The Flock

The Flock is my final major project which I worked on throughout the third year of my Graphic Design and Illustration degree. It is a hypothetical rebrand of the Youth Action Panel for 14-22 year olds, which currently runs from RSPB Rainham Marshes in Essex. This group of inspirational volunteers give up their time at weekends to support the RSPB with practical conservation activities. The RSPB had identified that opportunities for young people in the Greater Thames Area (Kent, Essex, and London) to engage with nature are often limited and inaccessible due to various barriers e.g. discrimination and a lack of access to green spaces. Therefore, they required a solution which engages more young people, educates them about nature conservation, and empowers them to have a greater role in saving and protecting nature, both as allies and as environmental leaders. The proposed solution needed to be refreshing, unconventional, and distinguishable from the RSPB's current visual communication and branding. Having previously worked in partnership with the RSPB on my final second-year project ‘identifly’, the charity were keen for this collaboration to continue into my final year of study. Consequently, throughout my third year, much of my time was spent meeting and collaborating with both the Community Engagement Team at Rainham Marshes, and the young people on the Youth Action Panel. During this project, I undertook activities such as site visits, focus groups, and live pitches, all of which enabled me to obtain regular input from both the RSPB and the young people, and seek feedback which directly influenced the final design outcomes. A welcome pack which encourages new volunteers to join The Flock, alongside a set of accompanying visuals, including a new logo and a selection of wildlife illustrations, including birds and insects which inhabit the Rainham reserve. The welcome pack includes: a personal volunteering handbook, an ID card, lanyard, and a set of volunteering milestone pin badges which can be obtained after completing a set number of volunteering hours. The pack also includes sticker sheets featuring The Flock illustrations, and a set of re-designed RSPB pin badge backing cards, which increases the appeal of the hugely popular RSPB pins and introduces them to a younger audience.