10 Tips for Taking Social Action

"Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity." – Oprah Winfrey

You’ve read about the Jackson kids. Anything they can do, you can do, too. Here are ten steps that will lead you to your goal.

1. Choose a problem. Look around your neighborhood. Are there any areas that look neglected or need improvements?Are there places that make you feel unsafe?Places that smell awful? Any problems with drugs, crumbling buildings, homeless people, hungry children, dangerous street crossings, grungy landscapes?

This is one good way to begin. You could also find a problem by thinking about a subject you have studied at school or in a scout troop. For example, if you have just finished a unit on mammals, you might ask yourself,"What kinds of problems do animals have or cause in real life?" If you can’t think of anything, you might call your local humane society, animal shelter, or research clinic.

The hard part won’t be finding a problem. (For some suggestions, see below.) The hard part will be choosing only one problem at a time.

2. Do your research. If you choose a problem from something you have studied at school, you already have valuable information to use. But try some new ways of researching,too.

Survey your school or neighborhood to find out how other people feel about the problem you want to tackle. Telephone officials for information, then interview them over the phone or in person. Write letters.Read magazines and newspapers. Checkout the Internet to find information or allies. If you happen to be a veteran couch potato, flip the TV to a news channel.

3. Brainstorm possible solutions and choose one. Think of what you might do to solve your problem. Brainstorm everything you can think of. Sometimes the zaniest ideas turn out to be the best.

After you have made a long list of potential solutions, look at each one carefully.Choose the solution that seems the most possible and will make the most difference.For example: We will help young people learn to read by volunteering as tutors in the elementary school; we will help reduce crime in our area by organizing a neighborhood watch program.

4. Build coalitions of support. A coalition is a group of people working together for the same goal. Find all the people you can who agree with your solutions.Survey your neighborhood; ask teachers,city officials, newspapers, legislators, other students. Call state agencies that deal with your problem. Send email to connect with businesses and nonprofit organizations interested in your issue.

This is very important to do. Organize all these people. The more people you have on your team, the more power you will have to make a difference.

5. Work with your opposition. For every good solution, there are people, businesses, and organizations that might oppose the plan. That’s why it’s important to ask, "Who or what might make it hard to carry out our plan?" It’s important to identify possible barriers before you run into them. You don’t want to be taken by surprise. Brainstorm with your coalition of support to help you identify who might object to your solution. Teachers and other experts can help as well. Then make plans to overcome others’ objections.

You might be tempted to think of the people who oppose your solution as "bad guys." But it can be more useful to see them as people with different needs and opinions.Get to know your "enemy" you might be surprised how far you can get by working together, and how many ideas you agree on.Not all the time, but in many cases, you and your opposition can both win–or at least accomplish more by compromising.

6. Advertise. Here’s good news:Television, radio, and newspaper reporters love stories of kid action. TV and radio stations usually offer free air time for worthy projects.

Call and ask to speak to a reporter who covers educational issues. Or you might write a letter. Be sure to include a phone number(yours?) the reporter can call for more information. Or send out a news release.

Don’t forget small community newspapers, even church bulletins. They can help you advertise, too. If you let people know what problem you’re trying to solve, and what solution you propose, You’ll suddenly find all sorts of people who want to climb aboard.

7. Raise money. After letting people know about your project, you might try to raise funds to support it. This isn’t essential,and many wonderful projects can be tackled without this step. But sometimes you have more power if you put money where your mouth is.

8. Carry out your solution. You have your lineup of team players, and you’ve advertised to let people know the problem you plan to solve. Now DO IT!

Make a list of all the steps you need to take. Give speeches, write letters and proclamations, pass petitions, improve your neighborhood or school (or you might just try to spiff up your own backyard).

9. Evaluate and reflect. Is your plan working? Are you congratulating yourself on your coolness, or do you feel more like you have a migraine headache? It’s time to evaluate your project and its progress.

Have you tried everything? Should you change your solution? Do you need to talk with more people? It’s up to you. You’re in charge.

Reflect on what you’ve learned. What have you actually accomplished? Write, draw, or dramatize your experiences; express your reactions to the service you have performed in an imaginative way.

10. Don’t give up. Unless you think it’s time to quit, don’t pay too much attention to folks who tell you all the reasons why your solution won’t work. If you believe your cause is really important, keep picking away at it.

Problem solving means weeding out all the things that don’t work until you find something that does. Remember; a mountain looks tallest from the bottom. Don’t give up. Climb!

WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?

Maybe you already know a problem you want to solve. Or maybe you’re truly stuck on finding an issue to pursue.

Four Rules of Brainstorming:

1. Brainstorm with a friend, your family, a group, or a class. The more brains you have to storm with, the more ideas you’ll have. But you can also brainstorm alone.

2. Everybody tries to come up with as many ideas as possible–from silly to serious, and everything in between.

3. All ideas are acceptable during brainstorming. Write all of them down now,and make your choices later.

4. Nobody criticizes anybody else’s ideas. Period. No exceptions!

You can brainstorm on blank paper, a chalkboard, a flip chart, a computer, or anything you choose. From the link below, you’ll find examples of a filled-in brainstorming form.

BRAINSTORMING I: Come up With Ideas (see example here)

A blank form for you to use is here.

BRAINSTORMING II: Choose Your Main Idea

At this point, you have many ideas, some of them crazy. Now you should choose an idea to work on.

Ask yourself questions.

For example: Which idea might make the biggest difference? Which idea might have the best chance to succeed? Which idea might benefit the most people? Which idea might cost the least to do? Which idea do I like the best?

QUESTIONS

1. Which idea might be the most possible to do?
2. Which idea do I like the best?
3. Which idea might help the most people?
4. Which idea might cost the least for us?
5. Which idea might help us learn the most?

Choose one basic idea to work with:

We will encourage sidewalk repairs in the Euclid area.

Now list the steps to carry out your Plan of Action.

For example: Give speeches at the community council. Write letters to the mayor. Write a news release for TV and radio.

Then write down who will be responsible for each step, and when.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

Unfortunately, problems in need of solutions are easy to find, Reading the newspapers, watching the news on TV or listening to the radio, surfing the Web, reading books or magazines, or talking to people in your school and community can all help you identify problems that need to be tackled.

Here’s a list of topics that might get you jump-started. Ask yourself, "What’s the problem?" for each of these topics, Decide which ones you might want to work with, or brainstorm topics of your own.

Community Concerns
Schools
City growth and development; land use
Vacant lots, abandoned buildings
Beautification projects
Animals and wildlife
Libraries
Literacy
Parks and recreation
Sports and athletics

Social Concerns
Families
Child care
Friends and social relationships
Population
Immigration
Diversity
Clothing
Homelessness
Public health, mental health
Nutrition and hunger
Substance abuse (alcohol and other drugs, smoking)
Volunteerism
Support systems for children, the elderly, etc.
Poverty
Employment, unemployment

Governing Agencies
Transportation
Law enforcement and justice
Education
Business and labor
Lawmaking agencies and governments
Social agencies
Elections and voting
Court advocacy

The Environment
Energy production, energy use
Natural resources
Wildlife
Hunting and fishing
Pollution (air, water, land)
Weather
Garbage and recycling

Technology
Communication
Information access
Satellites and space research
Medical research
Industrial advances
Inventions and projects
The future of technology and space

Value Systems
Money
Economic growth
Human rights
Children’s rights
Ethics (morals and beliefs)
Religion
Censorship
Trade
Working conditions

Public Safety
Peace
Weapons and gun control
Safety and accidents (including industrial)
Terrorism
Disasters (earthquakes, floods, fires, storms, etc.)
Disease
Crime