On Wednesday, 16 November, The B!G Idea reached an exciting milestone by hosting its first-ever Mentor Meet Up. After months of plans disrupted by Covid, it felt incredible to finally bring our mentor community together in person. From 6.30 pm, mentors and partners—both new and familiar—gathered at The Dean on Harcourt Street, filling the Blue Room with energy, conversation, and connection. Over drinks and delicious nibbles, we finally put faces to names and took time to get to know one another better.
Kindly sponsored by Design & Crafts Council Ireland as part of Design Week, the evening included a brilliant presentation from Niamh Cooney, Head of Innovation and Sustainability at The B!G Idea. Niamh walked guests through the programme and shared videos from past mentors and students, highlighting the real impact of mentoring.
She was then joined by a panel of 2022 mentors:
The panel shared honest insights into what a “day in the life” of a B!G Mentor looks like, followed by an engaging Q&A session. As a result, both current and prospective mentors left with a clearer understanding of the programme and how they can get involved.
Of course, no B!G Idea event would be complete without a surprise. Thanks to the generous team at Bondi Group, one lucky attendee went home with an AirTag—much appreciated once everyone figured out what it does! We also captured quick Vox Pops with some of last year’s mentors, which we’ll be sharing very soon. Hearing directly from mentors about their experiences is always powerful and inspiring. After more chats, drinks, and treats, the evening wrapped up on a real high.
Our first Mentor Meet Up was a huge success, and it certainly won’t be the last. We’re already looking forward to hosting more events like this in the future. If you’d like to become a mentor or think your organisation could be a great B!G Idea partner, we’d love to hear from you.
Click below to sign up and join our growing community—you won’t regret it.
