Cabrini Connections seeks to integrate communications and learning technologies into every part of its programming. We believe that the greatest benefit of tutoring/mentoring is the expanded network of adults who become part of the life of a youth born in a neighborhood where there are too few adults modeling the many jobs/careers youth might aspire to, and who provide learning and enrichment opportunities to help youth reach the many career opportunities available beyond a life in a high poverty neighborhood.

The Internet offers a means of keeping youth and volunteers connected with each other beyond the months or  years they are active at Cabrini Connections. It offers opportunities to learn from people beyond the neighborhood the kids live in. It provides an unlimited wealth of learning, enrichment and motivational activities.

The challenge is teaching teens and volunteers to use this resource regularly, and to stay connected to each other through Cabrini Connections as they move through life beyond Cabrini Connections.

By staying connected through Cabrini Connections we build a community of adults (student alumni and veteran volunteers) who have a common bond, and a willingness to keep helping each other, no matter where each person lives in the world.  This is the type of family and community connection available to youth in more affluent areas and it can be the community available to inner city kids, if we teach them to use the internet for this purpose.

Thanks to donations from HSBC North America, Microsoft, IBM, The Beaumont Foundation and many others, the Tutor/Mentor Center at 800 W. Huron has more than 20 PC and MacIntosh workstations, all connected to the Internet via a high speed DSL connection.  Teens and Volunteers can  use this technology any day of the week, and during weekly Wednesday/Thursday tutoring/mentoring sessions.

Read more about the  goals of our eLearning strategy

The Cabrini Connections Tech Club is one of the activities that teach youth the Goals of our eLearning strategy .  Tech Club is one of the "experience and enrichment" activities described in the Cabrini Connections Success Steps Action Plan.  Youth who participate in the club are also engaged in one-on-one mentoring/tutoring with other workplace volunteers, and may also be participating in other Success Steps activities.

Tech club students come from the Cabrini Green neighborhood of Chicago and range in grade from 7th to 12th graders. The goal of this club and of all Cabrini Connections programs is to help youth build skills, attitudes and adult networks that not only help them succeed in graduating from high school and advanced education, but also help them get interviews for jobs and scholarship opportunities.

Tech Club was started in 2001 by a team of volunteers who use computers and technology every day in their jobs and careers.  The group has met on Monday or Tuesday evenings every week during the school year.  One of the products of this work is a variety of web sites created by teens who have participated. 

The 2006-07 Tech Club is looking for volunteers who will take a lead on organizing a Monday evening learning group.  If you would like to volunteer, or learn more about participating, email Ariane Lee at ariane.cabrini@gmail.com


Learn more about the Success Steps at http://www.cabriniconnections.net.

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