The 10Percent initiative is an ambitious one. It seeks to provide a learning opportunity for students across all three levels of study and three design disciplines that at the same time has relevant, meaningful and sustainable outcomes for deserving communities. It recognises the value of working and learning outside of the structured classroom setting and working  with ill-defined and changing problems. It recognises the value of presenting students with real clients that have genuine and pressing needs, but also the value of generating design solutions with limited budget, resources and time. It recognises the value of group work, especially with interdisciplinary and inter-level groups. Finding one’s voice, negotiating competing ideas and agendas, learning from and collaborating with others, are but some of the lessons to be learnt through group work. Competency in these skills is vital for designers who will be expected to work constructively with other designers and clients in the industry.

Realising all these aims and promoting these values is not without its challenges. Communities are seldom definite or homogenous entities, there ethical concerns around determining how a community could or should develop, and often the opportunities for development extend beyond those that design in isolation can speak to. All these factors make matching the abilities and learning opportunities for students on one hand, and the development opportunities of communities on the other hand, a challenge. In terms of group work, while the collaborative efforts required of the initiative are seen as a valuable experience for students, group work  also threatens to compromise the accuracy of assessment results if the group’s work, as opposed to individual contributions, are what assessment results are based on.  More generally, the assessment of the initiative has presented a source of debate at GDC, which in essence stems around whether a standardised assessment instrument is most applicable given that all projects have the same ultimate purpose, but that each project has a very distinct course and set of outcomes.

It is also with some disappointment that GDC acknowledges that a small portion of the student body is apathetic towards the initiative and sees little value in it. Poor attendance and commitment from some students suggests that the initiative has failed to stimulate and inspire these students. Reasons provided for this are varied, and range from students feeling that community engagement more generally is not a rewarding experience, to frustrations with the nature of the initiative such working with other students, working with less structure, and being involved in activities that are not purely design-based.

Challenges such as these present opportunities for GDC to continue refining initiative. While such refinements are eagerly anticipated, GDC is proud with what 10Percent has achieved to date and remains committed to instilling a sense of social responsibility in our students and seeing the fruits of this in the tangible improvements in the lives of community members.

GDC is a specialist design college based in Joburg, South Africa. Established in 1987, GDC has pursued its vision to be leaders in design higher education to nurture innovative and responsible designers for the greater good of humanity. We offer Degrees and Honours Degrees in the fields of Interior, Multimedia, Graphic and Visual Communication Design.

GDC is a private higher education institution in South Africa offering BA and BA Honours Degrees in Interior, Graphic and Multimedia Design. With Community Engagement and Socially Responsibility at the core of their identity, the intention of 10Percent is to see societies benefit while students learn about applying their design skills in the real world. To find out more about the college, visit their website at www.designcenter.co.za