1. Hackney Yoga Project Brief
Background
Hackney Yoga Project (HYP) is a pilot project developing a best practice model for
working with yoga and the refugee and asylum-seeking community in Hackney, one
of the most deprived areas in the UK. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of
life for refugees and those seeking asylum through the practice of yoga.
The women HYP works with have been displaced from their homelands due to war
and natural disaster. Many have experienced gender based violence and sexual
abuse. Some are also destitute, living off charity and friends' hand-outs, as is the
case for a large number of women in the asylum process in the UK, according the
British Red Cross report, 'Not gone but forgotten' (2010). The women who come to
Hackney Yoga have very little control in their lives. If you are seeking asylum, you
are not legally allowed to work until you have been granted ‘leave to remain’ by the
Home Office.
Hackney Yoga Project takes place at the much-loved community centre Hackney
City Farm and also delivers outreach classes.
Yoga has many widely recognised therapeutic benefits, including being more
relaxed, having more energy, becoming stronger and more flexible in body and mind,
and improving self-esteem and confidence.
Good for Nothing brief
Hackney Yoga Project urgently needs a powerful visual identity, to use across digital
and printed platforms. To reach as many of this hard-to-reach, marginalised, under-
represented and stigmatised community we need major funds. The visual identity
will be our public face and is critical to the success of our fundraising efforts as well
as project development. We also want to raise the profile of Hackney Yoga, to
support both these goals and encourage others to use the model in different parts of
London and the UK. Critically, the brand and especially the website should also
reflect the essence of Yoga – soulful and absolutely engaging. Visitors should feel
very inspired.
Desired outputs:
1. Name: Emily is happy with the name Hackney Yoga Project however she is
open to ideas for changing the name to be less place-specific as she thinks of
expanding to other parts of London/UK. Perhaps you could come up with
some other names in the research phase and check with her.
2. Visual Identity for HYP including logo design, colour scheme, and graphics
that fits with the ethos and values of HYP
3. Designs for website (home, about us, classes, make a referral, volunteering,
contact us)
4. Flyer design (for distribution at refugee centres)
5. Poster design (to hang up at refugee centres)
Audience:
Funders – existing and potential

2. Organisations that refer women to the project (eg the British Red Cross and the
Freedom from Torture
Organisations / people wanting to know more about the project
Referrers (people who want to refer a woman to the project, or people want to
refer themselves)
Refugees and asylum-seeking individuals
Media
Words we associate with the project:
Power, grace, strength, purity, bravery, positivity, honour, dignity
What we have to work with
http://hackneyyogaproject.blogspot.com/
Some images of the centre and refugee women (though at the moment don’t have
signed agreement to use images)
Plans for photographer to take professional photos in the next two weeks so will send
those on asap
Inspiration
http://www.polimekanos.com/ -- cool simplicity
http://project-air.org/ - brilliant branding. Powerful, inspiring and does the project
justice.
http://matterandco.com/our-work/ - super photos that tell the story, powerful and like
the ‘full-bleed’ effect. ‘Liberate the screen’ to get full effect…
http://brettcampbell.co.uk/ - simple, clean and like the speed at which the pictures
turn
http://www.atelier-loidl.de/ - landing page only - love the full-bleed photo
http://www.yogastopstraffick.org/wp/ - strong imagery and clear presentation of the
story and the facts; inspiring
What the women said:
“Yoga makes me ready to fight the world in a very positive way.”
“Love it here, should be more than once a week.”
“Thank you for the yoga class. I feel more relaxed, mentally and physically.”
“When I exercise in the yoga class, I feel free, my body is free, my mind is free like a bird.”
Contact details
Emily can be contacted at any point on 07964 551 090 /
hackneyyogaproject@gmail.com