What is community? How do you build community? How do you create connections?
A community can be defined as a social unit of any size that shares common values—a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. A collection of Abbotsford non-profits joined forces to focus on one common goal—to build community in Abbotsford. They came to UFV’s graphic and digital design students with a challenge: to develop a campaign inspired by creating community in Abbotsford. Students were tasked with designing a campaign that forges an emotional connection with the audience by providing not only great content but also engagement—inviting the audience into an ongoing conversation and leaving them with a sense of belonging.
Featured here are three projects. Click on the images to see the design solutions.
Around Abby
Colton Floris and Sam Lebitschnig
Many communities exist within Abbotsford, they’re just hidden. Around Abby is meant to be a platform to connect these communities with the people who don’t know they exist or are searching for a community to be a part off. Nearly everyone has a smart phone making an app accessible to everyone. Your phone already connects you with friends, family, and colleagues. Now it can connect you to Abbotsford’s communities.
COM
Emily McLean
Com is an organization of volunteers founded to get people talking, thinking and acting in their community. Volunteers would put on events and create art to get people talking, thinking, and acting on community. Events include anything from comedy nights and concerts, to marathons and fundraisers.Proceeds from the events would be put back into funding more events.
Connecting the Dots Between Communities poster. Top Right: Billboards advertising the foundation. Bottom Right: Community buttons.
CommuniTEA
Amy Hall and Clark Giesbrecht
Community is comprised of individuals with a sense of connectedness and belonging. CommuniTEA is a travelling truck serving teas by donation in busy public places. The idea is to ‘come pour out your heart to a stranger’ – a way to get people to meet new people. Icebreakers include fun coasters and conversation starters – magnetic words that can be used to create messages on the truck.
GD317, 2014
Nova Hopkins, Assistant Professor
Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation; CNIB; Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Chilliwack, Mission; The Reach Gallery Museum; Abbotsford Hospital Foundations; and Abbotsford Community Services
