Seven Simple Ways to Give to Your Community

I am perplexed by the phenomenon of selfie photos. People visit beautiful places or meet famous people, and yet the experience is not ‘real’ unless the individual takes a photo of his or herself centre-stage. It’s a self-centred world, and yet clearly placing the focus on ‘self’ does not lead to happiness. About a million Australians suffer from depression and another two million people struggle with anxiety. Psychologists who study happiness again and again tell us that there are some fundamental keys to being happy: 1. Keep your body healthy and 2. Build meaningful relationships, and that means caring for other people, especially the less fortunate in our community.

To feel happy you need to maintain a sense of value, and to have a sense of value you must do something meaningful that increases your ‘social value’. Researchers have also discovered that having positive interactions with other people boosts our happiness, again this can be achieved by giving to others. But when it comes to serving our community or giving to a charity we tend to put it off. We say to ourselves, “I don’t’ have the money right now. I’ll donate next time” or “I’m really busy with work, I can’t offer to help out.” We then shuffle off, feeling a bit guilty, but we try to forget about inadequate reaction as soon as possible. The truth is that the person we have short-changed is our self. We were offered the opportunity to make a meaningful connection and make a valuable contribution and we blew it. Today I want to look at easy and effective ways to give to other people and the community.

1. Volunteer to do PR for a community group

Last year I spent a lot of time blogging about effective public relations methods. I wrote about setting up your own blog or Facebook page, writing good stories, uploading photos, and networking online. If you read these blogs or have any of these skills then you are well placed to help out a community group. Are you a member of a service group like Lions or Rotary? Does the person who writes their newsletters need a hand? What is the group’s online presence like? Who publicises the local church fetes online? If you volunteer to do the media and social media for a community group, you will also have the chance to practice and improve these skills. It means you will become more experienced and media savvy. These are great skills, especially when it comes to promoting your own business or hobbies.

2. Charity begins at home

I noticed that Meghan Markle’s half-sister had a go at her in the media recently. The half-sister, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, complained that Meghan does a lot of charity work for big organisations but didn’t help her sister when she was struggling. We all lead such busy lives and it’s easy to overlook the needs of our own family members. When was the last time you took your elderly parents on a day trip? Do you have a sibling or a cousin who is struggling to work and raise young children? Have you ever made a meal for that family and dropped it in or offered to take the kids to a park for the afternoon? Yes, charity does start at home.

3. Organise a garage sale and donate the proceeds

I know a lot of people are struggling with the cost of living today. You may have just started your own business and cash may be tight or you might be helping your adult children get the deposit for their first home. When asked to donate to charity, you don’t have the spare cash, but take a look around your home. In cupboards there are no doubt clothes, china and gadgets you haven’t used in years. Organise a garage sale and declutter your house, then donate the money raised to a good cause. Give it to the Salvation Army or Save the Children. If you are a good organiser, get your neighbours involved and hold a massive street garage sale. Ideally everyone should agree on a charity before the sale, or you could divide the proceeds between several charities.

4. Become a visitor at a nursing home

Older people in nursing homes do become bored and despondent. Many of the residents love having visitors and enjoy a good conversation. Could you spare one or two hours a week? Your visits could make a huge difference to an older person’s life. Contact a local nursing home and explain you want to volunteer as a visitor. You may be invited to list your interests so they can match you up with a resident who shares those interests.

5. Get involved in a youth sports team

Did you play sport when you were young? Netball, football, hockey? Have you considered getting involved in a youth sporting team? Community sporting organisations are often stretched to the limits in terms of volunteers and funding. These groups struggle to find people to coach the kids, serve at the canteen, officiate or umpire at games, run water out to the young athletes, co-ordinate the use of ovals. Remember experts say the key to happiness is keeping fit, having social value and establishing meaningful connection. If you volunteer to coach a youth sporting team you are ticking every happiness box! The more you put into life, the more you get out of life!

6. Tutor or mentor a young person

The organisation Big Brothers, Big Sisters matches mentors with disadvantaged young people. Young people need role models to learn important social, professional and academic skills and yet many teenagers have no one to lead them. The Big Brothers, Big Sisters organisation is always looking for new mentors. They even have three different ways you can help out. You can meet up with a young person after-school, you can go into schools and help with tutoring or you can even support a young person online. The group works with kids aged seven to 17 and tries to match adults with children who have similar interests and outlooks so you will feel like their big brother or sister. You could help these young people build their sense of belonging, sense of self-worth and increase their resilience. Teenaged years are critical. You may even end up changing this young person’s life!

7. Food is the way to a man’s (and woman’s) heart

If you are a whiz in the kitchen then volunteer to cook for someone in need. You might want to put your hand up to work in a soup kitchen or you could contact Meals on Wheels. Another way to use your cooking skills is to host a charity event and cook. I love the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Teas. Why not make morning tea for your work colleagues or a group of friends and invite them to donate to the Cancer Council. I also have female friends who run a Girls Night In every year to raise money for cancer research. They say it’s a highlight of their social calendar.

Having a positive impact in your community is not hard or expensive and can be lots of fun if you just start thinking creatively about how to do it. Let me know what community venture you get involved in, in the comment below!