The Brief
The organization was ready for a radical shift so they needed a new name, a new look, and an impactful website to effectively communicate its mission to the world.
The result
The Challenge
What do you do when the juvenile system isn't safe, isn't fair, and doesn't work?- Change it.
This is what the Friends of Island Academy has been doing since they started fighting for young people's rights in 1990. Originally founded by a group of educators named after the alternative high school on New York City's Rikers Island, this passionate, dedicated team works to break cycles of incarceration and fights systemic racism by giving young people the opportunities they've been denied.
In response to years of calls for change by the organization and other advocates, New York City has committed to closing Rikers Island. It was indeed a new era for the city and the community. The Friends of Island Academy, now over 30 years old, was ready to evolve.
They needed an identity that balanced love and compassion with their radical fight for justice. Then, they needed to translate it into a powerful website with an impactful message. They wanted to involve many different members of the organization in the process, to make sure the new branding reflected who they truly are, and to align their vision on who they want to become.
The solution
To effectively tackle this challenge, we had to take into consideration the mission of Youth Justice Network, its values, and its impact on the youth.
Main focus points
What made their radical fight for justice a strong one were its core values of hope, compassion, and integrity.
With such an impactful mission, they needed an identity that conveyed their cause to those that most need their support.
It also had to resonate with the different members of the organization.
Brand Sprint-Story
workshop
To write a powerful new start, YJN had to tell its story. Through a collaborative Brand-Sprint Story workshop, they were able to define their vision, values, personality, and the overall story of their brand- enabling them to finalize the organization's new name: Youth Justice Network
Brand messaging
With the insights from the workshop and its new name, a Brand Messaging Guide was created to ensure consistency in all future communications.
Visual branding
Our designers took inspiration from YJN's vision, values, and personality and transformed them into colors, shapes, and textures. The challenge was to visually harmonize the organization's radical fight for justice, the grit of NYC streets, and the love and compassion towards the young people they serve.
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Final Logo
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UX & UI design
We kicked off the design process by planning the website's content and navigation with strategic UX exercises. The Youth Justice Network team defined the organization's goals, their user's goals, and the key paths within the website.
The result
With a new name and a revitalized purpose, Youth Justice Network became more than just a force for good, but a force to be reckoned with.
Their evolution reflected by their new logo and brand identity can now be shared with the world.
They also got a consistent brand identity that ladders up to their goals.
Most importantly, YJN ended up with an impactful new website that effectively communicates their mission.
The latest on YJN
Youth Justice Network's new visual identity has spread far and wide since the launch of their website. Staying true to its cause of ensuring the welfare of the youth, they've set up a roving van project called Shifting Gears to help those who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19. This fully-equipped mobile center travels across neighborhoods who have been hit by this crisis the hardest. By going to them directly, they help young people get back on their feet by coaching them, guiding them with their resumes, and giving them the tools they need to secure gainful employment.
