introduced to the most important mental practice common to all high achievers that aligns these key elements and sets the stage for exceptional human performance.
May 30, 2008 - 12:50pm to 1:15 pm - Keynote Speaker
Glen "Max" McGee, Ph.D., President, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, http://www.imsa.edu

See May 30 Workshops

May 29, 2008 workshops

Registration begins at 8: 00 am

First workshops: 9:40 am to 10:50 am –

Panel of Tutor/Mentor Program Leaders, share strategies, challenges of different programs
Network and learn from each other what are the successes and obstacles in leading tutoring/mentoring programs.  How can we as a community of tutoring/mentoring programs learn from each other? This workshop is intended for program leaders, coordinators and administrators to share ideas and collaborate.  How to recruit volunteers to become leaders in your program. How to retain students/volunteers.  What works and what doesn't in working with students and volunteers.

Panel Members:

Stretching Your Creativity, presented by Sporty King, President, R. King & Associates, http://www.sportyking.com

There' a story/poem/speech inside each of us, though not necessarily a story teller, poet, writer or speaker. A fun, interactive workshop for writers and thinkers at all stages... to get students writing and thinking.... So bring blank sheets of paper, it's guaranteed to help you Stretch Your Creativity

Enjoy easy-to-remember and apply mindsets to overcome Writer's Block.  Communicate more clearly and concisely in writing,  then transfer that skill to speaking before audiences of any size. This session will challenge and empower attendees.

Learning Objectives:
  • get in touch with your inner creativity
  • offer techniques to commit that expression to creative and business writing skills
  • enhance vocabulary and critical thinking skills
  • enhance your style of delivery

Model-Coach-Fade; How to Teach Anything, presented by Joshua Fulcher, Education Programs Coordinator for Erie Neighborhood House's Youth Options Unlimited Program, http://www.www.eriehouse.org

This session is designed for Tutors, Mentors, and Tutor/Mentor Coordinators. This session trains participants in a teaching methodology designed to increase the understanding of the students they mentor and tutor. This method teaches students to not only complete their homework, but to utilize sustainable strategies, principles, and knowledge. In this way, they can be successful on the tests and quizzes that many of our students struggle with.

Model-Coach-Fade: How To Teach Anything was born from education and experience. It is a teaching method that is taught across the country. It follows the old saying that a student remembers 10% of what they hear, 40% of what they see, and 80% of what they do.  Many teachers struggle with students who consistently do their homework correctly and cannot translate that work to the tests or the quizzes they take in class. They are left dumbfounded when something the student did perfectly two days ago has now been lost somewhere in their head. Mentors and tutors struggle with this same issue. How can we help students sustain the knowledge they utilize to do their homework so they can use it on the quizzes and tests?
     
In this workshop Joshua will go through a few examples in various areas of study to show how this process works. You will walk through a math and writing example (and more if time permits). You will think outside the box a bit and stretch to see how Model-Coach-Fade can be applied to any academic area. He will show how implementing this method to current mentoring programs can be done so the wonderful volunteer-mentors get all the "bang for their buck".  

Someone who attends this workshop will be able to tutor a student or teach others how to tutor a student in a way that the effort they put into it is sustainable and has results. These results are not just on one homework assignment, but on a quiz, and a test, and, eventually, on a report card. The workshop shows how to model the solution to any assignment with principles and questions that will allow the student to be successful. The workshop will then show specifically how to coach in such a way that the mentor is leading the student yet with the students still doing all the work. The workshop walks through this process so the participants can see how fading away with these principles and questions in place allows the student to use what the mentor has taught them in any similar situation and in the future.

Joshua has presented this workshop for the mentors of the TEAM programs to address their concerns about the students struggling with tests and quizzes. After this workshop you will able to bring this workshop back to your program and increase the effectiveness of the mentors.


Scholarships for Teens Networking Session, hosted by Mark Duhon, Executive Director, Highsight,  http://www.highsight.org
Several organizations in Chicago raise money to provide scholarships to private high schools for inner city youth.  Some provide extensive levels of tutoring and college and career counseling to go along with this.  This session offers and opportunity for organizations in Chicago and other cities who provide scholarships for high school to meet and share ideas, while it also offers tutor/mentor program leaders an opportunity to learn about these resources for their students.


Issues affecting Non Citizen Youth, presented by Anita Ortiz Maddali,  Children & Family Justice Center, Northwestern University School of Law
Issues to be addressed: non citizen youth in trouble with the law, the Illinois Dream Act and applying for financial aid, mixed status households (i.e. children could be citizens but parents are undocumented), unaccompanied minors fleeing violence in their home countries.  

11:00 am to 12:10 pm Workshops-

Mentoring Pregnant and Parenting Teens, presented by Mark Gesner, Youth Development and Evaluation Director at the Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Wisconsin at Parkside.   http://www.mentorkr.org

How effective is mentoring for pregnant and parenting teens?  This workshop reviews a research study conducted in Racine, Wisconsin that addressed this question by performing a literature review and by interviewing pregnant teens, former teen moms, and program staff.  Once the research is reviewed, workshop participants will be asked to respond to the research and discuss the unique challenges and opportunities in mentoring this population.

This workshop is intended for anyone who is currently mentoring pregnant and parenting teens, or anyone who is considering beginning work with this population.  Participants will learn about primary and secondary research conducted in this area, and about specific program implementation recommendations.  Discussion will illuminate what practitioners are experiencing in working with this population, and it will address ways in which program leaders might incorporate mentoring pregnant and parenting teens into an existing program.



Measuring the Success of your Tutor/Mentor Program, presented by Debra Natenshon, CEO, The Center for What Works, http://www.whatworks.org

Participants will experience a short overview of performance measurement and then be guided through the process of attaching outcomes and indicators to their current strategies.  Participants are encouraged to introduce their latest strategic plan, theory of change, and/or logic model during the session. The session will serve as a hands-on, practical workshop in which participants will leave with a specific set of metrics they can begin to actualize within their organization.

For Executive Directors, Managers, and board members of tutoring and mentoring programs.

Benefits:
Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of measurement in order to manage by results; they will gain:
  • Examples from a researched set of particular, actionable, realistic, and timely outcomes and indicators to model for implementation in their organization 
  • An editable performance measurement tool and tips for its use
  • Acquired knowledge of techniques to continuously improve their metrics

Tutoring/Mentoring Networking and Collaboration in South-Southwest Suburbs of Chicago, hosted by Genevieve Boesen, Executive Director, South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium, http://www.SouthMetroEd.org

There are growing areas of high poverty in the suburbs of Chicago and other major cities, but few resources to support the growth of volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in this area.  This session serves as a follow up to the November T/MC Conference, held in Olympia Fields and is aimed to draw community, business, faith and university leaders, as well as tutor/mentor program leaders, together for networking, relationship building, and idea-sharing.  If you're from this area, or from another suburb looking to develop a range of tutor/mentor programs, we encourage you to attend.


Using Thinkfinity for Tutoring/Mentoring, presented by Debbie Potts, State Coordinator for Thinkfinity, Verizon Foundation, http://www.ioes.org/thinkfinity.cfm
This workshop will provide an overview of the free resources available to teachers/tutors/mentors to assist student learning using the internet.  Participants will be introduced to the over 50,000 resources available free from the Thinkfinity portal and how they can be used to tutor or mentor students.




12:50pm to 1:15 pm - Keynote Speaker
How do Non-Profits Extend their Limited Resources by Using Professionals in the Most Efficient Way,  Margot Pritzker,  Chair of the Zohar Education Project Incorporated and President and Founder of WomenOnCall.org, http://www.womenoncall.org


First Afternoon workshops: 1:45 to 3:00pm –


One Community's Efforts to Build a Mentoring Movement, presented by Mark Gesner, Youth Development and Evaluation Director at the Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Wisconsin at Parkside.   http://www.mentorkr.org

In Wisconsin, an initiative called Mentor Kenosha & Racine (MKR) has been working to build a "thriving mentoring community."  Focused on certifying mentoring programs, providing training for mentors and staff, and working with community partners to recruit mentors, MKR has been methodically raising the profile of mentoring in Southeastern Wisconsin.  Learn about what is involved in building a mentoring movement and engage in a hands on self assessment to see if your program would meet certification criteria.

This workshop is appropriate for any mentoring program leader or community member interested in raising the profile of mentoring in his/her community.  The workshop will be of particular interest to mentoring program leaders who would like to objectively assess the functioning of their program.  The certification assessment tool provided offers guidance about best practices in general organizational well-being, program design and planning, program management and operations, and program evaluation.

Launching and Maintaining a Tutoring Program: Issues and Strategies, presented by Bart Phillips, Kaleen Healey and Darrin Aase of Community Building Tutors, http://www.cbtutors.org

This workshop is intended to present some of the common issues and strategies for beginning a tutoring/mentoring program. Lessons learned from the Community Building Tutors experience will be presented, along with process evaluation strategies and collaborative methods to build ongoing relationships in a variety of settings.

The session will discuss a number of issues involved with establishing a new community-based program. In particular, presenters will focus on how Community Building Tutors was able to develop curriculum, gain entree into neighborhood locations to conduct the program, and what particular lessons have been learned that could benefit other new tutoring and mentoring programs.

Additionally, formative evaluation strategies will be discussed, as well as how critical these processes are for new and well-established programs to facilitate improvement and adaptability to various community environments. This workshop is intended for individuals involved with early-phases of program development, but also for all program leaders and volunteers who could benefit from a discussion about ongoing evaluation and program expansion.


Building a Better Friendship: Using a Structured Journal to Improve Mentoring Relationships, presented by Sarah Kremer, Program Director, Friends for Youth's Mentoring Institute, http://www.friendsforyouth.org
Research shows that successful youth-adult mentoring relationships are influenced by perceived levels of closeness and meaningful activities. Mentors can use therapeutic techniques and creative activities in order to build the relationship successfully. This workshop explores a new Mentoring Journal that combines these concepts in a structured, fun, and engaging tool.

This workshop is intended for all levels of staff in mentoring/youth-serving programs, as well as mentors/volunteers, who wish to learn about creating and supporting mentoring relationships. By attending this session, participants will:
  • Be able to identify at least four underlying theories supporting the practice of helping mentors and mentees build their relationships
  • Learn the importance of how the cycle of building a mentoring relationship impacts the kinds of activities mentors and mentees are recommended to engage in together
  • Obtain more information about a new tool programs can introduce to their mentors and mentees

An overview of the grant guidelines for the Lawyers Lend A Hand to Youth Program and information for programs seeking to nominate lawyers for the My Hero Awards, presented by Karina Ayala-Bermejo, Executive Director, Lawyers Lend-A-Hand Program,   http://www.lawyerslendahand.org
The program’s overall goal is to support one-to-one tutor/mentor programs and help young people in disadvantaged Chicago area communities by providing the guidance and support they need to both succeed in school and reach their full potential as an independent, productive adult. They do this by providing funding, and by organizing events that encourage members of the legal community to become involved in tutor/mentor programs.  In this workshop you will learn the requirements of a Lend A Hand Grant, and how to apply. You will also learn about how to recognize volunteers by nominating them for recognition during the annual  My HERO Awards lunch, which will be held on July 30, 2008.

Executive Directors and Fund Raising staff are encouraged to attend. While the Lawyers Lend A Hand grants focus on the Chicago region, this workshop can be valuable for leaders in other communities, or other industries, who want to develop a similar tutor/mentor support strategy.  

Mapping Collaborative Strategies. An overview of the way Tutor/Mentor Connection uses maps to draw volunteers and donors to tutor/mentor programs in specific zip codes of the Chicago region. Presented by Daniel Bassill, President of Tutor/Mentor Connection (http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com).
This workshop will overview the uses of maps to draw volunteers and donors to all poverty neighborhoods of a city, and to all tutor/mentor programs in each neighborhood.  The speaker will show how Google Maps can be used to locate potential business, church and civic partners in the same neighborhood of tutor/mentor programs.



3:15 pm to 4:30pm Workshops

Engaging Athletes and Celebrities as Advocates for Volunteer Based Tutor/Mentor Programs, panel discussion
Many athletes have had mentors and coaches who helped them build their skills, stay in school, and become successful.  Some have gained great fame in professional sports.  Some have escaped poverty through the college and career opportunities sports provided.  In this panel discussion current and former college and professional athletes will lead a discussion of ways athletes can draw attention and support to charities,  and ways that they might work together to build more consistent year-round support of all tutor/mentor programs in their host city.  College and professional athletes and coaches are encouraged to attend.

Panel includes:
  • Kurt Kittner, University of Illinois and NFL quarterback
  • El Da'Sheon Nix, Northwestern University and current Admninistrative Coordinator of Cabrini Connections
  • Steven Miller, President of Legacy Mortgage (panel moderator)


Starting A School Age Program That Works, presented by Vivian Taylor, Executive Director, Southside Educational Center, Chicago, Il.
Learn effective techniques on how to motivate and inspire youth while providing a unique afterschool environment.   This workshop is intended to serve leaders, volunteers, parents, youth and individuals who are planning to start a youth program. One lesson participants will take away is how to implement a three component program. Another lesson will be a better understanding of how to effectively work with youth.


How to Plan a Successful Training Event about Preparing for College Life, presented by Tracey Stuckey Mickell and Willie R. Mickell Jr. http://www.worthyonepromotions.com  
This session will show how to create a college preparation training event to training Volunteers, Educators, Advisors, and Mentors to pass on information to students and their families: Ideas, preparation, commitment and careful planning is the key to successful preparation.”


The Brazil-Chicago Tutor/Mentor Connection, hosted by Janaina de Assis, http://chicacobraziltmconnection.ning.com/
This is a networking session for programs serving Hispanic youth in Chicago and other cities and is the result of a month long series of interviews  done to profile organizations in Chicago offering support to Latino  youth. This information is being shared, via the Internet with people in Brazil and other South American countries.  Come and learn what others are doing and become part of a year-round network connected via the Internet and common purposes.


Workshop Descriptions for May 30

See May 29 Workshops

First workshops: 9:40 am to 10:50 am –



Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Strategies: Panel of Tutor/Mentor Program Leaders 
 
Bring your own recruitment and volunteer support strategies and share with others.  Tutor/Mentor program leaders are encouraged to bring handouts to share with others.  If you are thinking of starting a tutor/mentor program,  your first step should be to learn how others operate and how they have structured their programs.  This workshop is an opportunity for leaders to connect and learn from others in the field.

In this panel discussion, we will touch on various issues surrounding volunteer recruitment and retention. People looking to find out new ideas and strategies for finding, recruiting and keeping volunteers are encouraged to come and participate. The speakers are there to guide the discussion and audience participation is encouraged.

Panel Includes:

School Based Mentoring: Leveraging Community and School Resources to Foster Positive Partnerships. presented by, David Ginsburg, Chief Academic Officer, and  Bob Szybist, After-School Director, Community Education Alliance of West Philadelphia, http://www.cea-philly.org
In this discussion based workshop, participants will be introduced to the "mentoring landscape" in Philadelphia as well as strategies for forming partnerships with community organizations.  Also discussed will be collaboration strategies for school based mentoring that allow the mentor/mentee relationship to receive the greatest support and resources.


Discussion of Mentoring and Tutoring Strategies within a YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, or Youth Center, led by Mary Jon Girard, Director of Project SOAR, McGaw YMCA, Evanston, Il., http://www.mcgawymca.org
This workshop is intended to be a networking session for leaders and volunteers who operate programs within the structure of a larger youth and adult services organization, such as a YMCA. The speaker will share some of the strategies that are being used in Project SOAR, and will encourage workshop participants to share their own program strategies, as well as challenges and possible solutions.  We hope YMCA and Boys & Girls Club leaders from Milwaukee, Rockford, Gary, Indianapolis and other cities will attend.


Double Session Workshop: 9:40 am to 12:15 pm -

Where's the Evidence? A Practical Guide to Using Evaluation to Improve Program Quality, presented by Dr. David DuBois, School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago, http://www.cade.uic.edu/sphapps/faculty_profile/facultyprofile.asp?i=dldubois
This workshop will take place over the two morning sessions. In the first portion of the workshop, participants will learn a set of steps for evidence-based decision-making that can be used to ask and answer questions about the effectiveness and efficiency of program practices.  In the second half, participants will work in small groups to practice applying the steps to both hypothetical scenarios and examples from their own programs. 

This workshop is intended for staff of mentoring programs at all levels--front-line service providers, managers, and leadership. Participants will take away practical skills and confidence for answering questions about the effectiveness of program practices in areas such as recruitment, volunteer screening and enrollment, matching, relationship suppport and monitoring and evaluation. They will take away an increased appreciation for the internal capacity and resources of their agencies for making evidence-based decisions.

11:00 am to 12:10 pm workshops-

Olympian Thinking™ for Everyday Life, presented by Marilyn King, Two-Time Olympic Pentathlete and founder of Beyond Sports, http://www.waybeyondsports.com
We all have moments when we tap into a higher level of performance. High achievers have daily mental and physical practices that become habits.  Apply the Olympian Thinking™ framework to your own life and engage with tools to assist those you work with in making their dreams come true.
 
The School as a Mentoring Agent: Changing the Culture, presented by Michael McGrone, Sr.,  Dean of Students at Ace Tech Charter High School and the President of MTL Educational Consulting, Inc.  http://www.mentoringleaders.info/

This workshop will focus on a mentoring program that was first introduced at a charter school this past year with a multicultural population. It will deal with how a school culture can be a catalyst for change through the engagement of teachers, staff, parents, the community surrounding the school, street organizations and the students themselves. The program reduced the number of suspensions to only 9 during the first semester and reduced the detention rate by 75%. Attendance went up 93%. MTL dealt with the academic, social and emotional constraints that impede student achievement. A school organization was created called the Senior Ambassador Program which was voluntary which was specifically implemented for the seniors as a "Rites Of Passage ". The students have taken ownership in their school and their education thereby creating an environment of academic achievement and fostering peer relationships that impacts the entire school.

This workshop is intended for volunteers, and school, administrators. The workshop will be interactive.

  • That mentoring programs must address all the issues that impact the students in order to be successful
  • That a relationship must be developed with the school in order for the program to have a true impact upon the student.
  • That mentoring is a community effort and not just the mentoring organization.

Volunteer Involvement in a Tutoring and/or Mentoring Program, presented by Jenne Meyers, Executive Director of Working in the Schools (WITS). http://www.witsontheweb.org

Working in the Schools has successfully been recruiting retirees and corporate volunteers since the early 1990s.  The session will provide focus for the program, identify and articulate the need for the volunteer position, and provide specific details and information about the volunteer role or opportunity. The session contributes to effective time management by helping Extension professionals become proactive at recruitment and focusing on the big picture need for volunteer involvement.  All volunteers receive consistent, inclusive information about Extension, its programs, and the need for volunteers.  Experience Level - Beginner.

Gateway to Quality Career & Workforce Information, presented by LaMarr Johnson, Labor Market Outreach Specialist, IL Dept. of Employment Security
The Illinois Department of Employment Security's (IDES) Career Information System is for anyone searching for in-depth career information including programs of study, financial aid, job search and tips on writing a resume.  The workshop consists of a live internet demonstration of how to navigate the website and highlight major features.

The One Source Website/Career Resource Network presentation is given simultaneously during a live internet demonstration. IDES' Career Resource Network is comprised of three websites that benefit students, parents, counselors, tutors and administrators. Our websites provide useful tools for students and adults alike and are free of charge. A person can discover what their interest are, what skills they possess and what career clusters/occupations are identified with those traces. 


Beyond the Background Check: Incorporating SAFE Practices into Your Program, presented by Sarah Kremer, Program Director, Friends for Youth's Mentoring Institute, http://www.friendsforyouth.org
You know about risks involved in placing adult volunteers with youth and you have a process, but do you know if you're assessing information appropriately to screen out potential child molesters? This workshop covers recommended tools, red flags, and monitoring processes to increase the safety of youth in your program.

This workshop is intended for all levels of staff in mentoring/youth-serving programs, from executive-level to direct staff. This is NOT intended for volunteers or youth. By attending this session, participants will:
  • Become aware of the prevalence of child predators and tactics employed in targeting victims in community youth-serving organizations
  • Learn about latest research on child molester profiles and potential red flags and warning signs to be aware of during application and monitoring processes
  • Obtain resources on screening tools and guidelines to apply in order to maximize the safety of children and youth served
May 30, 2008 - 12:50pm to 1:15 pm - Keynote Speaker
Glen "Max" McGee, Ph.D., President, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, http://www.imsa.edu

Afternoon workshops: 1:45 to 3:00 pm -

Engaging Talent Volunteers from the Business Community. Panel of Tutor/Mentor Program Leaders will describe ways they use volunteers in non tutoring/mentoring roles.

On  February 13, 2008 a CEO Summit was held in New York City, with a goal of unleasing $1 billion in pro bono talent from the business community, in support of the non profit sector.  Read about this at the Tutor/Mentor Connection web site.  This workshop is intended to showcase ways some tutor/mentor programs engage the talent of business volunteers.  It is intended for volunteer managers in business and professional groups as well as the volunteer recruitment managers in volunteer-based non profits.

Panel members


Collaboration of National Service Volunteers, a discussion facilitated by Joel Newman, Esther Lindstrom and other Illinois Leader Corps volunteers who are working in volunteer based tutoring and/or mentoring programs.

Panel includes:
  • Joel Newman, President, Illinois LeaderCorps, Mentoring Outreach Coordinator, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley
  • Esther Lindström, AmeriCorps Leader, Project YES!
  • TBD, Outreach Coordinator, Working In the Schools/ AmeriCorps, http://www.witsontheweb.org

This workshop is intended to bring together national service volunteers from different tutoring and/or mentoring programs in Chicago and other cities so that we can collaborate and discuss efficient ways to reach our goals. The session will be an opportunity for  service volunteers to see what tasks each service volunteer is doing and gives service volunteers an opportunity to unite and discuss different strategies to generate and promote the message of community involvement.  Bring handouts from  your programs and be prepared to share what you do, what works, and what needs to be improved.  

What Brains Do When They Learn: Reach Them to Teach Them, presented by Sara Sawtelle, Ph.D., Director of Scientific Affairs, Learning Enhancement Corporation and Betsy Hill, President & COO, Learning Enhancement Corporation, http://www.MyBrainWare.com

This highly interactive seminar covers the latest learning regarding the functioning of the brain and converts that into practical strategies to propel engagement and learning.  Included in the presentation will be approaches to developing underlying cognitive skills (attention, memory, thinking, etc.) to build learning capacity.

Handouts and reference materials are provided.  In addition, attendees will receive a complimentary copy of BrainWare Safari, the revolutionary software program that develops cognitive skills in an engaging video-game format, and three free user accounts.

Specific topics covered may include the following and will be adapted to the audience's interests. 
  • Basic brain anatomy and function
  • Stages of brain development and windows of learning opportunity
  • Gender differences and the implications for education
  • The key cognitive processes and how they are impacted by environment, teaching and learning styles, and training 
          •    Attention and Perception   •    Concept Development and Organization
          •    Auditory and Visual Discrimination    •    Short-term and Long-term Memory
          •    Working Memory    •    Retrieval of Information
          •    Integration with Prior Learning   •    Comprehension
          •    Reasoning and Logic   •    Planning   •    Sensory Integration
  • The emotions and learning
  • How threats, stress, and exposure to violence affect learning
  • Brain-based learning strategies
  • Developing stronger basic cognitive skills
  • Developing higher-order thinking skills

Creating a Program Website Using Free Online Tools, presented by Dan Hogan, Mentoring Program Coordinator at Circle Urban Ministries in the Austin community, http://circlerockmentoring.googlepages.com

Do you want to create a website for your program but lack the software, budget, and technical expertise to make it a reality? Join us for this workshop as we'll provide a brief introduction to googlepages, jotform, localendar, and additional, free, online applications that can help you get your program's website started!

This workshop is intended to serve tutor/mentor program leaders who desire to begin developing a program website but lack either the money to pay a web designer and/or hosting fees or the technical expertise to know where to begin. The speaker will share how his program has used Google Page Creator, along with several other free, online tools (jotform, localendar, Google Analytics, box.net, etc.) to build and maintain a website which is used for mentor recruitment, communication to program stakeholders, and as an element of program support offered to volunteers.  Dan will provide a brief overview of the online tools he has found to be useful, focusing primarily on developing a basic website using Google Page Creator. The presentation will assume that the audience is familiar with using the Internet and possesses basis word processing skills, with a beginner to novice level of expertise in web design. (As a disclaimer, Dan does not claim any expertise in the field of web design, but plans to show how a program leader can use these basic tools to create a useful program website.)







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