Design for Change

GCU Digital Design (Graphics) students have been using their design practice to create significant and positive impact in the surrounding communities.

Final-year students worked on design challenges set by seven local social enterprises and charities on an intense three-week design project facilitated in collaboration with the Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE).

The charities and social enterprises included Second Chance, CHAS, The Woman Centre Glasgow and GCU Professor Lorna Paul’s web-based Physiotherapy (which was recently awarded the Social Enterprise winner of the 2017 Converge challenge).

They also aided city community group WEvolution to design an app, resulting in the creation of a virtual community for their members. The students impressed WEvolution while running their user testing sessions and as a result they have been offered work running technology workshops for their members.

Students also worked with GCU student services on campaigns to raise awareness of mental health issues and gender-based violence. The project formed part of the ‘Design for Change’ module and included everything from web design and app development to branding and marketing campaigns. The students were also awarded the SIE Bronze level Scottish Innovation Student Award (SISA) for participating in the project.

Dr Mary Maclachlan, programme leader BSc Digital Design (Graphics) and module leader Design For Change, said: "Giving our students the opportunity to tackle problems which have such a positive impact on society provides incredible insight into what design can really achieve and encourages them to apply their entrepreneurial mind-set for the Common Good.”