Respawn mentors are working industry professionals who volunteer quarterly time to guide learners from non-traditional backgrounds — and gain real paid opportunities through our conference and events pipeline.
Every mentor track is built around the same core commitment — a quarterly 30-minute virtual session with a matched mentee — with perks, requirements, and focus areas tailored to your discipline.
Connect with a matched student who is actively learning game development. Your role is to be a consistent, real voice from industry — not a teacher, but a guide. Available to all developer mentors at no cost to the mentee.
Developer mentors are first in line for paid panel participation, Tech Talks, and keynote speakerships at the annual Respawn Conference. Your time and expertise is compensated when you go beyond the base commitment.
Be paired with a learner building their visual design and art skills within the Respawn program. Share your craft, your process, and the reality of working as a digital artist in the games industry.
Artist mentors are eligible for paid Design Talk presentations, panel participation, and speakerships at the annual Respawn Conference — sharing craft, process, and creative perspective with the learner community.
Be matched with a learner studying voice performance, audio narrative design, or related craft through Respawn's exclusive TIVA-delivered Module 7. You're not just a mentor — you're a practitioner opening a door to a profession.
Voice Talent mentors are eligible for paid panel participation, craft-focused talks, and speakerships at the annual Respawn Conference — including performance opportunities at the TIVA Showcase co-production event.
Everything you need to know about schedule, requirements, training, and time commitments before applying.
Mentors meet with their matched mentee for one 30-minute virtual session each quarter — four sessions per year total. You and your mentee choose the time together, so sessions fit around your existing work and personal commitments. We recommend booking the next session at the end of each call to keep momentum.
You need to be a working professional in one of our three tracks: game development, digital art, or voice talent. You must also be able to participate in the designated Respawn Discord channel and commit to the quarterly 30-minute session minimum. Prior mentoring experience is not required — we care more about your willingness to share honest guidance than your years on stage.
Yes. Every approved mentor completes a short onboarding that covers our learner-centered approach, boundaries, safety guidelines, and how to use the Respawn Discord for async check-ins. We also share a session guide with suggested prompts and resources so you never have to prepare from scratch. Optional continuing sessions and peer mentor meetups run throughout the year.
The base volunteer commitment is about three hours per year: four 30-minute sessions plus light Discord presence. Paid opportunities like Tech Talks, panels, and conference speakerships are optional and scheduled separately — you choose which ones fit your calendar. There is no penalty for declining paid work; the quarterly mentorship is the only fixed commitment.
The core quarterly mentorship is a volunteer commitment. However, mentors are first in line for paid opportunities through the Respawn Conference and TIVA co-productions, including Tech Talks, moderated panels, keynote speakerships, and the annual Showcase performance. These are optional and scheduled beyond your base volunteer hours.
After your application is approved, we match you based on your track, experience level, and the interests and goals you share. We aim to confirm matches within four weeks of approval. Applicants must be based in the United States, and matches are made within your timezone where possible.
Tell us about yourself and what you'd bring to a mentee. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis — we'll match you within 4 weeks of approval.