Design, differently
Bringing communities, local councils, and designers together to work on a global challenge – designing for the planet
What is Design, differently?
Design, differently looks to discuss, better understand, and celebrate the ways that community organisations from across the UK are working together to meet the challenges faced by the climate crisis.
At the Design Council, we’ve recognised that design can play a huge role in creating innovative solutions to some of these problems. We want to explore with you how collective action and working together in new ways can create sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions to local problems, and create more regenerative communities across the UK in the long term.
The project is currently run by the Design Council and supported by the Bringing People Together Fund - part of the National Lottery Community Fund.
What are the programme aims?
- To support communities and Councils to use design skills to solve local challenges and issues as a result of the wider effects of climate change.
- To explore new ways of learning through changing mindsets, behaviours and language.
- To turn ideas into action by sharing tools, techniques and knowledge between groups.
- To grow interest, audience and confidence in community design.
- Develop design thinking through using the head, heart and hand approach.
The project so far...
In Cohort 1 (run from April to September 2022), we worked with 10 inspiring community groups from across the UK, using design thinking and problem-solving to support a network of community designers working towards similar goals..
Prior to Cohort 1, we ran an initial exploratory phase of the programme in 2021. This focused on supporting communities during the most challenging times in the midst of the covid pandemic. This phase was run by the Design Council and supported the Emerging Futures Fund (part of the National Lottery Community Fund, and Local Trust).
Cohort 2 (run from October 2022 - March 2023) paired community organisations with Councils; working together they created regenerative solutions to emerging issues as a responce to the climate crisis.
What's next?
Cohort 3 will begin in March 2023. We welcome applications from community groups and councils who would find this programme benificial to their work. Please get in touch using the contact details below.