Design and media students making a difference with Lentara

Lentara is part of the large network of community care services run by the Uniting Church, supporting some of the most vulnerable members of the community.

Corporate Partnership and Communications Manager Jeff Jones said Lentara Uniting Care was excited to be in partnership with the School of Media and Communication as part of an undergraduate teaching and learning studio project.

“The studio will explore ways to communicate to our supporters, volunteers, the community and general public, the social service work that Lentara carries out across our communities,” Jones said.

‘’The design and production work that is being developed by RMIT may potentially be used in our future marketing and communications strategies after its completion, with full credit and attribution to students.”

RMIT lecturer Seth Keen said the studio was a cross-disciplinary collaboration between the Communication Design and Media programs.

“The people involved are RMIT undergraduate students who are under the guidance of Lentara’s Jeff Jones, with the assistance of the co-teachers Peter West and myself,” Keen said.

“The aim is for students to engage with the real-world problems that a not-for-profit organisation faces.

“It’s one of the ways RMIT offers life-changing experiences to our students, through practical and industry-engaged learning that helps them to prepare for life and work.”

The following Lentara initiatives will be focused on in the studio: Asylum Seekers Community Housing, Men’s Shed, Shower Bus, Mobile Clothing Bins and Lentara identity branding.

Students will mix together graphic design, advertising, branding, film, television, radio and new media practices to produce a variety of communication outcomes.

The studio is running for the duration of the first semester, which ends in June.

Story: Wendy Little