Strategic Recommendation
Out ’N’
About
The Problem:
Out‘N’About is a non-profit based out of Fairfax, VA that my team had the pleasure to help in creating a strategic rebrand. The organization’s mission is to help adults (18+) with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to form community through social outings, while also providing learning opportunities for life skills for people with IDD to live independently.
ONA currently creates social experiences for people with IDD by taking them to events such as professional basketball games, movies, cookouts, etc. where they can socialize and enjoy themselves. ONA hopes to create a recreation/community center in the future where people with IDD can meet up and ‘hang’ with their peers instead of staying isolated at home, which is what many people with IDD experience. ONA hopes to help people with IDD socialize more, learn basic life skills, get jobs and ultimately become confident, self-sufficient people.
ONA is a small operation run solely by Amir Williams (23 yo) and his mother, Felicia Jackson. They have very little resources and organizational structure. They have a strong need to become more self-sufficient as an organization. They wish to grow, but need ways to obtain money through various avenues (fundraising, private donations, grants, etc.) to be able to pay for fundamental things such as an office space. ONA needs help with overall marketing and needs to appear and become reputable enough to elicit donations from established companies which have rejected them in the past.
The Ask:
Increase awareness and create a platform for ONA to become organized and self-sustainable, supporting their ambition to expand beyond the DMV area.
The Insight:
Adults with IDD are largely “infantilized” by the public. In reality, adults with IDD seek relationships of all types, not just platonic ones.
The Objective:
Showcase that adults with IDD are like everyone else and have the same wants and desires to socialize and form community.
Positioning Statement:
Out’N’About is the premier non-profit that creates social opportunities for adults with IDD, helping them foster relationships of all types while integrating with their community.
Organization Rebrand:
”Get Together” - The new name promotes both the social outing and the community forming aspect of the organization, not just the former.
Team:
Yotam Ohayan (Copywriting), Jimmy Krahe (Experience Design), Emmaline Terry (Art Direction)
Responses from locals about popular bars in Fairfax that Out’N’About could potentially host a weekly meet-up to promote community for adults with IDD. This would also generate awareness about the organization and challenge the notion that adults with IDD don’t do the same things or have the same social desires as everyone else.
Creating a Patreon page was one of our recommendations to Out’N’About for soliciting regular donations as a way to move away from time consuming fundraising events which is currently their main source of income.