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Local Non-Profit Young Voices get 24hour design makeover

For a couple of months, at Big New Ideas, I've been tinkering about the idea of a weekend event that brought together creatives to use our skills to help a local non-profit. I believe in what many non-profits do and I believe that as designers we have a role to play. However, with our society is moving at an ever quicker pace, and time commitment is getting harder, something needed to be done.

That is when the idea of the "24 Hour Design Jam" (As it is currently called) came about. Where every month, we get 6-8 creatives together and over Friday and Saturday apply the creative process to develop an appropriate brand and plant the seeds for a nonprofit's online presences. This weekend was the first 24 hour jam we did with a local non-profit in Providence, RI called Young Voices. They are a youth led advocacy group training young people to become leaders in their communities.

 Before

 After

The Team: Aya Pogrebinsky; Greg NemesJoshua Vizzacco; Julie SygielMarc PageauMarie Kaziunas; Chace Baptista, the founder/co-director of Young Voices and yours sincerely Tino Chow.

It was an amazing experience! I knew it was going to be fun and never so much fun, and on top of that it feels really good to have worked along side with other young people who believes in the sames things I do and is as passionate or even more passionate about help others. And Young Voices have a new website!

The big idea is for us to work with a couple more non-profits by assembling a different team each time, so that we can find a formula that can be scaled and done anywhere in the world. Follow us on Facebook.

Posted by Tin Ho Chow 

Comments (9)

Aug 15, 2010
pragzz said...
Tino, we need a design makeover desperately. I am struggling to find some quality talent here in your hometown. Can you introduce me to good folks or would you be willing to help us with the same?? We are also a struggling non-profit!!
Aug 15, 2010
 said...
This is great, Tino! Love the concept.
Aug 16, 2010
Tin Ho Chow said...
I would love to help. The idea is to have local talent help local non-profits, similar to Peha Kucha. I am trying to figure out a formula where any designer in any city or country can gather their own local team and pair up with a local non-profit. We are a couple steps away from that.
Aug 16, 2010
Anab Jain said...
Great idea! And would love to help as well.
Aug 16, 2010
TS Elliott said...
I love this non-profit idea and great job on the website. I wish there was something like this in my area!!!
Aug 16, 2010
 said...
Hopefully the 24hrDesign Jam team can create a system, or design process out of our explorations that others can follow and implement. The entire process and experience for us was thrilling, tiring and extremely rewarding. A simple gift of time and talent to better the world around us! FTW.
Aug 16, 2010
kellee said...
We have something like this in the games industry, called the Game Jam. Studios will often have them internally - the restriction of 24 hours allows people to let go of their egos in an effort to just "get it done," and helps to shake designers out of a rut.

In regards to growing this scene, check out the Global Game Jam: http://www.globalgamejam.org/  Groups are organized in local game development community and at universities to jam around the world. There are also Jams organized virtually, in which individuals can be from anywhere in the world and teamed together. So much fun!

Kellee Santiago
Co-Founder, President
thatgamecompany
http://www.thatgamecompany.com
Aug 16, 2010
Tin Ho Chow said...
I love the Global Game Jam! The 24 hour idea is nothing new, there is also the 48 Hour Magazine and 48 Hour Film.

I agree that it is a great way to get people let go of their egos when the end goal is clear and established. Different from the virtual jam, ours is a hyper localized event, we want to get people out of their bubble, to meet other professionals and get them connected to the non-profit next door. It is very much about people helping people and building a physical community. (And then get a beer and chill)

One day it would be like Pecha Kucha or TEDx, same mission, executed on a local level, creating impact everywhere. :)

Aug 17, 2010
Jason Ho liked this post.

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