By: Steven Heller | May 15, 2009
You may already know about Design Ignites Change, but if you don’t, check this site. Design Ignites Change promotes and encourages talented high school and college students across the country to use design thinkingand innovation to create messages for, and solutions to, pressing social problems.
Each year, participating colleges, universities, and high schools engage with their students to create work that addresses powerful social topics ranging from issues of diversity, homelessness, hunger,and gun violence to scarce water resources, sustainability, and endangered species. The students are encouraged to develop actual projects that are beneficial to their local communities, and that have the potential to create change.
Projects can be viewed thematically here. They cover humanity, health, education, environment, community, politics, and business. There is also a high school mentoring component.
“Give Away: Alert. Aware. Alive.” by the Washington, D.C.-based Corcoran College of Art + Design (above) encourages safe commuting for both drivers and pedestrians. Through exposure and education about the growing problem ofpedestrian fatalities, the project aims to gain recognition and change the way people travel through the District. “Right to Water” by the College for Creative Studies in Detroit (below) promotes the right-to-water initiative both locally and globally with a media campaign, and is aiming to develop a partnership with an existing organization such as Public Citizen or the Council of Canadians’ Blue Planet Project.