Challenge - In response to a specific social need and area of personal interest - how can we support those effected by Hoarding Disorder due to the lack of awareness and research?
Insight - Despite being recognised as a mental disorder in 2013, Hoarders are still being stigmatised as TV and the media continue to present the ‘problem’ as an inhumane abundance of objects, rather than a side effect of an untreated mental health issue.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) can provide long term relief for Hoarders, yet councils prefer to remove hoards as a short term solution (97% of these occupants relapse as a result) rather than providing them with a long lasting result through just having a chat - a simple, human act of support that can go along way if we focus how we see a hoarders ‘stuff’ as feelings and thoughts, not just hoards.
Solution - Stuff, a platform encouraging open conversations on hoarding, mental health, and everything in-between.
Partnering with Mind, Spotify, and Headspace, Stuff provides an innovative approach to mental health support by talking with, rather than at its audience. No matter your situation or awareness surrounding hoarding disorder, stuff is here to have a chat, and learn together.
Focus on tone of voice -
stuff's tone of voice is very personal. Suffering with Hoarding Disorder doesn’t make you weird, dirty or ill, it makes you a human who needs someone to talk to. Instead of presenting Hoarders as people who acquire items, stuff showcases their stories and voices. Nothing is filtered or dramatised, just raw and honest.
Brand Guidelines
To create design that encourages conversations and harmony, I decided to set some guidelines to ensure that people will become more engaged and trust the service through clearer communications.
I made the decision to avoid photography throughout the design work and instead focus on the copy as the service’s intentions revolve around conversations rather than imagery as this enforces a judgement of their actions.
Posters/campaign material
These posters will be displayed in accessible locations such as shop windows, bus shelters, community notice boards etc. to create an initial awareness through the use of open statements and a call to action.
Website
The most important part to this platform is its website. As a central hub, it provides opportunities for open conversations by bringing all three partners’ resources together.
The user interface has a minimal aesthetic to prevent information from becoming too overwhelming or cluttered. Each partner has a different page/s to separate their forms of communication from one another.
Support Pack
The support pack provides advice and comfort for an audience which is often overlooked - those who are supporting someone with Hoarding Disorder.
So that it is discrete and easy to hide, the pack will be small - preventing any further impact on the hoard.
Inside the pack there will be:
Guidance on actions to avoid
An Ice Breaker Form
Postcards to initiate open
conversations amongst strangers
A stress relief booklet
And a mini chocolate bar
Throughout all communications, the platform aims to speak to its audience like a friend would, rather than a doctor etc. This is especially important for the support pack as it helps the supporter to feel less alone in their fight.
While Stuff aims to raise awareness through talking rather than showing the effects of Hoarding Disorder, I felt it was important to provide supporters with visual evidence of how other sufferers also live to create a sense of normality and comfort within their own homes.
Here I have written my own experience and shared images of my home with the hope of making others feel able to ask for help and not feel ashamed.