Love, Robbie
Kia ora. Ko Robbie Allen toku ingoa.
This is my Love Letter to the Otago Social Impact Studio.
As part of the original group of students that Sze-En pulled together from all parts of the Unicrew experience back in 2015, the Social Impact Studio completely changed my time at uni for the better. And I genuinely believe it set me on the path to a fulfilling career in social marketing and behaviour change.
One of the stand-out projects for me from that time would be the first Sleep-Out for the Dunedin Night Shelter. The power of Sze-En and the Studio pulling us together with a shared vision, and giving us the confidence to go out there and find a way to make it happen, had a huge impact on both the Night Shelter, and on showing me personally the real impact we could make together through creativity and collaboration.
Another key project was in my role of finding innovative ways of engaging hard-to-reach students with volunteering opportunities. For example, creating Unicrew Tinder profiles (before ads on Tinder were a thing) to show up where students’ attention was and engage them in volunteering in a surprising way - think, “I like long walks on the beach picking up rubbish. Come join me some time.” That project was great proof to me that the Studio is an essential bridge between the university and the wider community, able to reach out and be present in a way that charities and universities often aren’t - or can’t be - when seeking the positive contributions of students.
Both of those experiences and more with the Studio have been huge touchstones for me in my career post-uni. The early confidence I gained through those projects and others, the creativity I was able to apply and see have a real impact, and the stories I was able to tell interviewers meant I quickly got accepted into a graduate programme at a creative advertising agency that specialises in social impact and public service behaviour change.
And so I have consistently looked back on my time in the Studio as the critical first step that set me up to work professionally on the problems I’m tasked with tackling as a Creative Strategist. Ranging from drink driving and speeding to climate action, from national anti-racism programmes to our Unite Against COVID-19 communications and more, my work in this area has been internationally recognised and awarded for both creativity and effectiveness. And most importantly, these projects have found a lasting place in culture, featuring in museum exhibitions, documentaries, spoken word anthologies, being adopted by the public on murals and protest placards, and even presented at the United Nations.
Most recently I founded a mission-driven startup and was accepted into a startup accelerator programme, again working to solve social problems.
I can’t thank the Studio enough for this path it set me off on - I have to pinch myself when I think of where those early experiences have taken me. And I’ve been so glad to see it has only grown in impact and reach to help others like me get inspired, gain practical skills, channel their creative problem solving energy, and discover fulfilling professional careers.
Much love to the Social Impact Studio!
Robbie Allen