5 things I learned as a mentor

Illustration
Christine on stage with a microphone and a projector screen on the left. The projector screen shows a slide saying 'The outcome', accompanied with illustrations of planets and stars.
Christine on stage presenting at PechaKucha Night Manchester Vol. 21. Photograph by Fiona Finchett

The Background

As a design practitioner, it is important to support others keen to get into the creative industry.

I began mentoring university students and graduates, discovering their goals and aspirations.


The Response

Mentoring was an ongoing learning curve, and I discussed this in a talk titled '5 things I learned as a mentor (and how to get started)' at PechaKucha Night Manchester Vol. 21: Making Connections.

The PechaKucha format is 20 images of 20 seconds each. I produced colourful illustrations for each slide. I kept the text on the slides to a minimum - representing the key headlines of the talk.

I also used the illustrations in a follow-up blog post and socials.

Vector illustration portrays a purple night sky with clouds and stars. An orange aeroplane is soaring over silhouetted hills. The image includes the words 'The Beginning' in white text.
The Beginning
Vector illustration featuring clouds and snow-topped mountains against a blue gradient background. The image includes the words '1. Giving feedback is hard' in white text against a purple circle.
1. Giving feedback is hard
Vector illustration features a cityscape with interconnected buildings and structures, representing the supportive framework of mentoring. The buildings are in shades of orange, red, and grey, with white rectangle windows. The image includes the words '2. Having a structure is important' in white text.
2. Having a structure is important
Vector illustration features a set of interlocking gears or cogs, symbolising the process of learning and knowledge exchange in mentoring. The cogs are in shades of pink, teal, and white against a dark blue background. The image includes the words '3. You learn from them, as much as they learn from you' in white text.
3. You learn from them, as much as they learn from you
Vector illustration showcases a scene with green trees, blue sky, and white clouds, representing growth and guidance. The illustration features an orange sun containing the words '4. You get to see someone grow' in white text.
4. You get to see someone grow
Vector illustration features a green forest landscape with a grey winding path in a map-like style. On the right, there is a blue lake with yellow fish in it. The image includes the words '5. You can do this at any point in your career' in white text.
5. You can do this at any point in your career
Vector illustration features a celestial scene with a dark blue sky, a silver crescent moon and gold stars. Planet Earth is in the bottom left, and a Saturn-style planet is in the top right. The imagery symbolises the transformative nature of mentoring. The image includes the words 'The outcome' in white text.
The outcome