GRP225 | Experimental Design

Assessment 3 | Design Legacies: Community Engagement + Resilience | Workbook

SARAH
MICALLEF

SARAH MICALLEF
Digital Artisan
www.sarahmicallef.design
0401 311 108 | hello@sarahmicallef.design
Community Group / Project Brainstorming

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Identify a Community Group / Project
Mama Lana’s Community Foundation
Founded in 2013 by husband and wife team Roger and
Lana after contacting well known-charities regarding the
underprivileged in the area and receiving no replies or
assistance, Mama Lana’s Community is a wholly not-for-
profit organisation and registered charity.

The Foundation is dedicated to helping Western

Sydney’s often forgotten and ‘invisible’ homeless and
underprivileged community in the greater Penrith
region, in order to advance their wellbeing and

Photo sourced from Mama Lana’s Website

prospects for future independence, operating under a
motto of “Kindness With No Strings”.

Supported by over 70 local volunteers, Mama Lana’s

offers hot meals six nights a week, supplies food and
toiletry packs, as well as providing clothing, sleeping
bags, swags and blankets to keep patrons warm during
Penrith nights, which are regularly below 3°c. Busy
nights can see over 90 patrons attending meal services.

Additionally to the services, Mama Lana’s also liaises

on behalf of their patrons with Centrelink, Penrith
Council, Department of Housing and other resource
centres/ government departments, actively seeking
to find patrons long term solutions to better their
circumstances, whilst providing dignity and hope.

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Identify a Community Group / Project
Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands
Founded in 2011 by mother and daughter team Linda
and Cassidy, after the pair witnessed a local homeless
man rummaging through their garbage bin for food,
Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands is a not-for-profit
organisation and registered charity.

Supported by a dedicated group of approx. 15 local

volunteers, HHH holds daily lunch and dinner services
within the local area, delivers care hampers to residents,
and has partnered with One Voice in order to arrange
The Shower Bus twice weekly during meal services.

The organisation is constantly looking for new ways

to help the community and has recently started a
Breakfast Club within Windsor High School, one of the
most socioeconomically challenged schools within the
area, in order to ensure that students are provided with

Photo by Sarah Micallef

a nutritious breakfast to aid their learning.

With over 15,000 meals served to date and fresh

faces attending nearly every meal service and acting
as a testament to the necessity of HHH’s work, the
organisation operates with 4 key aims in mind: Support,
Dignity, Friendship, Compassion. Linda and Cassidy’s
wish is for the underprivileged, homeless and lonely of
the Hawkesbury to know the help is never far away.

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Identify a Community Group / Project
Carevan Blacktown
Carevan Blacktown is an affiliate of the Carevan
Foundation, which helps to feed the homeless and
disadvantaged across the Blacktown LGA. Founded
in 2012 and comprised of a board of local community
members, Carevan aims to create a sense of identity, a
sense of belonging and a sense of achievement in those
less advantaged in our society.

Carevan’s objective is to demonstrate that the

“Community Cares” and that a network of volunteers
and partners can fight hunger, poverty and isolation.
In the fight against poverty, hunger and homelessness,

Photo sourced from Carevan Website

Carevan work across the full spectrum of society
representing women, children, men, youth, people with
disabilities, indigenous and multicultural groups.

Supported by a diverse group of over 60 volunteers,

Carevan hosts an annual Christmas Lunch at Blacktown
Station which is the largest not-for-profit event in the
area, with previous attendance in excess of 300 patrons.

Presently limited to serving once daily meals at

Lalor Park, Carevan additionally support patrons by
providing job readiness services, interview outfits,
laundry services, resume services and most importantly,
emotional support and safe conversation spaces.

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Chosen Community Group / Project
Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands
After speaking with all 3 community groups and
assessing their current funding situations, volunteer
networks, needs and circumstances, I decided that
Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands was not only the client
that I engaged the best with, but was also the client who
would most benefit from my skills and assistance.

Before our one-on-one initial client meeting to discuss

the project, I was invited to a lunch service in order to
observe the organisation in action, to view organisation/
client interactions and to obtain first hand experience of
the daily impact that HHH has within the community.

It was due to this experience that I became aware of the

critical importance of client privacy within this project,
a consideration that deeply shaped both the rest of my
work with the organisation, and my design outcomes.

Photo by Sarah Micallef

During my attendance at this lunch service I was
overwhelmed by the amount of patrons and the
relatively small number of volunteers by comparison.
Despite this imbalance, each volunteer took the time
to speak to patrons, showed patience, kindness and
understanding. I quickly came to understand that this
wasn’t an organisation, but rather an extended family, a
place of support, unconditional friendship and warmth.

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Case Study One | Mission Australia
Case sourced from https://www.weekendnotes.com/
mission-australia-sleepout/

The 2014 rebranding of Mission Australia by Sydney

Design Agency Boheem saw a complete transformation
of the organisation aesthetic from that of rigid and
corporate entity and into a more modern look, which
reflected the compassionate, forward thinking, inviting
and diverse nature of the not-for-profit.

A new logo utilising a sans serif typeface and contrasting

2 colour palette is uniformly echoed through Mission
Australia’s portfolio of digital and printed collateral,
uniting a formerly scattered visual identity.

Design has helped Mission Australia by transforming

public perception of the brand from a dated institution
and into a vibrant and approachable organisation, with
updated collateral relying more heavily on imagery
than text, showcasing the people behind and within the
organisation, and better aligning with the time poor and
visually stimulated nature of the audience.
and matching collateral that is able to encompass
Due to its new aesthetic, Mission Australia is now easily all that the organisation does is formidable, but
able to be easily identified and differentiated from the has been well met. Diverse enough to be used
plethora of charities which exist in the not-for-profit for any event, this brand aesthetic is an example
space. The services and aims of Mission Australia are of exceptional design in the not-for-profit space,
broad, and the challenge of designing a new identity speaking volumes despite utilising minimal text.

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Case Study Two | UnitingSA
Case sourced from https://unitingsa.com.au/wp-content/
uploads/2018/04/Flourish-Autumn-web.pdf

Established in 1919, UnitingSA is a not-for-profit

organisation that holds the values of respect,
compassion and justice at its core. With a long and
proud history of building stronger communities, the
organisation provides assistance to over 10,000 South
Australians every year.

The 2016 rebrand of UnitingSA included the

implementation of a bright and invigorating new colour
palette, aiding the organisations aesthetic transformation
into a modern and customer focused business.

Visuals played an integral part in this transformation

and are used liberally throughout both printed and
digital collateral, emphasizing the desire of UnitingSA
to humanise the organisation. The use of short and
impactful chunks of texts ensures that meaning is
absorbed quickly and that an emotional connection with
the audience is quickly and easily created.
conveying the organisation as a compassionate
Despite the vast array of services offered by UnitingSA entity that wants to connect with customers,
which range from housing support to mental health whilst providing important information.
services and supported employment choices, the UnitingSA’s new identity is an example of
collateral is unified, creating a strong brand aesthetic excellent design within the not-for-profit space,
which is modern and fresh yet creates empathy, an effective refresh of an established brand.

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Case Study Three | The Benevolent Society
Case sourced from https://underconsideration.com/
brandnewawards/online/2012/benevolent-society-by-
designworks-australia/

Formed in 1813, The Benevolent Society is Australia’s

oldest not-for-profit organisation, with a simple mission;
to sup­port and advo­cate for per­sonal and soci­etal
change to cre­ate a fair soci­ety where every­body thrives.
The organisation works across a number of areas
including day-to-day services, mental health services and
family and parenting support.

The 2012 rebranding of The Benevolent Society by

Sydney agency Designworks saw this iconic name
completely rejuvenated for the modern era. The
formerly monochrome logo was replaced with a fresh
multicolored logo, and solemn visual images were
replaced with imagery of patrons enjoying life and
showing the hope The Benevolent Society can deliver.

The absolute transformation of this brand is the most

exceptionally engaging and inspirational case study that
I discovered with within my research for this assignment;
each piece conveys a feeling of warmth, possibility,
kindness and joy, being given its own unique personality
whilst staying true to the brand.
Improving upon the works showcased within the two
previous case studies, The Benevolent Society
collateral not only gives people information in
an inviting way, but is also stimulating, inviting
deeper investigation and engagement with
the pieces, whilst bravely placing the human
component of its operations front and centre.

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First Client Meeting
I arrived at my first client meeting with HHH’s co-
founder Linda having researched the organisation
extensively, examining their website and social media
materials, as well as any other printed or digital
collateral that I was able to obtain.

Initially, Linda and I discussed the organisation, its

activities, as well as the current collateral and my
skill set in order to identify the ways in which I could
best serve HHH. Linda’s first thought was to have me
revamp the existing HHH website, as this was made
several years ago and has received few updates since.

In discussing the deadlines and anticipated scope of my

project, a joint decision was made that a total website
redesign project would be too large, and that a smaller
project still had the potential to yield the desired result

Photo by Sarah Micallef

of effectively raising awareness of HHH. Linda and I
spoke about the target audience and identified that
many patrons do not have Internet access, making a
printed resource a more logical choice.

Upon discussion, Linda and I agreed that the proposed

brochure be professional, uncluttered, suitable for
patrons & the public, should detail HHH services and
convey HHH as approachable, caring and community
Windsor Park, the location of my first client meeting. Still serene
minded in a way that encourages further investigation before the bustle of the lunch time meal service, this spot presents
and invites interaction from patrons and the public. the opportunity to connect with the organisation and its values.

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Brochure Inspiration Board

1
3

2 4

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Initial Concept Sketches

12
Second Client Meeting
My second client meeting with Linda not only presented
me with an excellent opportunity to discuss design
direction with her but also provided me with the chance
to discuss a pressing issue with her: the HHH logo. The
logo (5) was designed in 2011 upon the inception of
the organisation, and was in large part the creation of
organisation co-founder Cassidy, who was 9 at the time.

Linda explained that he logo was only ever intended 5

to act as a ‘placeholder’ until HHH secured enough
funding to have a new logo professionally designed,
however due to the constantly expanding costs of the
organisation, this logo has never been updated.

The issue I faced within my brochure design revolved

mainly around the challenging colour palette of this
logo, the irregular shape and the conflict that exists
between the desired professional image to be conveyed
via the new brochure and the existing logo.

Item 6 shows a new logo concept which HHH began to

explore in 2016 but had no time/funds to take further.
Linda happily allowed me to explore new logo options
for HHH, as it was deemed necessary in order to create
a successful brochure that conveyed a unified message
and aesthetic. Linda’s one request was for a visual 6
representation of hands to be present in the logo.

13
Design Brief
Overview
HHH is a grass roots organisation assisting the less
fortunate within the Hawkesbury area. In order to
elevate the organisation to new levels of professionalism
and better portray their key aims and qualities, a new
logo and accompanying printed collateral is required.

Goals and Objectives

To create a trifold brochure that provides basic
information regarding HHH’s offerings, and features
visuals for the majority of the work. A new logo should
accompany this with both pieces conveying trust,
friendship, peace and a supportive nature.

Additional Considerations
Patron privacy is a large focus in this project - no
patron or volunteer may be photographed without their
express permission. Both the brochure and logo should
be able to be printed in B&W and colour options.

Photos by Sarah Micallef

Targeted Audience
Potential patrons within the Hawkesbury area and the
public, who generally have a poor awareness of HHH
and the value it offers to the local community.

Deliverables
A new logo and an awareness brochure.

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Logo Inspiration Board

7 8 9

12

10 11 13

15
Initial Concept Sketches

16
Final Logo

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Design Evaluation
My first refined brochure design prototype featured
the 4 core pillars of the business interwoven with Dignity
portraits of HHH volunteers and patrons. This approach The One Voice Mobile Shower Bus

was initially taken in an attempt to ensure that each is present during meal services each
Wednesday 12pm - 1.30pm and Sunday
4pm– 6pm. Toiletries, fresh towels and

1/3 section of the brochure had text and visuals in an

clothes washing/drying facilities are
provided without judgment.

attempt to balance the piece, distributing weight evenly.

Low opacity visuals were also experimented with, but

it was found that this made the text far too hard to Contact
read. Further experimentation lead to the production P: 0416 956 263
E: hawkesburyshelpinghands@gmail.com
W: www.hawkesburyhelpinghands.org.au

of versions which added 3 more portraits to the inside

spread and featured text in the Contact section only,
Helping our friends in need
however this was ineffective as it deviated from the throughout the Hawkesbury

design brief requirement to inform readers of HHH’s

services and offerings.
Friendship Compassion
Working with my lecturer, the piece was further Our meal services provide the We deliver 25 - 35 care hampers

developed by rearranging the portraits on the inside opportunity to form friendships;

warmth and kindness are always
plentiful Please feel free to come by
each week which are designed to
suit individual patron need. Hampers
can be obtained by contacting Linda

spread into a different configuration and testing even if you are feeling lonely and
would just like to chat.
on 0416 956 263, or speaking to our
understanding meal service staff.

different shades of blue in order to ensure that the logo

was able to be clearly seen when placed on the back of
the brochure.
Support
Testing of one large picture taking up 2/3 of the inside, Meal services are offered every day at

accompanied by text on 1/3 was undertaken, but this

the corner of Terrace & Fitzgerald St,
South Windsor. Lunch is served 12pm -
1.30pm, and dinner 4pm - 6pm. Meals
are fresh daily and are offered without

created very little visual interest and didn’t showcase question; all are invited.

any of the great diversity within the organisation, and

as such, this approach was abandoned.

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Client Feedback
Within the third client meeting, Linda was shown both
the proposed new HHH logo as a stand alone piece and
also the developed HHH awareness brochure, in both
black & white / colour versions.

Positive feedback for the new logo was overwhelming,

particularly due to the fact that the logo is circular
and will therefore is able to be easily utilised across
HHH’s social media channels, and the simplified colour
palette will ensure easy reproduction in black and white
mediums (a great cost saving tool when it comes to
printing/embroidery of uniforms etc.).
P: 0416 956 263
E: hawkesburyshelpinghands@gmail.com
Helping our friends in need
W: www.hawkesburyhelpinghands.org.au throughout the Hawkesbury
When viewing the brochure, Linda stated that she
wasn’t convinced that all 4 portraits being placed
together on the inside spread was preferable to the Support
‘tiled’ effect seen in earlier versions. I explained how Meal services are held every day at the
corner of Terrace & Fitzgerald St, Sth
Windsor. Lunch is 12pm - 1.30pm, dinner

much easier this made the brochures message to 4pm - 6pm and meals are fresh daily.

absorb by allowing all text to be taken in at a single Dignity

glance, and Linda agreed that she saw benefit in this. The One Voice Shower Bus is present at
meal services Wed 12pm - 1.30pm and Sun
4pm– 6pm. Toiletries, towels and clothes
washing/drying facilities are provided.

Linda stated her preference for the colour portraits Friendship

on the inside spread as she believes this to be more Our meal services provide the chance to
form friendships; warmth and smiles are
always plentiful. Feel free to come by if you

welcoming and has chosen this version as the preferred are feeling lonely and just want to chat.

outcome. Overall, Linda agrees that the brochures Compassion

accurately portray the new, refined HHH that she wants We deliver care hampers, designed to suit
individual patron needs. Hampers can be
obtained by contacting Linda on 0416 956

to present, convey the organisations character and 263, or speaking to our meal service staff.

mission well, and she is thrilled with the outcome.

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Final Design

P: 0416 956 263

E: hawkesburyshelpinghands@gmail.com
Helping our friends in need
W: www.hawkesburyhelpinghands.org.au throughout the Hawkesbury

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 Support
Meal services are held every day at the
corner of Terrace & Fitzgerald St, Sth
Windsor. Lunch is 12pm - 1.30pm, dinner
4pm - 6pm, and meals are fresh daily.

Dignity
The One Voice Shower Bus is present at
meal services Wed 12pm - 1.30pm and Sun
4pm– 6pm. Toiletries, towels and clothes
washing/drying facilities are provided.

Friendship
Our meal services provide the chance to
form friendships; warmth and smiles are
always plentiful. Feel free to come by even
if you are feeling lonely and want to chat.

Compassion
We deliver care hampers, designed to suit
individual patron needs. Hampers can be
obtained by contacting Linda on 0416 956
263, or speaking to our meal service staff.

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 My design in action

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Digital Mock-up by Sarah Micallef

Project Rationale
My research within this project initially focused on
exceptional design within the not-for-profit sector in
order to explore how these ideas could be applied to
my own community project. Through sourcing varied
and exciting examples my aim soon became to create a
work with personality and professional polish, to elevate
and showcase my clients’ selfless community spirit.

Showing respect towards human beings for their

humanity within my practice, rather than utilising them
as advertising tools was a major consideration within
this project, as was the employment of the Yindyamarra
concept of acting in a “patient and slow” way (Sullivan,
2016, p. 52). Yindyamarra was displayed via listening to
my clients needs patiently and prioritising relationship
building above output speed, which I believe greatly
enhanced the quality of my final work.

Initially desiring to focus on sustainability, the client

Photos by Sarah Micallef

desire for a printed brochure came as a challenge to
me, which I believe has been well met. Not only has
the client expressed great delight regarding the final
result, but this project has also produced something
far beyond a piece of printed collateral; it has
produced a logo which aims to reshape the whole HHH
image. Crafted as an authentic representation of the
organisation, my design conveys to the audience the
valuable yet priceless experience that HHH offers.

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Reference List
Adelaide Homelessness Journal. (2018) UnitingSA Brochures. Retrieved from https://homelessadelaideaustra-
lia.weebly.com/archive-march-2018.html

Borg, L. (2013) Mama Lanas Community Foundation Website. Retrieved from https://mamalanas.org.au/

Carevan. (2012) Carevan Blacktown Website. Retrieved from https://www.carevanblacktown.org.au/

Figure 1. Planned Giving. (n.d) Smith Family Trifold Brochure. Retrieved from https://plannedgiving.com/
planned-giving-brochures/

Figure 2. Equation. (2016) Mission Australia Collateral. Retrieved from https://equation.com.au/projects/mis-

sion-australia/

Figure 3. Utteridge Design. (2011) St Vincent De Paul Acquisition Brochure. Retrieved from http://www.utter-
idge.com.au/st-vincents-de-paul/cohapril2011_dlvinniesfinal-copy-2/

Figure 4. Flickr. (2017) Trifold Brochure Designed by kafi6kafi. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/pho-
tos/142479423@N02/31867935322

Figure 5. Strickland, C. & Strickland, L. (2011). Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands Logo. Retrieved from http://www.
hawkesburyhelpinghands.org.au/

Figure 6. Strickland, C. & Strickland, L. (2011). Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands Photograph. Retrieved
from https://www.facebook.com/pg/HawkesburysHelpingHands/photos/?tab=album&album_
id=437403919657060

Figure 7. Lyndoch Living. (n.d) Meaningful Ageing Australia Member Logo. Retrieved from https://www.lyn-
doch.org.au/

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Figure 8. Youth Positive Pathways. (2015) St Vincent De Paul Logo. Retrieved from http://youthpositivepath-
ways.com.au/youthdirectory/service/index/id/54
Figure 9. Konnect Learning. (n.d) Wesley Mission Logo. Retrieved from http://www.konnectlearning.com.au/
wesley-logo-new/

Figure 10. International Justice Mission Australia. (2014) International Justice Mission Australia Logo. Retrieved
from https://ijm.org.au/about/meet-our-team/

Figure 11. Moreno Valley UMC. (n.d) Orphanage Logo. Retrieved from http://www.morenovalleyumc.org/minis-
tries/

Figure 12. Seek Logo. (2014) Uniting Care Logo. Retrieved from https://seeklogo.com/vector-logo/145534/
uniting-care

Figure 13. AWPL. (2016) Smith Family Logo. Retrieved from https://www.awpl.com.au/about/

Strickland, C. & Strickland, L. (2011) Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands Website. Retrieved from http://www.hawkes-
buryhelpinghands.org.au/

The Benevolent Society. (2018) The Benevolent Society Website. Retrieved from https://www.benevolent.org.
au/

Under Consideration. (2012) Benevolent Society by Designworks Australia. Retrieved from https://undercon-
sideration.com/brandnewawards/online/2012/benevolent-society-by-designworks-australia/

Under Consideration. (2013) New Logo for Mission Australia. Retrieved from https://www.underconsideration.
com/brandnew/archives/new_logo_for_mission_australia_1.php

UnitingSA. (2018) UnitingSA Website. Retrieved from https://unitingsa.com.au/

Weekend Notes. (2018) Mission Australia Sleepout 2018. Retrieved from https://www.weekendnotes.com/mis-
sion-australia-sleepout/

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