Giving is good for you; whether you’re giving your time, your money, your attention or your ability to care. And there are so many ways we can give to others, our communities or the natural world.
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. Studies have shown that people who help others are more likely to be happy and content. There are so many positive effects of taking part in social and community life.
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 we 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
Volunteering for a project or cause you believe in is a great way to feel good. It can also help you learn new skills, be physically active and connect with like-minded people. And there are volunteering opportunities all over the UK!
Giving To Your Local Environment
Anything from cleaning up some litter on your street, to organising a beach clean with friends, scattering some wildflower seeds where not much is growing or planting some flowers in a community space, makes a huge difference to the environment which you and your community can enjoy.
Give Away Things You No Longer Need
Books, tools, kitchen utensils, garden equipment! If you have things sitting around which you hardly don’t but are still useful – why don’t you give them to someone you know, a neighbour, a charity shop or to a Sharing Library so that others can use them 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, 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 UK. Type in your postcode and find out what’s happening near you! You can also add your own markers on the map!
Want more ideas?
Check out all these fantastic ideas from our good friends – Action for Happiness!
Ideas for Giving