Logo Design - YouthCAN

Logo Design Lesson Plan

Lesson plans are meant to support future facilitators with supplemental information needed to feel confident in running SHIFT programming.
You can play the video tutorials on Logo Design and the Soft Skills video we have created to teach SHIFT course content to participants.

Professional equipment is not needed though some kind of image editing software is required if you will be printing logos.

*This module can be done in-person or in an online format*

Introduction

video

Logo Design Activity

The Logo Design module for SHIFT coaches participants in soft-skills development through the creation of a personalised logo, which is then printed onto a shirt or some other personalized item for participants to keep. The logo will creatively represent soft-skills participants identify as their strengths, as well as ones they need to develop more.

Soft skills are character traits, personal attributes, and other non-technical abilities that help you work and communicate with other people. Some soft-skills you might have to study and learn, and others might come more naturally. This activity was created as a vehicle for participants to investigate their own personal inventory of soft skills. By examining one’s own skillset, we are already practicing one of the most important soft-skills needed in the workplace: self-reflection. Knowing one’s capabilities, interests, needs, and areas for improvement are crucial to navigating the work environment and evolving as an individual.

learning goals

LEARNING GOALS

1. Participants will gain knowledge of each soft skill, and how they relate to their personal lives – identifying their experience with the skills, raising awareness of their proficiencies as well as where there’s room for improvement.
2. Participants will learn how to define these concepts through drawings, practicing their creativity, critical thinking, and innovation to make a personalized logo.
3. Participants will think deeply about their relationships and personal experiences to the soft -skills they possess. Through self-reflection and creating an inventory of skills, participants will gain a better sense of who they are as a worker.

Project Expectations

PROJECT EXPECTATIONS

1. Through self-reflection, participants will determine their two strongest soft-skills, and one that they think needs most work (their weakest). Participants then develop an image for each skill on their Mood Board: a way to collect and brainstorm different creative information. This imagery will create a visual dictionary that they can refer back to upon their Logo Design process.

2. Participants will develop a design that incorporates imagery from their Mood Board to represent all three soft skills, combining them into one composition (either hand-drawn or digitally designed).

3. Upon completion of their design, participants will present their logo to the group, discussing both the personal meaning behind the design and how the soft skills are represented. Participants are encouraged to give constructive criticism and feedback to their fellow participants.

Workshop Flow

WORKSHOP FLOW

Class 1 Introductions, check-in, class norms, outline course and expectations, “Soft Skills” video or PowerPoint presentation--drawing images for each skill during the presentation, check out
Class 2 Check-in, review soft skills using either Soft Skills Table or PowerPoint, present Logo Design Video Tutorial, work period, check out
Class 3 check-in, work period (Logo Design), checkout
Class 4 check-in, Logo Design presentations, critique/feedback, soft skill review, final check out and good-byes

Daily Class Activities

Check-ins 1

CHECK-INS

For each workshop, the facilitator will conduct a “check-in” where participants are prompted with questions to share with the group how they are feeling and something about themselves. This promotes communication and team building, as the check-ins are an opportune time to get to know one another. While check-ins may unfold slowly occasionally, it’s important not to rush them since they are integral to building a strong rapport with the participants. Much like in the workplace, a strong rapport between facilitator and participants is invaluable to developing a trusting and safe environment. Building on this every day, check-ins allow participants to open up more readily and invest more into their program experience. Encouraging participants to speak also let's check-ins be a place for them to practice communication, self-expression, and listening skills.

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Check-ins 2

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Prompts for check-ins are left up to the facilitators, depending on what they are comfortable with asking. Some examples of check-in prompt include:
* On a scale of 1-10, how are you feeling today?
* What is an activity that brings you joy?
* What is your favourite season?
* What is a song you listen to that makes you happy?
* What is a song you listen to that makes you sad?
* What is something you’ve learned about yourself during the pandemic?

The check-in questions should be posited as optional so that participants don’t feel forced to answer them. It is recommended that facilitators answer the check-in questions first to set an example of pace and tone.

Group norms

At the beginning of the course, facilitators will open up a discussion regarding “Group Norms” also known as “House Rules.” These rules should be suggested by participants themselves so that they understand their agency, autonomy, and self-determination. The collaborative effort of creating a space where all feel welcome is intrinsic to a healthy and thriving workshop experience.

Some examples of “House Rules” or Group Norms:
* Respect for everyone’s pronouns
* Respect everyone’s experiences and input
* Judgement-free zone

Group norms are essential to building trust amongst participants that will help them feel safe in engaging.

Presentations

We rely on presentations and videos to support this course, including the Soft Skills video, and Logo Design tutorial. The soft skills video is provided to you as part of this online guidebook. The video tutorials are used to show participants how to approach the Logo Design activity, step-by-step, and is made available within this online guidebook as well.

The soft skills presentations are conducted through video or Powerpoint. We explore 12 soft skills that relate to assertive communication and emotional IQ. These skills are the foundation of becoming a considerate worker. They help us navigate life and its many challenges, and are an excellent toolkit in developing an understanding of our own strengths, interests, needs, challenges, and triumphs. One at a time we define each skill and discuss their characteristics and the impact that using these skills can have on ourselves, our co-workers, and our lives in general. Presenting the information requires filling in the blanks and using anecdotes or personal stories alongside other clarifying additions in order to provide context to whatever is being presented. Providing personal examples of workplace scenarios in order to illustrate a soft skill in practice is integral to the participant’s understanding and relies on the facilitator’s admission that everyone, no matter their life experience, is always working on these skills. No one is a master at all the soft skills. It also helps to encourage the participants to connect with the material on a personal level.

While the soft skills presentation is happening, participants should be asked to consider what soft skills they possess and which ones they’d like to work on developing. It is recommended that you ask them to create a list as you go through the presentation to help them self-reflect for their projects later on.

Check out + thanks

At the end of every class, similar to how we check-in, we also debrief and check-out with participants. During check-out, we engage participants in discussion of how the session went for them, we talk about the learning process and how participants are feeling. We also review the table of 12 soft skills (e.g. what soft skill did you use today and which will you focus on until our next session?). This is a good time to reinforce our growing knowledge of the soft skills. When debriefing it is important to preface with the idea that there is no wrong answer. Try to offer thanks and highlight achievements at this time.

The debrief doesn’t have to be 100% related to the class activities but could also be something fun or apply to whatever is coming next in their day. It is also worth asking if a participant’s mood has changed or shifted since the check-in. If the number scale was used, a facilitator may ask what number they sit at as they exit the class.

While asking participants to reflect on the class helps retain learning, it’s important to be conscious of how the participants are feeling, and if they have the energy to keep reviewing.

Assignment Breakdowns

LOGO DESIGN 1

*Please watch the Logo Design tutorial video for more information*

The Logo Design activity is a way for participants to express themselves freely in a visual format. They are tasked with creating a design that will represent their own experiences in relation to the Soft Skills and aspects of their unique personality. Since art is subjective, it is up to the participant to explain and elaborate how their design symbolizes the message they are trying to convey to the viewer.

As a set up to the Logo Design assignment, the Soft Skills video or presentation should be delivered to the participants. After (or even during) the presentation, it is helpful to discuss each skill and come up with examples of how each one can be applied to our lives. Then, as a group, as participants to symbolize each skill through an image and create an inventory of what skills they possess and what skills they need to work on. These will serve as a visual dictionary that can be referred back to once their Logo designing begins.

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LOGO DESIGN 2

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After the skills inventory, participants are given the assignment of creating their own personalized logo based on three different soft skills--two they are proficient in, and one they need to work on. Showing the Logo Design Tutorial video to the group will instruct them in the step-by-step process of thinking and creating their logos. If participants are having a difficult time coming up with a logo idea, this brainstorm questionnaire can help start their design thinking.

Once complete, participants will present their logos to the group, and field questions, comments, critiques. Through this exercise, participants will utilize many of the 12 soft skills and hone their assertive communication skills through the practice of honest, direct, and calm language.

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LOGO DESIGN 3

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Printing the logos for participants to keep

*Centre[3] operates screen printing facilities and would be happy to offer our services. Please email print@centre3.com for any inquiries. File specificity will depend on the printing place the logos are getting done. Doing your own research or outreach to local artists/services in your community is also recommended.*

If the facilitator has knowledge/capacity of image editing programs (ie. photoshop, illustrator, etc.), they can spend some time doing “live edits” with participants. During these sessions, participants tell the facilitator what small edits they’d like to see on their designs before they get printed. Once all the designs are finished, the facilitator will need to send the image files off to a printing service to get the logos printed. Shirts or small things like mugs are great items for participants to keep and regularly use.

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LOGO DESIGN 4

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Broken into steps, the Logo Design activity asks participants to:

Step 1: Ask questions you may have about any of the Soft Skills or their Definitions
Step 2: Create a Mood Board by compiling a Visual Dictionary of all 12 soft skills
Step 3: Determine the 2 soft skills in which you are most proficient
Step 4: Determine the 1 soft skill in which you are most deficient
Step 5: Using your pencil, brainstorm ways to incorporate all 3 skills into one composition
Step 6: Once you are happy with the composition, use black marker to trace over it.
Step 7: Erase all pencil lines
Step 8: Take a photo of the design, send it to the facilitator via email

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LIST OF MATERIALS

Resources

Logo Brainstorm Questionnaire

How to Design a Logo (Even if You’re Not a Designer)

Printing Services

Centre[3] operates screen printing facilities and would be happy to offer our services. Please email print@centre3.com for any inquiries. File specificity will depend on the printing place the logos are getting done. Doing your own research or outreach to local artists/services in your community is also recommended.

LIST OF MATERIALS

List of Materials:

* Plain white paper
* Pencil
* Eraser
* Pencil sharpener
* Black pen
* Black marker
* Camera + internet & email access to take photo of design and send to facilitator
* (optional) Image editing program such as Photoshop, if facilitator is familiar with one

Sample Lesson Plan Model

class 1

The following lesson plans are based on a 2 hours x 4 sessions workshop model. The timelines are only suggestions - pace yourself with the group’s needs and make adjustments where necessary.

It is important to be flexible with the time frame, as not all groups move at the same pace.

Logo Design - Class 1

Time

Activity

Materials

15 mins

Introductions: facilitators and participants will introduce themselves by sharing their name and pronouns, anything they’d like to say, and by answering a check-in question (e.g. what is your favourite meal?)

Questions for check-ins/icebreakers

45 mins

Soft Skill video or PowerPoint presentation, pausing for discussion, sharing anecdotes/examples, and drawing a symbol to represent each skill
(continue after break)

Soft Skill communication video

Soft Skills PowerPoint

Paper
Pencil

15 mins

Break

n/a

30 mins

(continued) Soft Skill PowerPoint presentation, pausing for discussion, sharing anecdotes/examples, and drawing a symbol to represent each skill

n/a

15 mins

Check-out: ask participants to determine which soft skills were used during class and how

n/a

class 2

Logo Design - Class 2

Time

Activity

Materials

15 mins

Check-in with the group (e.g. what did you get up to since the last class?)

n/a

30 mins

Revisit and briefly summarize the 12 soft skills

Table of Soft Skills

or PowerPoint

15 mins

Show Logo Design Tutorial Video

Logo Design video

15 mins

Break

n/a

30 mins

Work period (logo brainstorming)

Logo Brainstorming Questionnaire

Pencil
Pencil sharpener
eraser

15 mins

Check-out: ask participants to determine which soft skills were used during class and how

Table of Soft Skills

class 3

Logo Design - Class 3

Time

Activity

Materials

15 mins

Check-ins

n/a

45 mins

Work period (logo designing)

Plain white paper
Pencil
Eraser
Pencil sharpener
Black pen
Black marker

15 mins

Break

n/a

30 mins

Work period continued (logo designing)

Plain white paper
Pencil
Eraser
Pencil sharpener
Black pen
Black marker

15 mins

Check-out

Table of Soft Skills

class 4

Logo Design - Class 4

During this class you will host a work period, view final animations and debrief. You will also have a final checkout with course takeaways and goodbyes. Be sure to touch on things learned over the workshops during the animation debriefs and final check-out.

Time

Activity

Materials

15 mins

Check-ins

n/a

20 min

Send a photo of the design to the facilitator

Camera
Internet connection
Email address

25 min

Participants present their Logos to the group as Facilitator edits images on Photoshop, based on participants’ instructions

Image editing software such as Photoshop (optional)

15 mins

Break

n/a

20 mins

Participants present their Logos to the group as Facilitator edits images on Photoshop, based on participants’ instructions (cont’d)

Image editing software such as Photoshop (optional)

25 mins

Check-out: participants demonstrate their understanding of the soft skills by addressing which ones were used most during the course and which one was used least.
Do they think they improved upon their skillset?
Do they think they raised their awareness of the soft skills?
What are some ways in which they can practice the skills?

Table of Soft Skills