A message from Neil Squires, Harmeny’s Chief Executive
I am delighted to share with you our new logo and website which have been updated to better explain what we do. They beautifully reflect Harmeny’s vision of being a place where some of Scotland’s most remarkable young people have the love, encouragement and nourishment they need to grow and reach their potential.
Learn more about the elements of our new logo in this video.
Building a better future
2023 is a big year for Harmeny. We are in the final stages of our Learning for Life Appeal, with just £330k left to raise against our £3.1m target to build a new secondary Learning Hub, and extend our capacity and reach.
The new Learning Hub, combined with our newly refurbished cottage for older young people which opened last summer means that, from this autumn, children and young people impacted by early years trauma will have both the learning and living spaces they need to stay at Harmeny beyond age 14. If needed, they will be able to stay at Harmeny with their friends and the adults they have grown to trust, up to age 18.
Our unique setting, enhanced by these new facilities, will also allow us to extend our day learning programmes and support more young people from 2024 to engage with their education and wellbeing, and get the support and opportunities they need to thrive.
Neil Squires (CEO) and Mandy Shiel (Head of Education)
How we created our new branding
The first foundation of The Promise is voice, based on the principle that children must be listened to when decisions are made about their care. Harmeny is committed to keeping The Promise and does so by living its values which place children at the heart of all we do. So when we started to consider how we communicate and connect with others about our work, the first thing we did was ask our young people – “what does Harmeny mean to you?”
What we heard from them was stimulating and challenging. They talked about the space Harmeny’s vast estate gives them to play and be free. They took us to the places where they could explore, create and be calm. They chatted about the people they share the space with – those they learn, eat, share, live and grow with. In their own unique voices, they told us that it was a place where they felt sheltered, nurtured and noticed.
Inspiration for the new logo, drawn by one of our young people.
It quickly became evident that none of the children talked about the house that had featured on our logo for the last 25 years. That told us that the story we were telling others about Harmeny was no longer built on the foundation of our children’s voices. The decision was taken that we needed to change our logo and how we shared our story with others through our website, strapline and branding. With support from the team at Daysix and Ishbel Smith of Heart in Mouth we worked to develop a new image.
To further build our brand, we listened to others who help make Harmeny the special place it is: education staff in our school, care workers in our cottages, maintenance workers across our estate, our vital kitchen and domestic teams, our numerous volunteers – a community of inspiring and supportive adults. Of course, our young people were involved throughout: helping to choose our new brand colours; discuss logo designs; vote for their new uniform; being the first to explore our website and participating in the launch of the whole project.
An insight into life at Harmeny
Our children have also informed our website’s new ‘Life at Harmeny’ section, a space for young people to explore our estate, see the faces of Harmeny and learn what life and learning is like here. Designed with children in mind, it is intended to help them, their families and those who work alongside them, to understand what to expect in our community. We hope it will prove to be an invaluable tool to help them as they transition into our care.
A place to live, a space to thrive
Harmeny, as a place to live and a space to thrive, is now represented by a logo and image that is built on what our young people say and think. Our new website shares our story, values and goals. It is a reflection of the vital work that goes on here, and we are all very excited to be sharing our new look with the public.
Explore our new look
We invite you to:
- Take time to explore our new website, particularly our Life At Harmeny section which is designed to introduce young people to our places and people.
- Get in touch to tell us what you think.
- Share our story with others.
Harmeny is a place for children and young people – and we are so grateful to them for helping us build a secure and authentic foundation for how we tell others about their special space.
Neil Squires has been the Chief Executive of Harmeny since July 2010 and over his time has overseen continuous improvement and organisational growth. Prior to this he worked at Barnardo’s Scotland for eleven years, latterly as Assistant Director Children’s Services. Learn more about the people at Harmeny here.
