H O W T O G E T I N V O LV E D W I T H Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y B Y A D A M K I D A N

• It is important to establish yourself as a member of your community, especially if you are new to town.

• Even if you are a very private person, there are always ways in which you can help and contribute to your community in order to make it a safe, comfortable place for people to call home.

• Community service is a great way to explore different areas of your neighborhood and get to know more about the people around you.

• Here are a few insightful ways you can get involved…

• First, think about what you’re passionate about.

• Whether it’s sports, the environment, or health care - there are plenty of niches for you to volunteer for or even look further into for part or full time jobs.

• Find that thing you care most about and cater your community service efforts towards that topic.

• Perhaps you love teaching children but don’t have the time to become a full time teacher just yet - volunteering at a local tutoring service or offering to help kids after school with their homework is a great way to be involved in your community for something you feel passion towards.

• Another way to think about getting involved in your own neighborhood is to think about what kind of environment you want to serve in.

• Some people are more apt to work with somebody one-on-one as a mentor, while others prefer working in a group as part of a team.

• If you’re not quite sure which option is best suited for you, think about if you’re comfortable responding to situations as they arise or if you want to know what to expect before you enter a conflict.

• In addition, if you know you work better outdoors rather than inside, you should think about joining a service group that helps suit the environment.

• Perhaps there is a local trash clean up day in your community that requires volunteers to pick up litter and learn about recycling.

• Or maybe there is a volunteer organization that involves outdoor exercise as a means of raising money for a specific cause.

• There are plenty of options to explore when it comes to volunteering outdoors in your community, you’ll just have to do some research to see what kinds of events and organizations are involved with the outdoors.

• Lastly, think about if you want to acquire something from getting involved with your community and helping others.

• You may have been a lifeguard back in the day and want to get re-certified in CPR, or maybe you want to gain experience needed to help run an organization on a business-level.

• Becoming a member of the community is not only a way for you to reach out and help those around you, but it can also be beneficial towards your future career and goals you want to accomplish.

• For more information on how you can get involved with your community, check out this article published by the Corporation for National and Community Service:

• http://www.nationalservice.gov/serve-your-community/how-get-involved