MA students develop homelessness campaign with Norfolk charity

MA Communication Design student Thomas Driver, along with UEA students Bright Archibong, Ngoc Tran and Huiying Chen, have helped develop a winter campaign with Norfolk charity St Martins Housing Trust. 

St Martins Housing Trust works to maximise independent living and prevent homelessness by offering support to the most vulnerable, as well as aiming to enhance understanding and compassion towards homeless people through education and advocacy.

Ideas for the charity’s winter campaign were generated through a collaborative project between NUA MA students and Norwich Business School students earlier this year. Running for several years now, the project brings students together to research and propose brand innovations for improving aspects of business communication and delivery. 

Thomas and his group spoke to people to find out their perceptions of the homeless as the focus of their pitch to St Martins Housing Trust, and designed a poster campaign to be shown on buses, billboards and social media. Local agency Naked Marketing provided creative direction and artwork support. 

The campaign highlights the voices and feelings of a person experiencing homelessness alongside some of the misconceptions commonly held. St Martins’ ethos is not to judge a person for what has happened in the past but to enable them to fulfil their potential and to support them in their recovery, which includes secure, permanent accommodation.

St Martins Chief Executive Dr Jan Sheldon said, “We want everyone in Norfolk to know that we are here to support people experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet and back to living the lives they want to lead. This winter no-one should be sleeping on our streets.”

Thumbnail image by Dave Gutteridge for the EDP.

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