iDo Colombia is a design curriculum that I developed to help homeless teenagers in Bogotá, Colombia. My aim was to provide the teenagers with a basic understanding of industrial, graphic and architectural design skills that could be applied in their everyday lives. By creating an understanding of the design process, I aimed to help them identify, analyze and solve design problems, while also helping them address personal challenges. To achieve this, the curriculum focused on the expression of emotions with the ultimate goal of helping the teenagers to learn potential new and enjoyable ways to earn a living. In addition, the curriculum was designed to foster environmental awareness and teamwork.



The curriculum was developed between Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 and was inspired by iDo (Industrial Design Outreach). It became a branch of iDo and with the guidance of iDo’s mentors it was finalized and given its ultimate name. During June and July 2011, I delivered iDo Colombia at two emergency centers of the Children of the Andes Foundation in Bogotá, Colombia. Leveraging the insights from the two-month program, I have re-structured iDo Colombia to help educators and designers continue to use design as a tool for social change.