Sorry I’ve been MIA, I have been busy doing exactly that. (Or more accurately, wrapping up a previous project). I do believe this very strongly though. It is so easy to complain that things aren’t the way you’d like them to be. You would probably be surprised at how easy it can be to get involved and help create the community that you want to live in.
So what exactly do I mean by this? Mostly I am just encouraging you to get involved. Your community isn’t something that popped up fully formed one day. If there are any of the programs we consider standard, clothing closets, soup kitchens, food banks, backpack programs, someone started them. There are probably many more people keeping them running. Most of us can probably agree with the thought behind all of these, so if you aren’t sure where to start they are always great places!
What about something that your community doesn’t have though? Have you ever thought about something like that? Either a need that is missing, or an interest you have that could be used to make your community better?
Almost anything that you are passionate about could be used to make where you live a better place. I know people who have volunteered in so many ways, with so many different talents. Off the top of my head, here are a few things that people I know have improved their community by doing:
- Drive people who need rides to appointments or social gatherings
- Cook for individuals, groups, or events
- Garden; everything from donating extra produce to building an community garden
- Knit or sew items that specific charities need
- Clean; for individuals, organizations, or events
- Offer technical expertise to causes or events
- Organize donations or fundraisers
- Promote them on social media
- Do home improvement projects for individuals or organizations
- Repair things
- Recycle/reuse things
- Visit people in the hospital
- Visit seniors
- Make meals for new parents and people who are sick
- Create or support public art
- Help children learn to read
- Provide extra support to special needs students
The list could probably go on forever. The point though, is that I guarantee that you have the skills to do at least one thing on that list. Why stop there though? I would actually like to challenge you to take it further!
Find something that you are passionate about. The issue that gets you fired up every time you talk about it. The thing that feels completely insane to you that it is still a problem no one else has fixed. Then… Start fixing it.
Who knows, maybe if you go looking you will find someone else that is already working on it who you can join. If not? Please don’t be afraid to be that person. It really intimidates people to even think about starting this kind of project themselves, but please let me assure you that you can. In fact, I am going to tell you a little bit about the project I just closed the doors on for exactly that reason.
I am normally fairly reticent when it comes to talking about it. People’s inflated idea of what it takes to run a small volunteer project means that I tend to find conversations about it kind of overwhelming. I want to make it very, very clear though that if I could do it, you absolutely can to.
If you are new here, or don’t remember, I have ADHD. I am not an organized person. Or a punctual one. I don’t have an unusual amount of free time, or any fantastic skills that you don’t have. My tech skills are sub-par. I am shy and don’t like talking to people I don’t know. On paper, I am a terrible candidate for this sort of thing! Despite all of that, I ran a small volunteer project in my community for many year, and it was fine. Often imperfectly, or less efficiently than it could have been, but it was all still fine!
I just set it up in a way that worked for me. I was able to go periodically, for short bursts of time. How much time I needed was dependent on how heavily I advertised the project. During busy seasons of my life I advertised it less, and got fewer requests. I got help from people who knew more than I did. I learned new things. (It was only in the last few years that I had anything to do with running our website).
The thing that will keep you going though is being passionate about it. (That and help). Find the thing that you think is ridiculous that no one has started, or join the person who has. Help shape your community for the better. I promise you won’t regret it!