Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Be a Good Citizen
• Method 2 of 4: Get to know your area
• Method 3 of 4: Get involved
• Method 4 of 4: Share Skills and Time
• Tips
• Additional articles

A city comes alive when the people who live in it love it enough to help improve it. Community outreach makes the lives of your friends, family members, and others who live where you live better. If you look back and see that there are many problems in your neighborhood, then the best time to start fixing them is now. The more love you put into it, the better your environment will become. Read our article and you will learn ideas on how you can help your city become stronger and more alive.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Be a Good Citizen

1. 1 Stop to help where you are needed. This is a fairly simple way to improve your surroundings, and it helps create an atmosphere in which people feel safe and happy. If you see someone who needs help, come to the rescue, do not look away. Do for others what you would like to do for you if you were in such a situation.
   • If you see a young mother trying to push the stroller down the steps, offer to help her with it.
   • If you spot someone who seems to be lost, show him the way and help him get where he wants to go.
   • Understand how you can help people who ask for money on the street instead of walking by without even meeting their eyes.
   • Be the person who will help in an emergency, not someone who assumes that someone else will do it.
2. 2 Support the local economy. Healthy regions have a healthy local economy. People work together to help each other make a living and succeed. You can help improve the vitality of your local economy in a number of different ways, from changing shopping habits to starting your own business. Consider these different ways to help:
   • Buy groceries from local suppliers. Try to get most of your produce from farmers' markets, where people in your area sell products they have grown very carefully.
   • Shop at local businesses whenever possible. For example, if you have a choice: buy new jeans in one of the stores of the global network or in the store of a small local business owned by a resident of your area, then choose the latter. Change your mindset - don't buy the cheapest product available, but use shopping as a way to help your community. Knowing that your money will go to boost your local economy and build a strong and prosperous society is well worth the extra effort and expense. Help others see the light and join your philosophy to improve the financial health of their local communities.
   • Consider starting your own business. You can contribute to the development of your area by offering consumers a quality product and perhaps even hiring workers.
3. 3 Recycle and compost. In many localities, there is a problem with landfills that are starting to overflow. Too much rubbish pollutes the environment, which is very detrimental to the health of your area in the long term. You can do your part and make things better by disposing and composting as much of your waste as possible.
   • If you want to do more, you can spread the word about how to dispose of waste, or initiate a recycling program at your school or office.
   • Composting is beneficial in many ways. It removes food waste without throwing it in the trash, resulting in rich soil that you can use in your garden or vegetable garden. Once you know how to do it, show others how easy it is.
4. 4 Save energy and water. Excessive use of electricity and water depletes local resources. Conserving energy and water is beneficial both for the planet as a whole and for the local environment. Do your best to conserve energy and water, and this will contribute to the long-term health of your area.
   • Turn off lights when you don't need them, use energy-saving devices, turn on the air conditioner less often, lower the temperature on the water heater, unplug the computer from the outlet when you turn it off - all these actions can help you reduce energy consumption.
   • Showering faster, making sure no pipes are leaking, limiting watering to your lawn, or using a water-saving mode when washing dishes or doing laundry - all of these actions can help you reduce your water consumption.
5. 5 Rely less on your car. Locations that rely heavily on road transport often suffer from high levels of air pollution. Air pollution not only damages plants and animals, it also causes serious health problems in humans. Use your car less often, it will lower your carbon footprint, and it will be very beneficial for your area. Here are some alternatives to consider:
   • Walk or bike wherever you need to go. Yes, it will take longer, but you will see much more on the way to your destination.
   • Use public transport. Even if there is no subway or elevated transport in your area, there is definitely a bus route nearby.
   • Agree with co-workers or classmates who live nearby to share the same car instead of driving alone.

Method 2 of 4: Get to know your area

1. 1 Meet people. This is a great way to start figuring out what you can do to help. To get to know the city even better, start networking by going out and meeting people. Go to local events, frequent local coffee shops, and meet your neighbors. The more people in your society you know, the better.
   • To start building relationships with your neighbors, bake muffins or cookies and wrap them up. Then go door to door, hand out treats to your neighbors, and introduce yourself. This will make it easier for you to strike up a conversation with your neighbors and invite them to your place for dinner.
2. 2 Do some research to determine the needs of your community. Before you can help your community and your community, you need to devote some time to a little research and find out what your community needs. This step is especially important if you are new to the area, or if you were not overly interested in the life of your community in the past. Perhaps there is a river in your city that has become so polluted that no one can swim in it. Schools in your area may need more funds to buy books or computers. Perhaps the homeless people in your area need help. Whatever it is, find out what issue needs to be worked on where you live.
   • Use the internet to do basic research on the needs of your community. Try using a search engine to combine your city name with key terms such as community needs, volunteering, and problems. Try other keywords to learn more about the needs of your area.
   • Read local newspapers every day. Local newspapers can help you become more familiar with the area in which you live and what people are doing to solve problems.
   • Talk to people who have lived in your community for a long time. Ask questions, such as asking, “What is the biggest challenge for our city? How do people cope with this problem? ”.
   • Try not to be intimidated by the size and magnitude of the problems facing your society. Pick one thing that you would like to change, one thing that ignites your passion, and move from that.
   • See if anyone else thinks the same way you do. Is there an organization that addresses this need? Do you know someone else who is just as passionate about change?
3. 3 Learn more about organizations. Find out as much as you can about local nonprofits and charities.Visit their web pages to find out what they do, who they serve, why they do it, how they are funded and what volunteer opportunities they offer. Keep track of the organizations you would like to join sometime.
   • Websites such as Idealist, Volunteer Match, and Volonter.ru can also help you find out about organizations looking for volunteers.
4. 4 Decide how you would like to help. After you've taken the time to explore your area, start identifying ways you can help. Think back to what you have learned about your community, the needs of its organizations, and from conversations with people. Be sure to ask yourself a few questions before you start.
   • What problem in society touches you the most?
   • What can you do to help make the best use of your talents?
   • How much time can you and are you ready to devote to this?
   • What needs to be done in order to start helping?

Method 3 of 4: Get involved

1. 1 Choose your way to help. Once you've identified the problem you want to solve, figure out how you can personally start working towards solving it. Even if you do not believe that one person can change the world, you must understand that even one person can influence a situation - step by step. How are you going to bring about change for the better?
   • Find a place where your passions and skills intersect. For example, let's say your city has too little green space and you want to help. You can use social media to spread this message by sharing what you know with as many people as possible and encouraging them to plant more trees.
2. 2 Install multiple achievable goals. The problem you identified will not be easily resolved, it will probably take a lot of work, maybe even years of work. It may even be such that after several years of work, the problem will not be completely resolved. However, if you set achievable goals and start working towards them step by step, you will eventually be able to look back and see the progress you have made.
   • Set short term goals. Set short-term goals in a way that makes sense and motivates you. What do you want to achieve in a week, in a month, or in a year?
   • Set long term goals. What do you want your community and community to look like in five years? How about ten? What seems feasible to you over this period of time?
3. 3 Outline a plan of action. To achieve your goals, you need an action plan. And to complete the action plan, you will probably need help and funding. Make a plan detailing everything you need to achieve this goal, including the following:
   • People... Include a list of the skills that will be required to do this, the hours of work you will need to devote to it, the minimum number of volunteers or representatives needed to achieve your goals.
   • Resources... These can include things such as: buses that will take people to the city center to cleanse the river; trash bags, shovels, protective gloves and masks for volunteers; pizza, soda and salad to feed at lunchtime. Consider everything to the smallest detail.
   • Money... Create a budget and detail how much it will cost to complete your plan.
4. 4 Connect other people. Ask people to find out who else is as passionate about the change as you are. Try to create a core group of activists committed to implementing your local improvement plan. Everyone can contribute, and together you can start delivering results. Even if you just tell people about your goal and your actions to achieve it, it will help you achieve it.
   • To find active volunteers and talk about what you are doing, share the information through social media.Publicize your plan to improve the situation and tell people how they can get involved. Hold meetings to discuss how to put your plan into action.
   • Some people prefer to help by donating money rather than time. Don't be afraid to ask for donations or fundraise to get money you can use to benefit your cause.
5. 5 Be committed to getting things done. Now that you have your goals and a plan of action to achieve them, it's time to organize and put in the real time and effort needed to create change. If you step back now, your society may never see the solution to your dreams. Improving the situation may not be easy, but every little effort you put into your project will have a huge impact.

Method 4 of 4: Share Skills and Time

1. 1 Volunteer for a group that does what you admire. Every nonprofit or community organization in your area is likely to need volunteers. Donating your time to her is a great way to make a positive impact on your community and strengthen your relationships with other members of its community. Find a group doing work that interests you and call them. Most likely, they will have a list of actions that you can start helping right now. Just be aware that volunteering is a serious commitment. The organization spends a lot of time and money on training volunteers, so rest assured that you can and will be willing to help on a long-term basis. Here are some examples of possible volunteer work in most localities:
   • Help with cleaning days for parks, rivers or beaches
   • Taking calls in a phone fundraising marathon
   • Playing with cats and dogs in animal shelters
   • Dispensing food in kitchens or homeless shelters
   • Working on the helpline
   • Counseling in a children's camp
2. 2 Attend social events. It is likely that other people and organizations in your city are also taking steps to improve it. They probably hold festivals, clean-ups, and gatherings in an effort to make your community a better place. How often do you appear at public events? Start visiting as many of them as possible. Even if you just come, it will also be a way to help the community, as you let people know that you care about its problems. When you feel comfortable enough, you can volunteer for these events.
   • For example, if someone you know wants to institute Bike to Work or School Monday afternoon and you have a bike, why not give it a try? Take your friend with you. Show people in your city that cycling is fun as well as rewarding.
   • Participate in fundraising runs and runs. Many nonprofits organize community visits or fundraising races. The registration fee goes directly to the benefit of the non-profit organization, and participation in the event helps to spread awareness among the public about the cause of the event.
   • Go to concerts, festivals, and other events hosted by local businesses and organizations. If no one comes to such events, they may stop altogether.
3. 3 Become an active citizen. A great way to help your city is to be involved in decisions about its life. Be aware of the activities that affect your community and form your own rational opinion on important issues. For example, if your city is deciding whether to cut down a few acres of forest to make room for a supermarket, read the information on the topic and decide what you think about it.Would it be better to leave the forest in that place, or does your city really need a new supermarket? An informed perspective and the expression of your opinion can influence the direction in which the city is moving. Encourage others to participate in these decisions, because civic engagement is essential to a healthy democracy.
   • Voting is also the most important way of influencing the life of the city. Find out more about candidates and their programs and vote in all local elections.
   • Please ask your delegate about any issues that are important to you. If you don’t want that section of the forest to be cleared, or you think that a new supermarket would be very useful for your city, call your delegate or write him a letter explaining the outcome you want and the reasons for your desire.
   • Come to public meetings where decisions are made. Take the opportunity to speak up on an issue that is important to you. Would it be helpful for your city to have more pedestrian crossings on busy streets? Are there too many potholes in your area? Do you have an opinion on how the city can cope with the growing crime rate? Speak up.
4. 4 Cultivate public spaces. If you look around and see rubbish on the streets and graffiti on windows in your area, then you know where to start helping. Cultivating public spaces will make the city brighter and cleaner, bring people to the streets and lead to an improved quality of life for everyone. The work you will need to do will depend on the specific needs of your city and its community.
   • You can instantly make your neighborhood more beautiful by picking up trash yourself. When you walk down the street and see rubbish - pick it up and throw it into the trash bin or recyclable materials. If there is too much of it, and you cannot cope alone, involve friends in this business.
   • Scrape or paint over graffiti to refresh the look of buildings and fences. If you have a talent for drawing, you can even create a mural on a public building for everyone to admire. But in order to do this, you first need to obtain permission from the city or the owner of the building.
   • Improve areas that are too overgrown with weeds. Mow them or sew them by hand. Plant flowers or trees where you can. Add more natural elements to your cityscapes, so they look safer and more inviting.
   • Create a community garden where everyone will have their own plot where they can grow vegetables, herbs and flowers. Ask people to participate in dividing the land and lend their tools for the project.
   • This must first be agreed with the owner of the property before getting down to business.

Tips

• Try not to lose enthusiasm if your efforts go unnoticed. Helping the community is extremely important and makes sense, even if no one acknowledges it. Just know that you are doing a good thing for your city and society and keep doing it!

Additional articles

How to make the world a better place How to get better How to help the homeless How to become a volunteer How to be kind How to Become a Good Neighbor How to be a good friend How to speak loudly How to know that you are trans How to plan your day How to find and care for a tardigrade (water bear) How to send a postcard How to convince someone to quit smoking How to let someone know that you don't like them