You can give in so many ways!
There’s been lots of research to show that lasting happiness and wellbeing comes from combining self-care and caring for others. Some studies have shown that people who help others are more likely to consider themselves as happy and that there are so many positive effects of taking part in social and community life.
Giving can be in any way you would like to give. It could be giving of your time, your ability to listen to someone, or the time and care you may give to your local neighbourhood or community.
Some Ideas You Could Try
Random Acts of Kindness
Acts of kindness no matter how small make a huge difference and ripple out to spread good feeling further than you could imagine! Smile at someone in the street. Say hello to a neighbour. Offer to help someone with a job they’re doing. Learn someone’s name. Say thank you to someone. Pay someone a compliment. There are so many ways to be kind!
Volunteering
Think of something you care about or would like to improve and find your local volunteer centre to offer some time for a cause you believe in.
Giving
to your local environment
Anything from cleaning up some litter on your street, to organising a beach clean with friends or at a local park makes a huge difference to the environment which you are your community can enjoy.
Give Away Some Things You Don’t Use All The Time
Books, tools, kitchen utensils, garden equipment! If you have some things sitting around which you don’t use all the time but are still useful – perhaps you could give them to someone you know, a neighbour, or to a Share Library so that others can use it too?
Bring Your Community Together
From having a cup of tea with a neighbour to organising a gathering with some of your local community – bringing people together is a wonderful way we can give. Improving our wellbeing and making where we live a friendlier place to be.
Making Your Community Greener & More Resillient
Spending time outside has a positive impact on mental and physical health. Green spaces create places where communities can connect. Trees lower the temperature of urban areas in heatwaves, while plant roots absorb water in torrential rain and absorb carbon from the atmosphere. We can make so many choices to make our local area more resilient and friendly places to live – do you think yours could be even better?
Free Wellbeing Resources Library
Explore our library of free resources full of all the toolkits, videos, podcasts, events and courses which can support you to build wellbeing for yourself and the community where you live. And you can add your own resource!
UK Directory of Wellbeing Opportunities
Explore our directory of wellbeing opportunities, projects and practitioners across the whole of the UK. Type in your postcode and find out what’s happening near you! You can also add your own marker on the map!
Want more ideas?
Check out all these fantastic ideas from our partner charity, Action for Happiness!
Ideas for Giving