A Landmark Co-Creation: Uniting Voices for the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse

This landmark co-design harnessed extensive research and data from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, a 5-year inquiry. The inquiry involved handling over 42,041 calls, receiving 25,964 letters and emails, conducting 8,013 private sessions, and making 2,575 referrals to authorities. Through document analysis to reviewing reports, transcripts, and submissions, thematic analysis to uncover critical insights and recurring themes, and case study analysis to explore individual experiences in-depth, this initial research phase laid a purposeful foundation for the co-design process.

Our findings highlighted the sensitivity, complexity, and enduring impact of child sexual abuse on survivors. Recognising that the Royal Commission represented their first opportunity to share their stories for many victim-survivors, our workshops and co-design process were created with a delicate balance of empathy and empowerment.

We engaged 65+ individuals across Australia, including survivors, advocates, industry experts, government officials, policymakers, and professionals from various fields, alongside people of diverse ages and cultural backgrounds, including LGBTQI+, First Nations, and those with disabilities. Through co-design workshops and individual interviews, we ensured that their voices, insights and experiences directly informed the strategy in a trauma-informed environment with the National Centre team.

We identified a gap between strategy and creative outcomes in significant projects shaped by a Royal Commission. Enhancing the strategy and its results was key to honouring every individual who contributed to the Royal Commission and our research. Addressing this complex, multifaceted issue required a process tailored to meet the audience’s needs. This approach respected participants sharing their vulnerable stories while aiding creatives in translating research into strategy and tangible outcomes.

This process ensured that every element of the strategy balanced empathy, expertise, and organisational sustainability. The outcomes underwent extensive approval and qualitative testing, resulting in a brand that has been warmly embraced across Australia.

The strategy design, co-design, and human-centred design process have been crucial in shaping the National Centre brand. This comprehensive approach led to the creation of a new brand identity, website, tagline, and value system, strategically aligning with business capabilities and a 5-year plan.

The goal was to establish the brand as a national leader in child sexual abuse (CSA) awareness, creating a strong market presence and a compelling value proposition that aligns with business operations, recruitment, corporate partnerships, funding, and growth strategies. Drawing on extensive research and co-design, we developed the brand and website to excel in functionality and accessibility while prioritising the emotional safety of victim-survivors and ensuring market differentiation. By balancing commercial viability with an authentic brand identity, we aimed to set a new standard in CSA awareness that genuinely resonates with victim-survivor experiences.

The strategy emphasises a user experience that prioritises both functionality and safety. Key features include content warnings, carefully selected imagery, and a prominent ”quick exit” button for secure navigation. Accessibility was central, with universal design principles applied, including colour contrast and typography standards for low vision and UserWay integration for users with dyslexia, neurodiversity, and other needs. The website’s clear visual hierarchy and advanced search functionality enhance usability and access to critical data.

This website design has transformed the National Centre into a trusted knowledge hub and sets a new benchmark for design excellence in Victoria, Australia, and internationally. The project underscores the impact of investing in high-quality, fit-for-purpose design thinking when tackling complex societal issues by providing a safe space for victim-survivors, serving as an educational resource, and offering valuable information for government and policymakers.

Connecting strategy to tangible creative outcomes was central to this project, ensuring that shared stories and voices were effectively represented. Here are a few ways we achieved this:

A standout innovation was the “Stories to the Forefront” initiative—a strategic blend of storytelling and design that uniquely showcases lived experiences. Inspired by victim-survivors’ call for the public and policymakers to ”see the people behind the statistics,” each story is presented with typographic thumbprints, emphasising individuality and the human impact of child sexual abuse. This approach raises awareness in a memorable way and allows victim-survivors to share their stories anonymously, empowering those who have long remained silent. This initiative sets a new standard for advocacy, providing a powerful space for healing and empowerment like nothing else in the sector.

The National Centre’s logo is imbued with symbolism, reflecting progress and tangible impact. Three circles forming the shape of Australia represent the unity of founding organisations: Blue Knot Foundation, The Healing Foundation, and the Australian Childhood Foundation. The space between the circles creates the mathematical delta symbol, symbolizing "measurable change”. An embedded exclamation mark (!) underscores the commitment to action. The logo reflects the ethos of ”Here for Change,” the organisation’s guiding mission developed in this project.

With a core focus on research, we developed an interactive real-time map of child sexual abuse research across Australia. This tool allows users to explore ongoing research, showcasing the breadth of the National Centre’s work. It fosters collaboration, enhances transparency, and reduces duplication, ultimately saving time and resources while improving the quality of study reports.

In addition to serving as a national knowledge and resource hub, the website integrates donation features to support the organisation’s long-term financial sustainability. The brand and website amplify victim-survivors’ voices in every aspect driving societal change, empowerment and education.

Every Royal Commission represents a critical juncture—a moment poised for societal change. It offers an opportunity to advance crucial issues but also presents the risk of mishandling, endangering the cause’s future trajectory. The consequences of failure are immense; a misstep could set the cause back years, decades, or even generations.

Fortunately, The National Centre, built upon a refreshingly empathetic strategy design has ignited a movement that empowers victim-survivors and raises community awareness. The brand has garnered government endorsement by challenging stigma and reshaping the national conversation while continuing to drive measurable change.

“Stories to the Forefront” and the powerful call to action “Here for Change” reflect the brand’s establishment post-Royal Commission nationally. This led to the development of a comprehensive ”Here for Change” 5-Year Strategy and implementation plan, significantly increasing awareness of child sexual abuse. It also led to a moving in-person “Here for Change” event at Old Parliament House between government, victim-survivors, professionals, and the public.

Dr Leanne Beagley, CEO of the National Centre, commented, “As a result of the work, the National Centre has arrived on the national landscape of this really important work to prevent child sexual abuse and respond better to those who live with the traumatic impact. The groundwork laid, and the brand conveyed is highly aligned with whom this means the most: the victims and survivors. The important long-term value is unmistakable.”

Victim-survivors have responded with overwhelming positivity, expressing the brand “moved them to tears” and made them feel “seen”, “validated”, and “proud to be part of the National Centre’s community.”