Te Puna Whaiora Children’s Health Camps (CHC) work to transform the lives of children (aged 5-12) who are at significant risk of harm as a consequence of the environment they are being raised in and their own complex needs. They do not undertake any specific communication or marketing activities throughout the year therefore their annual report is their primary form of communication with stakeholders. It’s purpose is therefore way more than just meeting the statutory requirements but a vehicle to highlight the plight of many children in New Zealand and to showcase the amazingly transformative work they do.

Our job was to ensure that the annual report tells the CHC story – including the problem, the opportunity and the solutions they offer- in the most compelling and engaging way possible.

When we were briefed on the annual report we were already underway with rebranding the organisation to Stand. We therefore didn’t want to launch such an important communication piece only to find it was quickly not appropriate for the market. Accordingly, we used Stand as our creative inspiration.

The format was designed to ‘stand tall’ and many of the graphic used, including those that house the text, play on the idea of standing, or growing, up. The transitions in mood and colour - from darkness to light - mirror the journey CHC take children on, from despair to hope. The bold colours, along with the expressive typography and real photos, give the document a lush, energetic and celebratory feel. At the same time, the document doesn’t shy away from being direct and hard hitting in the way the issues are boldly presented.

It’s format, colours and overall approach challenge all the conventions typically associated with annual reports, and in doing so, it grabs the attention of its target audiences becoming a point of difference from other organisations in their sector. Unlike most annual reports, the CHC annual report remains on people’s desk for constant reference and to be shared with others. It is a starter of on-going discussion about the well-being of children, and therefore it not only documents, but actively contributes to, the solution. An international speaker, expert on Not-For-Profits, recently held up a CHC annual report and described it as ‘”Innovation in practice.”

The annual report has also helped galvanize staff in the CHC sites around the country, giving them something to unite behind by showing them that they do make a real difference.