It's just a box, what can that achieve?!
The Move You In Pack© (MYIP) is a simple concept, to make all Armed Forces families feel welcomed from the moment they walk into their new Service Family Accommodation. It is the opportunity for families to feel valued, that someone has thought about them and their needs for their arrival, to help start their new posting positively.
e50K, sponsored by Amey, was asked to think about the needs of the family for the first few hours on their arrival and how to make sure that the box helps them feel welcomed. A nice brew, something to clean the sides with, the all-important loo roll but also to think about environmental impacts and how the box itself could be recycled or reused.
Project Design
Projects and designs only succeed when you have the community buy-in which has been the foundation of the MYIP© concept design. The success of this project comes from working with everybody within the community, co-designing the concept with Armed Forces children, spouses, partners and serving personnel through to senior sponsors within Amey.
e50K’s key approach to any job that supports social value within the People, Place & Space environment is to look at the below key factors:
Design for Resilience - How are the projects addressing resilient design? Do they advance e50K’s commitments to wellness?
Design With Optimism - What imaginative new solutions were brought to solve these project’s challenges?
Design for Inclusion - How do the projects promote equity and inclusion? For example, do they embrace principles of universal design? Do they welcome users of all races, communities, abilities, and age?
Design From a Local Perspective - How are these projects reflecting a local point of view? For example, do they directly engage the local community, are they using local materials or reflecting a local design idea?
Over the past few months we have worked through these questions and now as I sit here the morning of the launch and look at the impacts and relationships that this simple box has created, I am amazed at how this box has really brought the community together. It has become a way to chat and shed light on the Armed Forces life that we are all entwined in.
“It isn’t so long ago that I found myself sitting in a Lincolnshire cafe being told all about the idea of a welcome box full of useful goodies for military families by a very enthusiastic Rachael from e50k. Rachael’s enthusiasm was infectious, and several cups of tea later, I made it clear that our small team at Silverstone Distillery would do whatever we could to help. Little did I know that that would involve creating an entirely new product, with a view to creating several more in the future! Exciting times indeed! We are so proud to be working with the incredible team at e50k on this project. Their hard work and dedication to each other, and to the wider military community is a constant inspiration. We look forward to working with e50k on many more projects moving forward. Here’s to the future!”
The MYIP has achieved what seem like simple things such as:
Suppliers being involved to recreate/design new product ranges.
Veteran-run logistics companies stepping up and taking time out of their day to provide advice and support.
Volunteers giving up time to help pack and be involved.
National companies wanting to be involved in the following runs as they see they benefit of supporting our community
When Elizabeth asked me to look at a concept of producing the MYIP© I did wonder how far we could push the concept. What would the real impact be for the military community? And now I know.
This box is giving far more than just a welcome to a new home. It shows that people care, that businesses and the community want to be involved in supporting the Armed Forces in different and new ways and that why it might be just a box, it is a box that has power to bring people together in different ways.
This box, so simple in concept that of welcoming you into your new home strongly highlights just how many companies want to support the Armed Forces community and see the true value that supporting this community brings.
“Working with e50K on this project has been a wonderful opportunity for The Warbird Coffee Company to give something back to the Armed Forces Community. As a veteran owned and operated small business that has over the past 10 years moved in and out of Service Families Accommodation, we understand the challenges and frustrations that come with moving house on a regular basis!
e50K, in partnership with CarrilionAmey have produced an amazing product that will make a big difference in those first few days when surrounded by boxes and a new neighbourhood.
Through our own Social Media channels and the preview photos we shared, we have had current and former service personnel comment on what an amazing idea this welcome box is and that they can already see the benefits of receiving it during a March In.”
So yes, it is just a simple box BUT the impact that it creates is so much more.
