Innovation in
social business provides
ACOTUP with a new logo
I
t is not just a new logo for the Association of Canadian Occupa-
tional Therapy University Programs (ACOTUP) it is the first logo
for the association which has had a letterhead, but no logo since
being established in 2011.
The bilingual
logo is a unique
design reflective of
the objectives of
the association as
the official body of
the Canadian uni-
versity programs
of occupational
therapy.
Not only is it
attractive, the logo
design was also
donated anony-
mously by a
volunteer artist.
“We have been talking about the need for a logo for the eight
years I have been with the association, and it was part of our strategic
plan,” says Bonnie James, ACOTUP chief administrative officer.
“But it was cost and time prohibitive and so the project never moved
forward.”
Having a new professionally designed logo can cost thousands
of dollars, with each adjustment and revision by a board adding to
the overall expense. Often rebranding initiatives become extremely
pricey and time-consuming.
However, thanks to an innovative program run by a social
business platform called Sparked, the newACOTUP/ACUPUE logo
was created, approved and in place at no cost and within a fewmonths.
“Social business” is a catch phrase for how people and compa-
nies use social media and technology to connect with each other in
new ways to share information about products, goods and services.
Sparked is a platform that enables people and companies with
different skills and products to connect.
For example, if you are a Sparked client and you need some-
thing, from an idea to a physical product, you can make a request.
“Sparked matches and routes the ‘request’ to a pool of potential
‘solvers.’ After accepting a request, solvers collaborate, share, and
are rewarded in the process of delivering a solution. As a client, you
can send out requests, and also be a solver for another request.”
One of the ways Sparked is doing this type of matching is
through its innovative program called “Sparked Gives Back” which
is a micro-volunteering program for not-for-profits – like ACOTUP
– and volunteers.
The concept is
simple. Rather than
volunteering huge
amounts of time
and making a long-
term commitment,
volunteers give in a
more “micro” way
through providing
their talents and
knowledge for free.
Not-for-profit or
charitable organi-
zations
register
with Sparked at no
cost, and so do volunteers from a myriad of backgrounds and areas
of expertise.
Sparked matches the request from the non-profit with the
volunteers who have the skill set needed, and they can accept or
decline the project.
In this case, James registeredACOTUP and put out a request for
a new logo within the parameters of what ACOTUP needed. Sparked
matched the request with a number of talented micro-volunteers.
“I discovered the program through Volunteer Canada, told the
ACOTUP executive about it, and they agreed it was worth a try,”
says James. “The results were amazing, and very generous. We had
over a dozen designs created by volunteers sent to us anonymously.
These are people who make a living doing this type of work, and here
they are donating their time and skills, without evening getting recog-
nition or thanks for it.”
The executive narrowed down the 12 submissions to four, and
sent the final logos to the board as a whole. The board voted 12 to 14
in favour of ACOTUP’s new logo.
All at no cost, and in record time.
To learn more about Sparked, and how you can become a micro-
volunteer, visit
www.sparked.com
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