Maker Mentor Partnership Overview

A Maker Mentor partnership with EPK connects skilled STEM and makerspace professionals—including staff or independent contractors—with schools through the Pinball Project STEM Program. Maker Mentors help deliver hands-on learning to high school students while earning affiliate revenue when schools purchase program options via unique links.

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Examples of School Purchases Generating Affiliate Revenue

• Incursion with Tools: Schools with equipment but no trained teacher buy the Pinball Project and hire a Maker Mentor to co-deliver. Maker Mentors could be maker space staff or independent contractors trained by EPK.

• Incursion without Tools: Schools lacking both tools and a trained teacher purchase the Pinball Project, hire a Maker Mentor, and rent a Mobile Makerspace. The mentor might be staff or a contractor supplying their own mobile setup.

• Excursion: Schools without equipment send students to a makerspace, purchasing the Pinball Project and hiring a Maker Mentor at the rented makerspace location.

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Maker Mentor Training and Benefits

EPK offers free training, so Maker Mentors can facilitate sessions either at schools or makerspaces. This arrangement helps spaces and mentors serve more schools and promotes creativity through quality STEM programming. Partnering with EPK fosters a strong, inclusive makerspace community while supporting financial stability.

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Partnering with EPK offers Maker Spaces and independent Maker Mentor providers a range of compelling benefits that directly support both their operational goals and their broader mission to foster creativity and innovation. Through the partnership, Maker Spaces and Maker Mentors gain access to the Pinball Project and associated STEM programs, which are designed to engage a diverse audience—including solo makers, DIY high schools, and schools seeking to outsource their makerspace activities. By integrating these hands-on, project-based learning opportunities, Maker Spaces and independent Maker Mentor providers can enhance their offerings, attract new members, and provide added value to their existing community.

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Additionally, the EPK partnership introduces a sustainable revenue stream through affiliate commissions and Maker Space and Maker Mentor hire. Makerspaces and independent Maker Mentor providers earn commissions when members or schools purchase Pinball Project kits using the provided affiliate links, which can be reinvested into memberships, open day vouchers, or DIY school support. The highly profitable Maker Space and Maker Mentor hire fees are 100% redeemed by affiliate partners. This financial model not only supports the Maker Space and Maker Mentor’s ongoing operations but also encourages outreach and community engagement, as both are incentivised to promote the programs and build connections with local schools. Overall, partnering with EPK enables Maker Spaces and Maker Mentors to offer high-quality STEM experiences, grow their community, and ensure long-term viability while contributing to a vibrant, inclusive learning environment.

How the EPK Partnership Operates

Overview

The EPK partnership connects Maker Mentors to schools via three affiliate types and delivery methods.

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Types of Maker Mentors

• Maker Space staff (trained by EPK)

• Independent Contractors (hired by Maker Space, trained by EPK)

• Independent Providers (not linked to Maker Space, trained by EPK)

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School Delivery Configurations

• Incursion: Maker Mentor delivers at the school, with school’s own makerspace or provided by Maker Mentor's Mobile Makerspace

• Excursion: Program runs at makerspace, requiring both mentor and equipment

Becoming a Maker Mentor

• Candidate completes EPK training based on chosen delivery configuration.

• Credentials are verified by EPK.

• Affiliate link and promo materials provided.

• Maker Mentor or Maker Space promotes program to schools via website and outreach.

• Schools select and book programs online, activating affiliate purchases.

• Revenue includes commission, mentor hire fee, and optional equipment hire.

• Trained mentors guide teachers, ensuring a minimum of 15 days’ support for program delivery.

Contractor and Provider Differences

• Contractors must be endorsed by the Maker Space.

• Independent Providers run all outreach themselves and may offer mobile makerspace services.

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Customer Acquisition Channels for Makerspaces & Maker Mentors

Makerspaces and independent Maker Mentor Providers interested in partnering with Engineering Project Kits (EPK) for initiatives like the Pinball Project and STEM Program—alongside services such as Makerspace hire and Maker Mentor hire—may wonder where their customers will come from. There are at least four straightforward and free ways for makerspaces to reach potential participants. These include:

1. Makerspace & Maker Mentor Website Visitors

2. Social Media Channels (Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, etc.)

3. Promotional Posters within the Makerspace

4. High School Outreach through Open Day excursions and Demo Day incursions

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Makerspace & Maker Mentor Website Visitors

Makerspaces serve as hubs where large portions of the local maker community gather to access tools, equipment, and expertise from staff and fellow members. Online research tools like similarweb and semrush show that makerspace websites can attract anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 visits each month. With such substantial web traffic, makerspaces can easily engage their existing audience by promoting new and exciting projects in collaboration with EPK, thereby expanding their membership, reach and impact.

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Social Media Channels

Makerspaces frequently leverage platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to share news, showcase activities, and advertise upcoming events to both current members and the wider community. Independent Maker Mentor Providers can also use these platforms for promotion. These social media channels offer a free and effective method to publicise projects like the Pinball Project kits and the School STEM Program.

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Promotional Materials for Makerspaces & Maker Mentors

EPK will support Maker Spaces and independent Maker Mentor providers by supplying promotional materials, including posters in electronic formats (pdf, png, svg). These can be uploaded to Maker Space and Maker Mentor websites, shared across social media platforms, and printed for prominent display within the makerspace or on the Maker Mentor’s Mobile Makerspace vehicle. The posters and web infographics will feature QR codes linking directly to relevant offers on the EPK website, tailored to the specific partnership agreements with each Maker Space and independent Maker Mentor provider.

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High School Outreach – Makerspace Open Days & School Demo Day Incursions

Makerspaces can conduct outreach to local high schools by hosting Open Days at their workshops. A personal approach—such as delivering a flyer, business card, and branded merchandise to a school receptionist and arranging a meeting with a STEM or Technical and Applied Science teacher—is often more effective than simply making a phone call, especially when relationships have not yet been established. Alternatively, some makerspaces may already have good relationships with their local high schools.

Open Days can take the form of school excursions during class time (preferred by teachers) or weekend events (when parents can attend with students). During these events, teachers, students, and parents can experience firsthand the activities offered through the Pinball Project STEM Program. They may also interact with finished products, such as an EPK pinball machine assembled by makerspace staff or members. Playing the pinball machine can generate excitement and interest in the STEM program, while teachers can gain insight into its educational benefits by speaking with Maker Mentors.

Makerspace staff and independent Maker Mentor providers may offer Demo Day incursions at local high schools, delivering demonstrations during class time. These incursions showcase the types of activities available in the STEM Program and allow students and teachers to interact with the fully assembled pinball machine, creating enthusiasm for participation.

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