My Body is My Body
‍‍Emma Buitenhek
2023
acrylic felt, embroidery floss, seed beads

Fuck that
‍As a public health student with a particular interest in sexual education, Buitenhek found the recent political rhetoric around sex education in schools exhausting, harmful, and misinformed. This fueled their commitment to creating a resource that parents and teachers can use to educate kids about consent in a thoughtful and age-appropriate manner. And to ultimately show that kids can be involved in sexual education. It is important for the reduction of sexual abuse both in childhood and later in life. By starting the conversation early, kids are able to build a foundation and understanding of boundaries. One of the main arguments against involving kids in sex education is that it is not age appropriate. Buitenhek wanted to say Fuck That in sparkly pink letters.

‍Hey, that looks like me!
‍Careful consideration was given to the importance of a kid seeing themselves in this book by including characters that resemble people. Buitenhek believes this is crucial especially when introducing new ideas or exploring complex ones. Readers are better able to relate to these characters and therefore see how these experiences can fit into their own lives.

‍Your body is your body
‍Finishing off with your body is your body is your body provides a repetitive statement or mantra for the readers and creates a more interactive and fun experience for parents reading to their kids.

Nature's Touch
‍‍Chris Anderson
2023
wood (native rimu), cnc, 3D scan

In the hustle of everyday life, I work hard and dream big of what could become of my future. Whilst in this mindset, I become tunnel-visioned, focusing on my work and the need to make progress.Over the fast-paced uni weeks, I find my mental health isimpacted by not maintaining the interests that guide my physical and spiritual well-being. For me, this is spending time in nature, a space that drives my endorphins through the roof while grounding me in what matters in life.  Nature’s Touch is a series of 6 tactile plates, all CNC’d from native rimu. Each plate has an abstract natural texture that has been 3D scanned during my walks outside. The idea is to bring these natural textures into the home of those who can’t get the time or access to nature. When you are presented with this artefact, it should promote interaction through touch, sound and smell. This interaction focuses on achieving the healing, transformation and recovery that nature provides for our well-being.I hope this artefact will allow people to slow down and inspirea state of calm. This design process helped me consolidate the importance of a spiritual connection with something bigger than myself. I hope Nature’s Touch will remind me of this throughoutmy life.

Not Just Arthritis
‍‍‍Sakura Orgias
2023
digital art, paper, staples

People are often surprised to learn about how arthritis could affect people so young and thought of it only has something older people have. When Orgias was diagnosed with arthritis at 13, they were given a poorly printed, outdated book about four kids that go inside the body to explore Rheumatoid Arthritis. Orgias decided to make a book they imagined their 13 year old self would’ve enjoyed. As a 13-year-old who just started going to college, Orgias thought their joints would contort and swell as the months went by and that they’d be in crutches some days, or even a wheelchair, wondering if they were being stared at by peers in confusion or disgust. Now that they've grown, it was never like that, but Orgias wanted to do something that addressed the overwhelming insecurity arthritis can give you at a young age.Not just arthritis was designed to be an educational, child-friendly and interactive colouring book. The aim of the book is to help those with arthritis be more calm when imagining their future. This project showed Orgias that it feels incredibly great to help people like them, and also others who’re open to learning about topics such as disabilities, childhood trauma and mental health.

Pocket Pal
‍‍‍Daisy McKinnon
2023
fleece, buttons, thread, wool

Anxiety comes in all different types and presents differently to each individual. It is prevalent among many teenagers and young adults. As someone who suffers from anxiety, McKinnon wanted to create an artifact that brought to life the issue and offer something for people to help them through it. Pocket Pal is a small unique teddy bear to fit in your pocket, hand or bag. Pocket Pal is based on the idea that having something that is always with you but doesn’t have to be visibly seen can help you feel less anxious.  Pocket Pal is made from soft fleece material for a soft, comforting feeling, and stuffed with wool to emulate a squishy, stress ball action. It can mainly be used as something to hold during times of unease, and as a fidget toy. Pocket Pal was designed to be imperfect — its mismatched eye and wonky smile, helps give it a unique feel that reflects how everyone shows and deals with anxiety in different ways.  Pocket Pal’s presence can serve as a grounding mechanism, redirecting focus away from anxiety-inducing stimuli and offering a tangible reminder of comfort and safety. This simple yet powerful coping mechanism can be particularly beneficial in moments of stress, providing a physical source of reassurance and comfort, making it an excellent choice for individuals seeking a discreet and portable way to manage their anxiety.

Privilege Pops
‍‍‍Florence Leung
2024
clay, spray paint, print on watercolour paper

Privilege Pops is a conceputal cereal created in response to my reflections on privilege, what it has afforded me and how it has impacted not only my life but also my health and well-being. Privilege Pops is semi-interactive, inviting participants to pick up the box and examine each cereal shape to discover what it represents. This artefact aims to raise awareness of privilege and its societal impact in determining health outcomes on a broader level. (Disclaimer: The cereal is fake and not for consumption.)

Rewriting the Headlines
‍‍‍Tabea Elisabeth Saggel
2024
paper

This artefact challenges how media reports femicides by examining real news headlines that use passive or biased language, minimising violence or obscuring the perpetrator's role. Participants are invited to rephrase these headlines using clearer, more accountable language. Drawing on UN Women's guidelines for reporting violence against women, the zine encourages critical reflection on how media shapes our perceptions of gender-based violence. The corrected headlines are revealed when the zine is fully unfolded, offering insight into how language impacts justice.

You Can't Walk a Mile in My Shoes
‍‍‍Amelia Brown
2024
shoes, concerete, mdf

In designing my artefact, I have chosen to interpret the metaphor "to walk a mile in my shoes" as "you can't walk a mile in my shoes." This highlights my experience of living with a disability. The shoes are designed with a turned in right foot, tied laces and filled with concrete, symbolising the challenges I face every day. I am to raise awareness and start conversations around people's struggles with disabilities and illnesses.