Recently I featured an interview with James West, the designer behind Fifty Designers’ Current Favourite Typefaces which raised money for UNICEF’s appeal for Burma. James’ idea resonated with a notion I’ve had for a little while now, to investigate what avenues exist for designers to use their skills for the greater good. I’ve compiled a list of resources which I hope will provide some inspiration (let me know if they do).
Design 21: Social Design Network
Design 21 is a hub for design with a social conscience: articles, news, design competitions and opportunities to work with aid or support organisations can all be found here.
The Designers Accord
A coalition of designers seeking to improve environmental and social conditions around the world. Their website says that a forum for exchange of ideas and resources will be launched in (northern hemisphere) Summer of 2008.
Good 50 x 70
An annual competition calling for poster designs with themes covering a range of social and environmental causes. This year’s competition is over, but the gallery of entries is a great source of inspiration.
Design Can Change
A register of designers who have, or have pledged to adopt sustainable practices in their work
Design Aid
A UK organisation connecting designers with charities and NGOs.
Good Company
An Australian organisation which matches non-profit and community organisations with professionals from all fields, including design, who wish to volunteer their services for a worthy cause.
Grassroots
A US organisation matching web designers and other web professionals with non-profit organisations.
Inhabit
A beautifully designed magazine site devoted to advances in sustainable design. The focus appears to be chiefly on architecture, but there is also a section on graphic design and packaging
If you’re seeking more avenues for donating your design skills, check out the website of designer Paul Lynn, who has compiled an impressive list of volunteering and philanthropic organisations and charities working with professional volunteers, including designers. Follow the myHotList link near the top of his site.
Do you know of any avenues for designers to contribute their skills for social, humanitarian or environmental benefit? Have you had any experiences with this kind of work?
Great article Tracey. I’ve never seen any of those sites before. I do some pro-bono work that I see on the volunteer ireland site, but I like that many of these sites have a strong design orientation.
Good job showcasing fantastic sites that I have never heard of.
All too often the good ones just make their way around all the design blogs, and I think you may be the beginning on these.
Thanks!
frank’s last blog post … bhamlinks [dot] com
Jennifer:
It’s great to hear you’ve had some involvement with an Irish organisation. I hope it’s been a good experience.
frank:
I’m glad you liked the list. One of my aims with this blog is to be original or a bit different with the ideas that I post about; thanks for your great feedback.
Another site with a philanthropic message is http://www.grassroots.org/ where designers can donate their team designing sites for non-profit organizations.
Jeri:
Grassroots is a site I hadn’t seen before. It looks like it has a good set-up and lots of volunteering opportunities for web designers to choose from. Thanks for the suggestion; I’ll include it on the list.
What an excellent set of sites. I haven’t heard of any of them.
Thanks for bringing them to my attention!
Lucinda:
Thanks, it’s great to hear that you liked them :)
nice article…
ergin:
Thanks!