To become more involved as an activist and have a positive impact on the world, consider the following suggestions for getting started.
"We will not resort to violence.
We will not degrade ourselves with hatred.
Love will not be returned with hate." - Martin Luther King Jr. [source | more]
Because volunteers are in short supply and your time is limited, it is essential to make the most of your efforts. Here are a few examples of how you can increase the impact of your activism efforts.
Specialized Volunteerism. If your community is like most, there are numerous organizations you would like to help by volunteering. Consider focusing your volunteer efforts in your area of profession, specialty, skill, and greatest experience. In this way, you are contributing the greatest value to the organization.
Give the Gift of Education. Consider offering classes in your area of specialty, such as a class on: how to use computers, video editing, gardening, time management, conflict resolution, relationships, plant care, cooking, buying a car, bicycle maintenance, or a class on financial management and investing. By offering classes to many people at one time, you can effectively donate the value of your time and expertise to an almost unlimited number of individuals and local organizations. Your local public library is a good place to consider offering such training.
Donations Portfolio. Consider developing a portfolio of organizations that represent your interests such as political, environmental, and human rights organizations. Then, contribute monthly to these organizations as if they were investments.
Apprenticeship Volunteerism. Consider contributing your time, energy, finances, and resources to a local activist in your community. They will be grateful for your help and you will learn a lot in the process.
Satellite Organization. Pick one or two organizations from our links list and become familiar with the regular news provided on their site. Consider being an unofficial satellite office for your favorite organization, hold local meetings and distribute information about what the organization is doing.
Activist Coach. Find someone to meet with on a regular basis to discuss your activist goals. Your meetings can be weekly, monthly, or even quarterly, depending on your interest. The purpose for the meetings is to explore and consider ways you can be more effective. Your coach can offer encouragement or provide suggestions you might not have thought of.
Creative Outreach. Some examples of creative outreach are offered below. In general, the idea of creative outreach is to provide the public with valuable products and/or services while educating about a cause you believe in.
Ideas, Action, Results. Some people don't have ideas. Others, have ideas, but they don't know how to put them into action. Some have ideas and can put them into action, but something breaks down along the way so the positive results never come. If possible, even on a small scale, try to develop workable systems that take your ideas and put them into actions that will effectively have positive results. In some cases this takes a team of people working together - each having experience and a gifting in a certain phase of this process.
The news media today tends to sensationalize activists as angry anti-social "fringe" members of our society. Terrorists are viewed as a type of religious or political activist. Environmentalists who turn to violence are labeled eco-terrorists. For this reason, there is a great need today for creative, constructive, and peaceful activism. Here are a few examples:
Parking Meters, Parking Tickets, Parking Ramp Fees. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will go to parking areas and pay for people's parking. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about. If you pay tickets, leave a note saying that the ticket was paid by your organization. Please check with your local authorities to be sure this practice is permissible in your area. (20061227we1032)
Washing Laundry. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will go to Laundromats and pay for people's laundry. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Street Sweepers. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will volunteer time to sweep side walks in front of shops. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Beautification. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will volunteer time to clean parks and renovate public areas. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Window Washing. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will volunteer time to wash show windows of local businesses. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Marketing. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will volunteer time to help promote locally owned and operated businesses. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Volunteers. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will volunteer time to help local citizens, non-profit groups, and/or senior citizens. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Car Washing. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will offer a free car wash. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Give Gifts. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will give small gifts to people. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Lawn Care. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will mow lawns for people. Consider using electric lawn mowers or hand push lawn mowers. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Weed Gardens. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will weed gardens for people. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Shovel Snow. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will shovel snow for people. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about.
Camp for a Cause. Start a campaign in your city to mobilize activists who will setup a "camp" with tents, tables, and information about a cause you are passionate about. Wear placards or t-shirts that promote whatever cause you are passionate about. It's probably a good idea to get permission from local authorities to do this. Otherwise, the tents might not be necessary since you'll probably end up in jail - which would limit your legitimacy and ability to get your message out.
