MENTEE INFORMATION PACK
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Ancreative Avenue
A free 1:1 mentorship program for emerging Australian designers
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Expressions of interest are currently closed. Please reach out for more details.
Program Details
What will I get out of the mentorship?
A good mentorship will have an exchange of experience, knowledge and ideas - even a mentor can learn from a mentee!
Some examples of what your mentor may assist with:
Discussing and clarifying your creative goals and expectations of the industry
Talking through your fears and frustrations about the industry
How to navigate tricky clients or colleagues
How to recognise and care for yourself when you have creative burnout
Course work, client work, or even passion projects if you need feedback or brief breakdowns.
As part of the program you will also receive a personalised newsletter with content relevant to your interests and niche.
What’s not included in the mentorship?
Ancreative Avenue is not a business focused program (i.e freelancing, pricing, self-marketing). The mentorship focuses on personal and technical development but the above topics may be touched on during the program.
A mentor is also not responsible for finding the mentee a job in the market but will assist in defining career pathways and preparing for interviews.
Why is it free?
It’s daunting when you’re just launching yourself into the industry - and it’s even harder being able to afford professional support so early in your career.
Ancreative Avenue was created to ease the transition from student; to junior; to mid‑weight, without additional costs to living.
Who is eligible for the mentorship?
Designers who are studying a relevant course or have 0-2 years of industry experience.
How long does the mentorship run for and when does it start?
The program runs for 6 months.
Intakes run twice a year: applications open in May for a June start, and December for a January start.
Start and end dates will be released when applications have been processed.
What are the expected commitments of the mentorship?
As a mentee, you are responsible for being proactive and seeking progress and opportunity.
Your mentor will periodically check in on you and schedule catch ups.
At minimum the mentor and mentee will meet once a month for 1-3 hours (depending on the Learning Pathway).
You will get more out of the program if you're hungry to learn, ask questions and are invested in leading your journey.
What if I can't make it to the meetings or am unable to give the mentorship my time?
Meetings can always be rescheduled, however if you are finding that the mentorship can't be prioritised, please inform your mentor so adjustments can be made.
If you miss 2 meetings without rescheduling, or have a lack of proactive participation it will be considered a withdrawal from the program.
Can I continue the mentorship past the 6 month program?
Of course! A mentorship may last a lifetime. Your mentor will always be available to contact but will no longer run scheduled meetings or catch ups unless asked. You will also be removed from the newsletter mailing list unless otherwise asked.
Learning Pathway
Casual
This pathway would suit a designer who is looking to connect with an industry professional when they otherwise are unable to. For example: you work remotely, are the only designer in your office, or are a sole trader.
Time Commitment
Meet once a month
Pathway Outline
An informal pathway that includes a monthly meeting for the mentor and mentee to connect and catch up on industry related issues.
There are no pre‑set topics to discuss and each monthly meeting will flow organically.
Structured
Structured
This pathway would suit a designer who is looking to supplement their learning and plans to launch into the industry. The pathway includes monthly topics that build towards your understanding and confidence in the industry.
Time Commitment
Meet once a month with some optional homework in between.
Pathway Outline
A structured pathway with a topic of focus for each monthly meeting:
Introduction: Reviewing your resume and portfolio samples and mapping out a career pathway.
Discovery: How to take in and write a brief - questions, scope, deliverables, agreements.
Development, Feedback and Delivery: How to present, analyse, justify and critique design. Does the creative match the brief?
Tools & Techniques: A run through of lesser known tools and techniques to speed up your workflow.
Time and client management: How to manage your time, resources and liaise with clients. How to recognise and handle burnout.
Networking: Build your creative network - where to find clients and collaborators. How to market and position yourself.
How do I join the program?
Your application will not be judged or selected by how beautiful your designs are or how much experience you have. Mentee selection is based on your dedication to the craft and your forward thinking.
Application Items
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As a volunteer-run program, Ancreative Avenue has limited resources and can only accept a number of applicants at a time. To streamline the process, please submit your application with the following items:
Cover Letter
Short introduction of yourself
What drew you to Graphic Design?
What areas/disciplines interest you the most?Your expectations or desire out of the mentorship and which learning path you’d like to take:
Casual
Structured
Project
Creative Resume
If you don’t have a resume, please detail any schooling or experience you have in your cover letter.
Portfolio Samples
3 Samples
Include
(1) your worst
(1) best, and
(1) a mediocre sample
Write a short summary of each sample: your highlights and challenges in creating the piece.
Terms and Conditions
Mentorship Agreement
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In the event of your successful application the following Mentoring Agreement will take effect:
As a mentee, I agree to:
Meet regularly with my mentor and maintain frequent communication
Look for multiple opportunities and experiences to enhance my learning
Maintain confidentiality of the mentorship.
Communicate in writing if I cannot/do not want to continue the mentorship (no further explanation needed).
As a mentor, Amor agrees to:
Provide guidance, oversight, and encouragement
Meet in person or communicate regularly with the mentee to review their progress and help them work toward identified goals
Maintain confidentiality of the mentorship.
Communicate in writing if I cannot/do not want to continue the mentorship (no further explanation needed).
Release
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I hereby give my unconditional permission to Amor Villareid to use my photographic/filmed image/written content (the materials) about me for the purposes of promoting, publicising and advertising in any project related to her work as a Visual Communicator, Graphic Designer and Artist.
I understand the materials will remain the property of Amor Villareid and may be used in publications, websites, social media and other publicity material and I expressly authorise such use.
I also understand and acknowledge that once the materials are posted on the web, the materials content can be downloaded and may be viewed by others beyond Amor’s owned channels.
I give express permission for Amor Villareid to crop or alter the materials as necessary.
Amor Villareid agrees not to use the materials in a manner that could cause harm or embarrassment to the Mentee, unless agreed upon otherwise.
Amor Villareid shall not be held liable for any consequences resulting from the Mentee's participation in the program, including but not limited to any loss, injury, or damage.
I understand I can withdraw the above consent at any time by advising Amor Villareid in writing.
Submit my application
Before you submit your application, check that you have the application items:
Creative Resume
Portfolio Samples (3)
By submitting your application you also agree to the terms set out in the 'Mentorship Agreement' and 'Release'.
Expressions of interest are currently closed. Please reach out for more details.
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