why mentor?

Youth Design students bring enthusiasm, intelligence, fresh ideas, and make valuable contributions to their workplaces. Energize your workforce with community outreach!
Connect with some of your area's most highly motivated and talented kids.
Help grow your community's creative workforce—give back to and promote the creative profession!

what's involved?

Planning Work

Ideally, the Youth Designer's job will be a balance of work that is useful to you and your firm, and engaging and educational for the student (work is considered engaging when a student can clearly make a connection between their tasks and your firm’s products and services). We encourage you to try to outline such connections, especially when students are doing what they may perceive as “busy work”. If you are having trouble finding specific tasks for your student, here are some suggested educational activities that you can use:

• Job Shadowing—Allow the student to spend time observing and interviewing different staff members about their job responsibilities
• Research Projects—Develop projects where students can research different aspects of design
• Time to Design Assignment—The Time to Design Competition is an ongoing educational assignment that is to be completed by the students during their hours at the firm. This will be ongoing personal project that students can have as a physical product of their summer’s work. You should allow your student to work independently on their Time To Design assignment, but also make time to guide, assist and give advice.
• Portfolio Piece—Students may also work with their mentors to design a piece for their portfolio. Any advice or ideas on how to create comprehensive portfolio pieces, as well as interview tips will be helpful to the student.
  
• Resumé Design—Students can work on a resumé that demonstrates design competence and may serve as a tool for future career development. Supervisors should assist students in this project. It is a good way to help them develop their design skills.