Help me out - social responsibility
We are all part of a society, and we share the world with the people around us.
What is social responsibility?
Being socially responsible might sound complicated and serious, but it just means doing things which are positive for us, the people around us, and the planet.
It can be –
Doing big or little things which will make the world a better or happier place
Being caring, kind, polite or helpful to the people we see every day
Trying to understand the world from the perspective of those who are different from us
Being aware of the world around us and taking action when we can make something better
Everybody can do their bit to be socially responsible – it’s not just down to one person.
What can you do?
There are loads of simple things you can do to be socially responsible.
With your family and friends, you can –
Always try to treat people the way you’d like to be treated yourself
Look out for people and offer to listen if they seem down or upset
Do little things to help out at home, like tidy up without being asked!
At school you can –
Join a peer mentoring scheme (where pupils help each other with school work and other things like socialising)
Start or join a club to share your skills
Be an anti-bullying ambassador
In your local community you can –
Volunteer with local groups – it could be to collect clothes or food for families in need, look after animals or visit older people
Pick up litter and keep your area clean
Always re-use and recycle when you can, rather than throwing things out
In the wider world you can –
Write to you MP to tell them if there’s an issue you care about
Find out how to support a cause that you believe in
Take part in fundraising events (like a sponsored walk or a bake sale) to raise money for a charity
Find out about how children and young people live in other parts of the world and what you could learn from them
And that’s just for starters! Why not get together with your mates and come up with ideas about things you can do together?
Why be socially responsible?
Being socially responsible is, of course, good for the people and the world around you.
But it can also make you feel really good on the inside to know that something you’ve done has had a positive impact – that you have the power to make the world a better place.
You might also end up being an inspiration to other people to get active and do something positive themselves!
Just saying hello can make a difference
Big things and little things
You don’t have to do something big and spectacular to make a difference.
(Although if you want to, brilliant!)
You can make a big difference by being socially responsible in small ways every day.
Even the littlest things (like saying hello to a neighbour, smiling, being polite or walking instead of taking the car) all add up to make the world a bit nicer for everyone (and make you feel good too).
For more information about organisations which offer advice and support, check out the Advice Helplines page.