About Us

The Design Community Hub is a cross-industry initiative, created to support talent across the design world.

Our Story

In late 2020 at an online DBA event, we were brought together by a question –

“What can the design community do to help designers who can’t find employment in this climate? How can we help the people who are the future of this industry?”

The Design Community Hub is our answer. With support from the DBA, its members, and the wider creative community, we’re making the Design Community Hub a space like nowhere else. A free resource to help the graduates and designers whose careers have been affected by the pandemic. Not just for the short term, but as a lasting commitment to our industry.

“It’s the least we can do” is our rallying cry to everyone connected to the design industry. A call to unite people passionate about design, and for us all to contribute what we can, to each other, and to the future.

About The Design Community Hub

The Home of the Design Community Hub – We house our community on Guild, Guild is a community app built for professionals. As easy to use as an everyday messaging app, it provides private, secure spaces for collaboration, discussion, learning and connection, everything we wanted from a platform, hence us choosing this as the home of the Design Community Hub.

What we provide – The Design Community Hub provides students and graduates with direct access to mentoring, portfolio reviews, internships, Q&As with industry professionals, tips and advice on starting a career in the industry, work experience and exclusive events designed to build and enhance skills and industry connections.

Our community – We have built a strong community with over 205 people on the platform. We want to support, advise, inspire and connect graduates with design professionals across the UK design industry, bridging the gap from education to employment.

What We Have Delivered So Far

Welcomed over 245 active group members to our platform since September 28th 2021

Offered 18 internship opportunities

Shared 19 graduate jobs

Hosted 13 DCH events

Ran 19 portfolio reviews

And offered advice and tips on entering the industry

We have launched a podcast

“My Life in Design”. Created in collaboration with Red Setter, and presented by its Founder & Managing Partner, Claire Blyth, this new podcast lifts the curtain on some of the design sector’s most respected and interesting leaders, strategists and designers.

Episode’s will land weekly on Thursdays on iTunes, Spotify and other leading podcast platforms. The first series includes:

Max Ottignon, co-founder, Ragged Edge
Ian Wharton, CXO at Superunion
Heidi Lightfoot, founder and creative director, Together Design
Gush Mundae, founder of Bulletproof
Kathryn Jubrail, managing director and Kirsty Minns, executive creative director at Mother Design
Stuart Watson, founder and partner at Nomad
Nat Maher, founder of Kerning the Gap
Jos Harrison, global head of brand experience and design at Reckitt.

Supported by

Founders

Callum Lumsden

Lumsden

Deborah Dawton

DBA

Tim Greenhalgh

Landor & Fitch

Phil & Clare Jones

Podge Events

Jonathan Sands

Chairman, Born Ugly

Claire Blyth

Red Setter

What do we need from you?

Design leaders: it’s not just your knowledge we need. To support the talent that drives our industry, we need money. We’re asking for donations as little as £100. Small money for industry budgets – but added together it’s a transformative sum. Uniting the design community and supporting the needs of some, through the generosity of others, for the good of us all.

What will we do with your money?

With your donation we can develop the hub, and keep access free and open to everyone who needs it. Funding everything over the next few years – from running and adapting the platform, to future events, and bringing ideas from the community to life. Your support will help people whose careers should be thriving, not on hold.

Make your contribution

If you’re ready to play your part, join us.

Share your time and knowledge.

Shape the future of our industry.