Visual Communication - Bachelor

The Gold Leaves Collective

The Gold Leaves Collective is a trauma-informed social network built for survivors of family, domestic, and sexual violence. The concept centres on harnessing the power of peer support and friendship to foster emotional healing, shifting the focus from crisis intervention to enduring recovery through community connection.

Jasmine Stewart

Project Context

Unlike traditional support services that treat survivors during acute distress, The Gold Leaves Collective serves an underrepresented community of survivors in recovery and enables survivors who have left unsafe situations to rebuild their social bonds in safe, empowering spaces. The design rationale draws from trauma-informed principles. It prioritises safety, trust, empowerment, peer support, and cultural sensitivity. The design features offer the target audience a sense of hope and joy, with aesthetic elements inspired by social clubs, so that survivors can feel a sense of normalcy instead of the messaging that they are victims who need to be treated. These design choices were intended to minimise distress and prevent re-traumatisation. The brand identity is visually inspired by kintsugi, the Japanese art of golden repair, symbolising that healing can make people and communities stronger and more beautiful than before. The inspiration for this concept is rooted in research showing that connection and collective healing can significantly reduce isolation, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms among survivors. The Gold Leaves Collective reimagines recovery as a joyful, hopeful journey, replacing the stigma with belonging while enabling survivors to share experiences and encouragement in a trusted, collaborative environment.

How It Works

Through the use of our sophisticated intake process, we utilise information provided by members to match them to a compatible social circle based on interests and similarities in demographics to ensure all members feel safe, comfortable and included. We invite members to monthly events hosted by us and encourage our members to build friendships and peer support to help them in their long-term recovery. The key objectives of The Gold Leaves Collective are to combat the isolation and aftereffects of trauma born from FDSV by providing a safe, empowering space for survivors to connect and share experiences. By connecting with like individuals, survivors can foster resilience and self-worth through community healing and peer support. A significant barrier to recovery for many survivors is the stigma around FDSV, so The Gold Leaves Collective aims to help break the stigma by celebrating survivors’ journeys, emphasising growth over damage.

Jasmine Stewart

Jasmine Stewart is a third-year Visual Communication student with a minor in Marketing. Passionate about design for social impact, she specialises in community-centred branding and visual design. Jasmine believes thoughtful design can empower communities and drive meaningful change through empathetic and accessible communication.