When you move to a new neighbourhood, it’s important to become an active community member. By getting involved in your community you can create strong bonds and connections with other community members and forge long-lasting relationships, and this will help you to feel more settled in where you live.
You will also feel more peaceful knowing that you have a local support network as well as friends with whom you can share common interests.
If you’re looking for ways to get more involved in your community, consider the 5 tips below.
- Attend local events
A great way to immerse yourself in your local community is to seek out local events. Pay attention to local newspapers, radio stations and posters to find advertisements for local events. They could include a community fate, a music festival, a gig, a food festival, a dance showcase, a VIP speaker presentation, an outdoor cinema screening, a firework display, etc.
The more local events you attend, the better acquainted you will become with your area and the local venues, and the more familiar faces you will see.
- Donate your unwanted possessions
Giving to your community will make you feel like a more active member, which is why you should donate your unwanted possessions any time you can. After all, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.
You should donate clothes to your local charity shops and thrift shops. Be disciplined and give away clothes that you and your family don’t wear or do not need to keep. Also, pass on any bed linens or unwanted sheets to your community’s local homeless shelter.
You should also give away unwanted books, DVDs and CDs to your local library, charity shops and to local schools that would benefit from extra learning resources. And give unwanted food to your local food bank.
You can also donate money to local charities, but giving away useful items and resources can be more effective and make a real difference to your community. Not to mention, cleaning out your old and unwanted possessions is cathartic and helps to free up more space in your home.
- Support local businesses
Another way to become an active community member is to support local businesses. Do this by buying your groceries from local stores and farmers instead of mainstream supermarkets, and by shopping from local vendors who design and hand-make their own goods.
Supporting local businesses will keep the community alive and will give you a greater sense of belonging.
- Volunteer
Leading an altruistic life will help you to build stronger and more meaningful connections with people in your community, and this is why you should volunteer as much as you can.
There are a lot of different ways you can volunteer, so think about what would suit you best and how you make the biggest impact. For example, you could volunteer at a retirement home, a local school, an animal shelter or you can even volunteer to walk your neighbours’ dogs. Help in whatever way you can to get more involved in the community.
- Join community clubs or groups
Another great way to engage in your community is to join your local social club in Sydney and take part in the group activities and clubs. There will be different types of clubs on offer, so choose one that appeals to you the most.
Your local community will likely have recreational sports clubs on offer, including a golf club, a running club, a bowling club, a darts club, a walking club, a tennis club, a cycling club, a football club, yoga and even dance classes. You may also find clubs that will teach you new skills such as art classes or photography. Or, you may choose to take part in a local book club for the social aspect.
Becoming a part of a local club is a great way to make lifelong friends and to feel at home in your local community – and you can have great fun while doing it!
By following these 5 tips – attending local events, supporting local businesses, engaging in group activities and clubs, volunteering and donating your unwanted possessions – you will become an active community member in no time at all.