Mentors

Mentors Welcome Pack

Staff Member(s): - KiindaLinda, yetisoready
 
Welcome to RTF 2025! You're the participant lifeline - you help dreams become projects. Your Mission: Help participants overcome blockers without doing the work for them.

When You're Most Needed:

  • June 19: 3:00-7:00 PM (team formation)
  • June 20: All day (peak building time)
  • June 21: 8:00-10:00 AM (submission panic)

How Tickets Work:

  1. Check #mentor-tickets every 30 min when online
  1. Claim tickets by reacting with 👀
  1. Help via Discord DM or public response
  1. Close ticket with ✅ when done

Common Questions & Answers:

For folks newer to hackathons they’re trying to get their footing
  • "How do I start?" → "What's the smallest piece you could build first?"
  • "Is my idea good enough?" → "What matters is that it's meaningful to you. Why does this project excite you?"
  • "I don't know how to [technical thing]" → "Let's find a simpler approach. What are you trying to achieve?"
  • "I can't finish in time" → "What's the core feature that shows your idea? Focus on that."
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You DON'T Need To:

  • Write code for participants
  • Be available 24/7
  • Know every technology
  • Judge if ideas are "good"

Mentor Onboarding Task:

Share your mentorship focus and capabilities with your fellow Mentor teammates
  1. Visit the Mentor Team part of the RTF Discord
  1. Copy, fill out, and paste this into the mentor thread
Template: 
Hi! I'm [Name] - [Role] with [X] years experience. I can help with: [skill1, skill2, skill3]. Best for: [type of guidance]. Please don't ask me about: [limitations]. Available: [days/times]. Response time: [timeframe]. Prefer: [communication method]. My "Creating Because...": [personal connection]. Excited to support your RTF journey! 🚀

Template Example filled out:
Hi! I'm Alex - Frontend Dev with 5 years experience. I can help with: React, CSS, portfolio reviews. Best for: debugging sessions, career advice. Please don't ask me about: backend, databases, emergency fixes. Available: weeknight 7-9pm EST. Response time: 24hrs. Prefer: Discord screen share. My "Creating Because...": representation matters in tech. Excited to support your RTF journey! 🚀

Mentor Role Quick Guidance

1. Your Job Is Teaching, Not Doing

  • Ask "What have you tried?" before giving solutions
  • Guide them to the answer rather than giving the answer
  • It's mentorship, not free labor

2. It's Okay to Say "I Don't Know"

  • "@" tag someone who does know (if you have permission to do so, asking first is always a win)
  • "Let me find someone better suited for this"
  • You're not expected to know everything

3. Keep It Supportive, Keep It Brief

  • Acknowledge their effort first
  • Give 1-2 specific GROKKABLE next steps
  • Close the ticket when done

4. When to Escalate Immediately

  • Participant mentions self-harm or crisis
  • Harassment or safety concerns
  • Anything outside normal mentorship scope
  • Tag leadership - don't handle alone

5. Healthy Boundaries

  • Mentorship happens in tickets/designated channels
  • You're a volunteer, not on-call 24/7
  • "I'll respond within [your timeframe]" is perfectly fine