Missed our Mentor Kick-off Session? Don’t worry — we’ve gathered key mentoring tips from returning B!G Idea Mentor Cormac O’Connaire from Design Partners to help you feel confident and prepared.
Whether you’re new to mentoring students or returning for another year, these insights will help you deliver clear, actionable and encouraging feedback.
Remember Who You’re Mentoring. First and foremost, these are students. Many of them have never been introduced to a structured creative process before. For them, discovering creative thinking and problem-solving skills is already exciting.
Simply being exposed to ideas like critical thinking, iteration and creative confidence can be transformative.
Unlike traditional mentoring — where you may work face-to-face with interns or junior professionals — B!G Mentoring is different.
You are not there for long weekly sessions. Instead, think of your role as:
Your feedback is then facilitated and supported by teachers in the classroom. Every mentor brings a unique experience — and that diversity is what makes the programme powerful.
Vague advice doesn’t help students move forward. Instead of saying: “Try doing more research.”
Try: “What would happen if you explored how this solution works in rural areas versus cities?”
Specific questions give students direction and confidence.
Students may not understand design jargon or technical terminology. If you use industry terms, always explain them in simple language. Clear communication builds confidence — confusion does the opposite.
A helpful trick? Write your feedback in a separate document first. Then step away. When you return, reread it from a student’s perspective.
Ask yourself:
Sometimes a student’s solution doesn’t fully address the problem. That’s okay. Start by celebrating what they’ve done well. Then gently guide them back:
Creative growth happens in revision.
Students often cling tightly to their first strong idea. This usually stems from:
Your role is to gently expand their thinking.
Remind them:
When students realise they can generate multiple ideas — and that none are “bad” — their creative confidence skyrockets.
At its heart, B!G Mentoring is about encouragement, clarity and belief. You’re not expected to rewrite projects or provide perfect answers. Instead, you’re there to:
And that expert perspective? It means more to students than you might ever realise.
