Design Ignites Change : Greater Than 60
Worldstudio launched a new project “Design Ignites Change” which is a self-guided mentoring programme for high school/college students to produce creative works that address to the theme of fostering positive social change. (Click on the screencap to find them on Facebook)
Since they are teaming up with Adobe Youth Voices, I think it will be a really good breakthrough learning experience for the students using interactive media tools. 1) It allows students to showcase their talent on a open platform. 2) The projects are meaningful and more visible and beneficial. 3) There are more public/professional’s input. 4) The works are recognized based on the designer’s ideas and not client’s. 5) Potential job opportunities open up for these students.
Although “Design Ignites Change” is not a local project, we do have something similar here in Singapore. >60 Design Centre (read as Greater Than 60) is probably the first local design project that promotes positive social change. It targets the ageing population here in Singapore and encourages young designers (mainly those who are pursuing their diplomas in Temasek Design School,TDS) to provide design ideas and solutions to meet the needs. It is also the Singapore’s National Design Centre for Ageing. (click here to view facebook group – When Silver Turns to Gold)
I participated in one of the project ” A Generation of Ideas” while I was still in TDS, we submitted 3 design proposals each which address the needs of the elderly and we students generated 824 designs altogether. Of course, only 101 ideas were featured in the book (sadly not mine,haha) . Let me know if any of you are interested to take a look ! 
Being a TDS graduate and current Social Sciences student, I think such projects should gain more publicity and support from the public. Afterall, these projects are beneficial to the society and most of them are non-profit making. It is not easy to make a living in the creative industry, not to mention in Singapore. But I feel that to be a good designer, it doesn’t require alot of award-winning ideas but sometimes all it takes to make a difference, is to value-add your designs and contribute back to the society. It applies to everyone – money and value, which would you choose ?
