Everyday Studio a collaborative community service agency
Project by Tim Denshire-Key
1.30AM
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Everyday Studio is a service proposal which
looks to build creative confidence and problem solving skills. Everyday Studio takes the design studio experience out into the real world. Everyday people involved in social issues, become studio participants to create solutions for their own problems. The aim is to encourage stakeholder ownership of the co-created projects. To be a project facilitator rather then iniatator.
But being able to reflect and learn from the process. I’m interested in getting people to experience that feeling which melds surprise, excitement, satisfaction and independence. The feeling you get from creating something yourself. The scale and scope of the effects of Everyday Studio will be down to the individual. However holistically the aim is to encourage a more stimulated, connected community.
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Creative confidence is that ability to put together disparate dots. Not being too worried about failure.
Instead taking measured (or a complete stab in the dark) risks. Slowly learning, failing, building, going forward, getting side tracked.
Stakeholder Map
mapping out perceptions of violence in Albury The Aboriginal community has it’s own issues when it comes to violence.
Generally the violence is spurred by peer pressure or disputes between groups.
Aboriginal community worker There is a need for more after hours services.
As a society we are too risk adverse.
There is too much of a consumer culture in town. Young people don’t have any money so are only seen as a nuisance.
There needs to be more recognition of the arts in Australia.
Empathy divide between younger and older generations.
The context of the violence has changed. Overall there are less attacks, but they are more brutal.
The regular school system is too rigid and constraining. There needs to be more physicality to it.
Albury needs to encourage a more diverse nightlife, rather then restricting it.
The key to any successful program is to plan for it’s on going sustainability. The environment plays a very important part in encouraging/ discouraging ways of living.
Plans to leave town once study is complete.
University student Sees Albury’s younger population as quite transient. Here for work or study for fixed time spans.
School teacher The youth cafe is doing a good job, but needs to be broader then just music.
Albury has a lot of programs, but sustainability is a major issue.
There is a high cost barrier for kids to be involved in out of school activities. There should be more voluntary spirit in the arts community.
The effect of prescription/illegal drugs with alcohol, is slowly being recognised in the community.
Local councillor
The media sees bad news as good for business and puts too much emphasis on it.
Drama teacher
There is a lack of genuine effort in regards to programs targeting Aboriginal youth.
Sees publicising the violence through the media as a way to draw attention and get action.
Journalist
Technology combined with changing values have a large impact that is not fully understood.
Difficult to maintain sustainability of programs due to lack of mentors and long term participants.
It’s important to keep young people engaged with school or community programs.
Sees violence as part of broader problem.
The violence is a generational thing. Kids are seeing their parents being violent and imitating this.
Doesn’t see violence as a problem amongst her friends.
Doesn’t like current solutions such as the lock out. Means you have to plan your night too far ahead.
Media focuses too much on the negative pursuits of young people. Needs to be more active community support for creative initiatives.
Doesn’t think that drug and alcohol issue is being taken seriously especially by venues.
Young professional
Too much emphasis on sport in the community, not enough on creative talent.
Solutions put forward to address violence only restrict people’s access and don’t address root causes.
The media overplays the issue.
Media focuses on youth as problem, but highest alcohol consumers are 40+ at home.
There is a new expectation that you should be safe when down the street at night.
Grief counsellor
The mixing of alcohol with illegal or prescribed drugs is an issue not being addressed.
Domestic violence is an issue that is prevalent but not spoken about.
Council doesn’t provide long term support for events to build momentum.
Creative pursuits can be a ‘saving grace’.
Violence has always been there, now it’s in ‘red highlight’. Thinks issues can be exaggerated by local media at times.
There needs to be more continuity in the council’s cultural programs.
Night time transport is an issue that isn’t dealt with adequately, especially with Albury’s growing population.
There are very few other socialising options other then the pubs.
There’s a need for more social options that don’t revolve around alcohol. People need to have more empathy for bar staff.
Violence is a problem.
Work pressures mean families aren’t as close as they used to be.
Direct link with violence and its effect on business. Creates bad reputation.
Publican
Albury needs to grow it’s cultural fabric, it hasn’t kept up with population growth.
Architect
Violence is not as bad as it used to be, though people seem more aggressive.
Kids are mixing illegal drugs with alcohol now.
Sport can be a good medium to teach kids life skills.
Alcohol abuse down to loss of identity.
Violence is more public now then in the past.
Community carer
Finds the atmosphere down the street to be quite aggressive. Alcohol fuels this in part.
Community worker
Butcher
Violence is getting worse.
The cost of living is forcing parents to work more and parent less.
Violence is a community wide issue, you can’t pin it on a particular age group.
Youth worker Youth boredom, petty crime, alcohol abuse and family violence are more pressing.
Alcohol fuelled violence is an issue, but not one of the major ones that needs to be addressed.
The best you can do is try and make everyone feel part of a wider community in various ways.
Illegal drugs have had a noticeable effect.
Sees value in tangible solutions, eg. Better lighting, more security, cameras etc.
Albury’s pubs are quite regulated compared to other towns, but there isn’t the signage and education to explain it.
Illegal drugs have had a growing impact.
Young people are losing their respect for authority figures.
There is more media coverage then before.
Programs need to be given more time to have a good chance of succeeding.
Security
Security training isn’t thorough enough, and needs more ongoing training.
Wodonga puts more focus on festivals and cultural events compared to Albury. Lack of live music venues.
Research grounding via service design tools Project Albury: Perceptions of violence in a regional city During the research section of the project my main aim was to connect with the community. The topic of investigation was the perception of alcohol-fuelled violence amongst the community. Did people think it was a problem? Why did they think it was happening? Were there deeper issues that needed to be addressed? I used a series of service design tools in order to gain insights. I began by using contextual interviews. These interviews allowed me to connect with a variety of community stakeholders, and gain insights into their perceptions of violence in town. Through the interview process more pressing issues emerged. Interviewees highlighted: - A lack of understanding between the generations. - Narrow options for socialising. - Strong focus on alcohol consumption as means of socialising. - Few creative outlets. I then took the data gathered from the interviews and processed it to create personas. These personas allowed me summarise the views of each stakeholder. By using these personas I was able to map out the varied relationships within the community via a stakeholder map. The map illustrated the variations of responses and areas of agreement. Both the personas and stakeholder map form a useful means of communicating the project to both engaged stakeholders and outsiders. I reflected on the material gathered during the interview process, combined with the insights gleaned from the personas and stakeholder map. I used an ideas generation process to respond to the deeper root issues that emerged. The outcome was a broad array of concepts, each which proposed a means to address one or more of the above issues. This brought the pre major to a close, and laid the ground work to develop a service design proposal from.
Idea generation a selection of the concepts which responded to issues raised in Project Albury
Party Bikes
Inter-generational Connections
Holiday Mentors
Empathic Game Play with Technology
Going Out: Now and Then
Campaign for Positive Social Behaviour
Young Design for Old
Inner City Exchange
Concept development Designing a service design response via an iterative process
In order to develop a service design response to the research completed I initiated a conversation with the wider community in Albury. To do this I experimented with social media and a blog to act as feedback mechanisms. The online presence allowed me a wider platform where the community could access the insights gathered so far, and the ideas proposed, and have the opportunity to comment. This formed the first service iteration process. The second iteration was ‘Feed the Seed’. It was a more refined service design concept, focused around creating change rather then gaining insights. More of a focus on facilitating projects rather then initiating them. Here there was a more co-ordinated collaboration with a series of community stakeholders. The Border Community Cycleworks (a bike skills share community organisation) and a student group from Charles Sturt University (CSU) were involved in the process of organising a series of bike polo skill share workshops. These covered how to build the equipment and then play the game. The ends result were two well attended skill share workshops, with the potential for the games to continue independent of Project Albury. A live test of an element of a broader service design framework. Off the paper and into the real world. By going through this iterative process I was able to further refine the key ideas into the final outcome.
Feed the Seed service design concept Iteration #2 Go into community and spend time to understand it’s character. Find out what’s happening and what issues the community is grappling with.
Find an idea, group that has potential to effect the community in a positive way but needs help in someway.
After a point step back and see where it goes.
Work with this seed project to help support it grow and develop.
Bike Polo skill share workshop:
Service design prototyping for Feed the Seed concept
‘Thanks for a great afternoon on Wednesday. I had a ball and am hooked on bike polo now! It is fun, fast, exciting, and unco! The best thing is that anyone can play. You don’t have to be a primed athlete to enjoy it, and friends are made instantly over laughter...’ - Carol, bike polo workshop participant
Final Service Design proposal Phase one: Locating the studio
Everyday Studio process
Phase two: Connecting with participants Phase five: Reflection, evaluation and futuring
Phase four: Celebration and sharing
Phase three: Studio process
Design scenario: Albury and alcohol fuelled violence Setting the scene Alcohol fuelled violence is raised as an issue by constituents and seen to be a growing problem.
The council have brought in methods to restrict people’s actions, such as a night 1.30AM time curfew and no glass/shots after midnight, in an effort to reduce violence.
*&^%$?
#@!*
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There is a perception amongst the community and in the local media that young people under the influence of alcohol are the main cause of the violence.
#@!*
Despite the restrictions, violence is still perceived to be an unresolved problem.
Everyday Studio involvement
Everyday Studio brought in by council to run a studio with young people.
Studio run to firstly investigate the environment that has created these problems and perception. Contextual interviews – personas –journey maps- stakeholder map
Everyday studio recruits a studio team in collaboration with council officers referrals, local schools, TAFE, universities, govt. services.
Then idea generation session run to co-create possible solutions.
Resolution
Y R U B AL
E V E R Y D A Y S T U D I O
Potential solutions packaged into a report for council, as well as a public exhibition to showcase to the wider community. Exhibited at several locations around the city. Libraries in Albury and Lavington. At the university and TAFE. The ideas are then developed to be included in the council’s alcohol and drugs policy.
Bio G’day! My name is Tim Denshire-Key. I’m an Industrial Design graduate from RMIT University. I’m interested in sustainable design, social innovation and service design. I like to make things. I like to get things happening. I like to help others realise they can do this too. If you’d like to have a chat or find out more about Everyday Studio, get in touch. -Tim
W: timtdesign.com / projectalbury.wordpress.com E: T.Denshire.Key@gmail.com