Re-imagining issue framing: The Women’s Butterfly Project

While social marketers typically research and practice on topics such as homelessness, obesity and domestic violence, the negative framing of these social issues can undermine and restrict the solutions that can be designed. There is significant evidence to demonstrate that a strengths-based rather deficit approach to social issue framing is more effective; however, there is little guidance on how to move from negative framing of a social issue (deficit-approach) to positive framing of a social issue (strengths-based). Using service design and reflexivity, this research involved a cross-discipline team of 15 researchers, 15 expert-proxies and women of lived experience, 11 early responders and 13 user-testers to co-design a digital portal prototype to prevent homelessness for mature women. The findings identified four project features that require focus for a strengths-based approach. This research also developed a checklist for reframing a social issue as positive using a strength-based approach.