When we develop design solutions for clients in the ‘social good’ space, we at Leading Hand Design believe it’s critical that we be good, not just do good. Making gains in the social impact sector is about walking the talk, and that starts with us. Our team. Our principles. And our actions.
Our founding director, Jamie Carroll, worked in the community/arts space before retraining as a graphic designer. From his experience, Jamie then imbued Leading Hand Design with the ethos and values of charities and not-for-profit organisations. Now, 20 years on, those principles still hold strong, and they bring authenticity to how we approach our creative work.
We know the sector
Over the last 20 years Leading Hand Design has worked successfully with a huge number of organisations in the arts and social impact sectors. We’ve heard their goals, experienced their priorities and learned of their challenges.
That’s how we gained our in-depth understanding of what they need to achieve and how we can help them do it. And we developed a comprehensive skill set that we deploy when developing creative solutions for them.
We are able to understand the intention behind their project and can deliver the right tone, look and feel to achieve it. We also apply the ‘soft skills’ that are crucial for communicating on a peer-to-peer basis with our clients in this space.
And we offer special rates for not-for-profit, community and other organisations that are involved in social betterment.
For example …
One of the very first social awareness projects Leading Hand Design worked on was nearly 20 years ago, with the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO). We created an HIV-awareness campaign for sistergirls—Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gender-diverse people who have a female spirit and take on female roles within the community.
The literally immersive campaign involved a photo shoot of two sistergirls luxuriating in a bathtub of hand-painted purple hibiscus, the floral emblem of the sistergirl community. The campaign design received unanimous and enthusiastic support from both our client and the sistergirl communities.
Because we have become involved with and participated in social projects such as these, we understand the nose-to-tail approach that we need to take as a design agency when developing solutions for our clients, whether they need to drive fundraising, communicate the principles of a project, or raise public awareness of a social need.
Taking action ourselves
Leading Hand Design has a strong social conscience, and we want the world to be a better place. So every year, we make sizeable donations to key charities, including the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Climate Council, the Asylum Seeker Research Centre and the Bridging the Gap Foundation. As well as contributing over $2,500 in recent years to these causes, we’ve also donated to organisations like St Vincent’s Hospital and the Sydney Writers’ Festival.
We’re also proud of our commitment to and knowledge of initiatives in the areas of social good and practices around accessibility, inclusivity and diversity. We prioritise sustainability in our own work practices and our design solutions for clients. We’ve pledged to speak up against ageism. And we’ve made accessibility and representation best practice in our content creation.
Discover our ‘what’ and ‘who’
So who are the organisations who’ve informed our approach and loved our creative solutions? Over 20 years of supportive, empathetic design, our arts, not-for-profit and social sector clients have included:
• Aged Care Royal Commission
• Australian Chamber Orchestra
• AIDS Council of NSW
• Altogether
• Austrade
• Australia Council
• Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO)
• Australian Institute of Architects
• Australian Publishers Association
• Bobby Goldsmith Foundation
• Caring Kids
• Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
• Curtin University’s National Drug Research Institute
• Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre
• Elder Abuse Action Australia
• Hills Shire Council
• The Kirby Institute
• La Trobe University
• Legal Aid NSW
• LGBTI Health Alliance
• Musica Viva
• National Institute of Dramatic Art
• Northern Beaches Council
• NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
• Parramatta City Council
• Powerhouse Museum
• Riverside Theatre, Parramatta
• Seniors Rights Victoria
• Social Ventures Australia
• St Vincent’s Hospital
• Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
• Sydney Theatre Company
• Sydney Writers’ Festival
• Thorne Harbour Health
• University of NSW
• University of Sydney
• University of Wollongong
• Waverley Council
You can find out more about our work on some of those projects through these links:
Experienced, strategic, creative solutions
If you or your organisation are active in the arts, not-for-profit, charity or social impact sectors, perhaps you could benefit from our long-term experience in supporting people just like you. Get in touch with us to see how Leading Hand Design can give you a hand that’s experienced, understanding and committed to your goals.