Case Study Youthspeak Charity
Increasing Visibility and Donations for a Youth-oriented Charity with a Brand Refresh and UX-centric Website
Meet YouthSpeak doing great work to support youth in the community
Founded in 2003 by Una Wright, YouthSpeak is a Southern Ontario-based charity that promotes well-being, compassion, and hope among today’s youth. By facilitating the sharing of personal stories and coping strategies through leadership, training, and presentations, YouthSpeak aims to increase self-worth, empathy, and resilience in challenging times while raising awareness of available mental health resources.
Youthspeak’s programs also include workshops for adults so they can better understand the challenges youth face today and become equipped with the strategies they need to provide support.
Services Provided
“We’re especially passionate about elevating brands that believe in social responsibility as much as we do. Helping solve YouthSpeak’s branding challenges so they can further make a positive impact on today’s youth is at the very heart of our values here at Creative Solutions.”
Hollie Hoadley
Founder & CEO of Creative Solutions
The Challenge
Although a well-established organization with a stellar track record of success, YouthSpeak leadership faced difficulties maintaining its reputation as thought leaders and innovators due to outdated branding and messaging. They aimed to have new, sleek marketing assets that appealed to specialized educators who could book them for speaking engagements and training sessions.
Una wanted to work with a team that treated them like partners invested in their success, and sent an RFP to several agencies hoping to find the right fit. Creative Solutions submitted their response, outlining their service approach that ensures clients are always treated like humans, not contracts. This critical value difference won Creative Solutions the project.
A Growth-focused Branding and Marketing Solution
Hollie and her team met with Una and the YouthSpeak board for a Collaborative Alignment Session. These in-depth discussions, based on UX principles, helped the Creative Solutions team formulate a clear picture of how the public perceives the brand, forming the foundation of our tailored approach to develop a refreshed brand, brand strategy, and website.
After the session, Creative Solutions presented their project plan that would address and solve the client’s requirements efficiently while supporting YouthSpeak’s organizational goals:
Phase 1 Brand Identity Refresh
A complete brand refresh, including a new brand strategy, identity, and style guide, all detailed in a comprehensive, easy-to-read document for future reference, as well as updated marketing collateral.
Phase 2 UX Website Design and Development
A redesigned WordPress website built using UX principles to maximize user engagement, response, and conversion, including SEO strategy, content frameworks, support, maintenance, and functionality that streamlines the booking of speakers and making donations processes.
Once Una and the board reviewed and approved the proposal, the Creative Solutions team got to work on fulfilling YouthSpeak’s objectives.
YouthSpeak Getting Down to Business
Phase 1 Brand Identity Refresh
The initial phase saw Creative Solutions experts redefine and enhance the visual identity and market positioning of YouthSpeak. The primary goal was a complete refresh of their brand elements, ensuring a modern, unified representation that aligns seamlessly with their mission and vision.
A deliberate and cohesive messaging plan that identifies and outlines how YouthSpeak’s brand aims to position and differentiate itself in the market to achieve longevity and resonate with its target audience
A tailored 5-step collaborative process that makes it easy for YouthSpeak to fully contribute to the logo design throughout the entire project, giving them a permanent, timeless, and impactful logo design
Branding and messaging in one document that sets the foundation for all of their marketing initiatives and assets, including items such as logo guidelines, typography, colour palette, and more
Phase 2 UX, Website Design and Development
After the Creative Solutions branding team finished their work to YouthSpeak’s satisfaction, the project’s UX website design and development phase began.
A fully collaborative two-hour Discovery Session, hosted by Creative Solutions, where everyone on the YouthSpeak team had a voice and opinion on what goals and outcomes they’d like their new website to help them achieve.
Development of the new website’s sitemap and wireframes designed for easy user navigation that minimizes clicks, along with conversion-focused custom content written in an authoritative but easy-to-read language that perfectly reflects the brand voice.
Development of all web pages, including project and blog/news pages completely aligned with the new brand image, presented to YouthSpeak for review and making any necessary revisions until the client was thrilled with the result
Launch of the new website, followed by final optimization tweaks and total quality assurance to ensure reliable look, feel, and performance, and group training for the YouthSpeak team on website maintenance before handing over the keys.
The Results
Sketch to Low-def Wireframe
Low-Def Wireframe to High-Def Wireframe
"We are SO proud to showcase our website and our new brand to the world. Thank you! We couldn’t have asked for a better partner.”
Una Wright
Founder/ Executive Director, YouthSpeak Charity
Results Overview
The new YouthSpeak website with the refreshed brand identity was successfully launched on time, within budget, and with overwhelmingly positive reviews from their board, stakeholders, and audience.
Some of the new UX-designed website functions include:
- A redesigned events centre that adheres to the most up-to-date brand guidelines
- Customized donor portals that offer safe, secure, and fast account access on demand
- Complete donor management of online pledges
- Content that establishes YouthSpeak’s authority in their field, promoting speaking engagements through the website’s streamlined booking tool
“Our entire team thoroughly enjoyed working with the awesome team at YouthSpeak. Using our knowledge and expertise to help organizations who do such great work in the community is always a pleasure, especially when we know our solutions will build trust for years to come.”
Hollie Hoadley
Founder & CEO of Creative Solutions