A group of local residents were treated to a special tour of Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) recently as part of a live brief between the University and Christchurch Community Partnership (CCP).
The local charity, which aims to address social isolation and loneliness and provides transport for people to access vital support and connect to their local community, organised for its service users to visit AUB Campus to help the second-year BA (Hons) Communication Design and Strategy students understand the charity and the needs of its users ahead of the live brief.
Live briefs are an important part of AUB’s degrees that offer students valuable real-world experience as they work with third parties to deliver projects – in this case, a social media campaign for charities. The live briefs were developed in collaboration with Talbot Village Trust who provide funding and support to further the work of the charities.
“As communication designers, our students gained incredible insights by meeting staff and services users," comments Briony Hartley, lecturer on BA (Hons) Communication Design and Strategy at AUB.
“We heard moving stories and learnt about the amazing impact that these charities have had on their lives. It was wonderful to see the different generations forming connections over tea and biscuits in the studio. Students will be pitching social media campaign ideas for the charities and now have a much better empathy and understanding of who they are designing for."
The tour of campus included the Museum of Design in Plastics (MoDiP), The Library, and the Print Room.
“It was an enjoyable and informative visit," says Sandra Prudom, Chief Executive Officer at CCP. "It was so encouraging to see the interaction between the ladies and the young people and their exchange of contact details. It makes me even more determined to develop that intergenerational link as it is so precious for both generations!”
Rona, a CCP service user, adds, “It was a truly awesome day, I came away with so much positivity and gratitude after meeting the extraordinary students and their hugely talented teachers. It gives me hope for the future; the students are the country’s future.”
