Heads up jovotans, the SOZIALHELDEN- a Berlin-based non-profit organization needs your support! That’s right, a new OPEN ZONE, Be A Social Design Hero will open tomorrow for this enthusiastic and inspiring group of social heroes.

A little background

SOZIALHELDEN was founded in 2004 to develop projects that create awareness and bring light to social problems and more importantly, growing & constructing solutions to overcome them. SOZIALHELDEN want people not only to be aware of social problems but well get them thinking and reflecting their actions. After all it is not enough to merely have an idea, you need the strength and patience to implement them- therefore, their name translates in english to, Social Hero.

Two great examples of projects they have implemented are wheelmap.org and pfandtastisch-helfen.de. Wheelmap is wonderful website that let’s you mark wheelchair friendly (or not) destinations in your neighborhood and beyond. This allows people who are on wheels (wheel chairs, baby carriages, the elderly with walkers) the freedom to know where they are able to have trouble-free access before getting there to the destination. Pfandtastisch helfen not only has a clever name, it’s a simple and super clever idea! In German, Pfand are bottles that have a deposit, so when you return them you get money back. What Pfandtastisch helfen has done, was simply place a collection box next to the machines where you return your deposit bottles- there you can easily donate your deposit “earnings”! Clever, eh? Usually you don’t earn so much from returning bottles- so it’s not hard to donate it because it was just a simple little task, but hey, it all adds up!!

How can WE help?

You see, the SOZIALHELDEN’s website could use a little work… And they would love it if you could develop a more upbeat, positive and engaging website design.

The design should evoke a quick understanding of what SOZIALHELDEN is about- a positive tone of voice and a inspiring & friendly call to action!

The task is quite broad, design a start site and any which side pages (team, donation, partners & press) however this organization is a non-profit, working for a social good- so they want to make sure that you feel good, creating only as many of the pages that you’re happy about doing. If you’d only like to make one design, the start site with a space for news updates it the most important.

Here are some examples of websites that the client liked:

• www.barackobama.com
• http://nest.im/
• http://www.aktion-mensch.de

Now you’ve got a bit of inside info! Starting tomorrow, Tuesday the 31st, at 12 noon (Berlin time) the project, Be A Social Design Hero will open and we’re all looking forward to see all your designs! Also keep your eyes out for our new feature, Rating Specifications, which will be used for the first time in a public project!