3 Ways People of All Ages Can Make the Most of International Youth Day
August 12 is International Youth Day, a United Nations effort to celebrate youth activists, combat ageism and help bridge gaps between generations working toward the same change.
No matter your age, it’s likely you’ve questioned your ability to make a difference. Our research shows that 73% of people believe that volunteering is more important than ever, yet 66% think they can’t make a big impact in their communities. Activists on the ground prove otherwise. That’s why we recognize thousands of volunteers for their contributions to their communities through t
he Daily Point of Light Award — because we know that inspiration is contagious.
“Points of Light’s research found that Gen Z is the most civically engaged generation to date. Our youth honorees demonstrate that people of all ages can strengthen communities and solve persistent problems,” says Diane Quest, interim CEO, Points of Light.
To inspire you to action this
International Youth Day
, we are sharing stories of youth honorees, along with three elements from the Points of Light Civic Circle®, a framework for helping people to become more civically engaged.
Volunteer
Nonprofit organizations and NGOs need volunteer power to deliver support to the communities they collaborate with. If you’re an adult wanting to facilitate youth volunteerism, consider organizing a youth-specific event or helping transport the young people in your life to an event. To find a volunteer opportunity that aligns with your interests and availability, check out
Points of Light Engage
, a database with hundreds of thousands of in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities.
The power of volunteering shines when considering Daily Point of Light Award honoree Nate Buescher, a high schooler who prepares food for a local food pantry and distributes home-cooked meals to tent cities around Chicago. Buescher began fighting food insecurity at age 7 with the Honeycomb Project. Today, he mentors younger volunteers while maintaining his own service projects.
Voice
The youth voice is vital, pointing us to which concerns are most important to future world leaders and helping broaden perspectives. Use your voice to advocate for causes you care about by posting on social media, attending a rally or contacting a government leader. Adults can amplify youth voices by sharing with their networks, or organizing forums for youth to be seen and heard.
Seventeen-year-old Daily Point of Light Award honoree
Maanit Goel
used his voice when organizing a rally of fellow activists on the Washington State Capitol steps to support legislation protecting the Chinook salmon and orca populations. He also regularly addresses state legislators and travels statewide to speak to K-12 students about environmental issues.
Listen and Learn
Social justice and environmental issues are nuanced, involving many people with different perspectives shaped by their own experiences. Listening and learning is one way to honor others’ lived experiences and get a fuller scope of an issue.
Young people can commit to thoroughly researching causes they care about, talking to those working toward solutions and holding space for those impacted. Adults can connect with the young people in their lives, inviting dialogue that allows for sharing different perspectives and finding common ground.
These are the driving ideas behind the work of high schooler Kristie To, who became a leading force in Asian American racial justice when she founded
Hearts Against Hate
. Among the initiatives of her nonprofit is distributing Asian history and Asian American Pacific Islander civil rights curriculum to children.
“Cultural sensitivity starts with exposure, and that’s what we’re trying to do with these elementary schoolers,” says To.
To learn about other avenues for social engagement for International Youth Day and all year round, check out the Points of Light Civic Circle by visiting
pointsoflight.org/civic-circle
.
“There are many formal channels for civic engagement, but simple actions make a difference too,” says Quest. “Whether it’s carrying groceries in for a neighbor or donating books to the library, the important thing is to get started when you see a need in your community.”
Amplify Your Social Impact: Combine Elements of Points of Light’s Civic Circle®
If you’re looking to amplify your impact as you contribute to social good, start by considering which activities you’re engaging in. The truth is that civic engagement comes in many forms, and by combining various types of efforts, you can make your impact exponential rather than linear.
Points of Light’s Civic Circle
®
is a framework that helps guide individuals to live full civic lives by demonstrating nine different ways to get involved in causes they care about. Today, we’ll cover three of these avenues so you can consider how you might combine them to magnify your efforts and make your impact stretch that much further.
Volunteering
Of course, when many people think of civic engagement, they think of lending their time and talent through
volunteerism
. And for good reason – nonprofit organizations and NGO’s thrive on the collective power of their volunteers. Volunteers enable these organizations to do the best work they can with the resources they’ve been allotted.
It’s a good idea to think through your volunteer activities to ensure they align with your passions, capabilities and schedule. Whether you volunteer once a month for a few hours, a few times a year with a corporate team or every weekend, you are making a difference in the world!
See how Daily Point of Light Award honoree Dallas Smith lends his time and talents as a volunteer pharmacist in his community.
Donating
When you
donate
to a cause or organization you care about, you allow for your dollars or goods to be put to the best use possible to benefit others. Donating allows organizations to continue their mission and spread awareness about a cause area. Donations can also directly benefit recipients – as in the case of a natural disaster.
Be aware that donating is only helpful if the donations – monetary or in-kind – are truly what the organization needs. Unwanted or unneeded donations are often trashed, contributing to waste. So be sure to do your research and ask for what donations are most helpful before you donate!
See how Daily Point of Light Award honoree Sofia Petito collects and makes use of donations in her community.
Using Your Voice
Everyone has the ability to use their
voice
to elevate the causes they care about. Whether you’re sharing information via social media, talking to friends or family members about a specific issue, or marching in a peaceful protest, you can use your voice – which includes your own opinions, perspectives and concerns – as well as contributing to a collective voice rallying around a cause area.
Combining your voice with other types of civic engagement can be a powerful way to make your mission and message louder, clearer or more accessible to others. That said, be mindful that you don’t use the element of voice for performative activism, but rather that you “walk the walk” along with “talking the talk”!
See how Daily Point of Light Award honoree Tristan Espinoza is amplifying the voices of indigenous peoples.
Use Your Voice During Elections: Tips for Employees and Organizations
Pr
eviously in this series centered around voting as a way to engage in your community, we covered how employers can support their employees to
vote
, as well as to
listen and learn
ab
out the candidates and issues during election season.
As Election Day approaches on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, we’re diving into ways that you can use your corporation’s voice during elections, as well as encourage employees to use their voices, throughout the election season.
According to Points of Light’s research on
the state of Civic Engagement in the United States
, 40% of respondents said they posted or shared content on a social media platform, making their voices heard. There’s no doubt that your employees will likely be posting their individual opinions on the issues and candidates this year.
But as companies are often limited in what they can publicly support, what are some other ways – outside of social media – that you can make your corporate voice heard, and encourage your workforce to make theirs heard, too?
Appoint Democracy Champions
One way to ensure that messaging is consistent across the organization is to appoint a “democracy champion” – or a task force of multiple team members, depending on the size of your organization – to spread the word about the upcoming election. Provide them with tools and goals and connect them to your Government Affairs team for training and counsel.
Not only will this model provide a leadership development opportunity, it will help you plan for local and state elections, and stay abreast of legislative proposals that might impact the communities in which your company operates. Make sure these champions understand this is a nonpartisan role meant to lift up the power of the vote, educate and inform fellow colleagues. Be consistent with messaging, and be clear on when these champions can make commitments on behalf of the company.
Voice Perspectives on Crucial Legislation
Encourage employees to engage individually in civic action by voicing perspectives on hot topics, especially legislation that could impact your workforce. Not only can you use your corporate voice to thoughtfully voice the company stance on these issues, but you can encourage your employees to contact their representatives to advocate for the causes they care about.
“Gen Z and millennial workers are looking for more than just a paycheck – they want to work for an employer that provides ways for them to use their voice and strengthen communities through the democratic process. ”
– Katy Elder, vice president, Business Innovation, Points of Light
Partner With Voter Advocacy Organizations
One of the most powerful ways for your employees to use their voices, especially if you’re being mindful of maintaining a nonpartisan stance at your company, is to advocate for election turnout. Partner with voter advocacy organizations like
Vote Forward
to write letters or make phone calls to registered voters. Vote Forward has seen over 245,000 volunteers write 27.4 million letters since 2018, educating people on how to show up to the polls on Election Day, how to vote by mail and where to check their voter registration status.
A great place to start learning about the power of voice is in our
Civic Life Today issue on Voice
. This digital magazine shares first-hand accounts from contributors who are using their own voices to change conversations, and provides tools and resources for you to learn more and take action.
Don’t miss our first two posts in this four-part series that cover ways to activate around
voting
and
listening and learning
. Our
fourth and final piece
covers how you can encourage employees to volunteer this election season, from helping with transportation in the community to staffing the polls.
3 Ways to Remember Loved Ones Through Civic Acts
June 12 is the birthday of our founder, President George H.W. Bush, and June 8 marks former first lady Barbara Bush’s birthday. While the president, a generous, community-focused and highly influential leader, passed away in 2018, each year we commemorate his birthday and shine a light on his vision of civic engagement by offering key ways you can contribute to your own community.
President Bush believed in the power of many working together to create change and help better the world. He advocated for individuals to unite, knowing that many “points of light” contributing their time, talent and resources had the power to make a massive impact and create a ripple effect that spans the globe.
This year, Points of Light is celebrating the second annual George and Barbara Bush Day of Service to commemorate both of their birthdays and honor their lifelong commitment to public service.
Today we’re offering three ways that you can remember loved ones and honor their legacy through your own acts of civic engagement.
“We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a thousand points of light… we all have something to give.”
— President George H.W. Bush, Founder Of Points Of Light
Volunteer: Host Your Own Day of Service
Whether you choose to organize a food drive on a deceased loved one’s birthday or host a community clean-up on the first day of their favorite season, you can call your fellow community members together to maximize your impact through a day of service.
You might opt to name the event after the name of your loved one or conduct the volunteer opportunity at their favorite place. In these meaningful ways, you can carry on their legacy through encouraging your community to get involved in volunteering.
Donate: Contribute to Their Favorite Cause
Was your loved one an avid bird-watcher? Make a financial donation to a wildlife refuge or conservation society. Were they the top chef in your family? Consider contributing non-perishables to your local food pantry.
Perhaps they were active in volunteering themselves and spent time focusing their time and effort on a particular organization. Reach out to that organization to find out what they need – maybe it’s a children’s hospital looking for volunteers to visit or a shelter for unhoused individuals seeking new or gently used clothing.
Voice: Activate Around a Solution
If your loved one passed away from a specific issue or illness, you might choose to honor their legacy by doing your part to contribute to bringing light to the cause. This could mean using your voice by talking about the issue or petitioning for more support for the cause.
For example, if your loved one passed away from breast cancer, you might post on social media about breast cancer awareness and prevention, as well as encourage donations with a link to a breast cancer research organization. Or you might sign and share a petition for increased breast cancer research funding.
There are so many ways to recognize the people in your life who have had a lasting impact on you and your community. To learn about the many pathways to civic engagement that you can take in their honor today and every day, check out Civic Life Today, our free digital magazine. And for more ways to get involved in your community and shine your light on the world, Points of Light Engage is our database of hundreds of thousands of volunteer opportunities throughout the world, both in-person and virtual.
6 Ways to Activate Points of Light’s Civic Circle Around Ukraine Relief
As Ukrainian refugees evacuate their homeland and begin to build new lives in new countries, you can support them. We’ve gathered a collection of ways for you to activate
Civic Circle
and have an impact as the situation develops and long-term recovery efforts begin.
Cash donations offer flexibility for organizations to respond in real time to people’s developing needs. Do your research first so you can be sure that the organization you plan to support is legitimate. Points of Light has established the
Ukraine Crisis Response Fund
in order to funnel support directly to our Global Network affiliates in and around Ukraine. We’ve also developed a list of
other recommended organizations
you can support.
Global Volunteer Month
is happening all April long. Now is a great time to register to volunteer, but please do not self-deploy. There is limited access around humanitarian relief efforts right now. Working in the aftermath can be both dangerous and complex. It’s safest to wait until the impacted community has requested support, then coordinate with a vetted organization. Find a
Points of Light Global Network
affiliate in your area for opportunities to support relief efforts from home or in your own community.
Stay informed to find out what the community needs. Follow Points of Light on
Facebook
,
Twitter
,
Instagram
and
LinkedIn
, where we share updates and valuable information from our affiliates and other organizations about ways to support Ukraine. You can also follow first responders that are taking action to learn about the most pressing needs. Be intentional to watch media that cover both conservative and liberal views.
Through signing a petition, creating artwork with a statement or even staying silent, you can make your voice heard. And of course, you can share on your own social media network to raise awareness about long-term recovery needs. Just be careful to choose trustworthy sources to ensure you’re spreading accurate information. Check out our issue of
Civic Life Today
on “Voice” to learn more about how to use yours effectively.
Your dollars can have an impact. You can choose to do business with companies supporting relief efforts in and around Ukraine with proceeds from your purchases. Participate in your own
buycott
by searching for companies that are selling products and services that you need. Some companies that are doing this work include Epic Games, maker of the popular video game, Fortnite. The company is giving away all proceeds from the game through April 3. Video game console maker Xbox has joined their effort by donating their net proceeds as well. Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation launched the ‘Meta History: Museum of War’ collection, a series of NFTs that support the war effort in Ukraine. Grammarly, an English language app, is donating $5 million to organizations and funds supporting the people of Ukraine.
There is a growing movement in the corporate sector toward “doing well by doing good,” This ideal could look like giving to humanitarian relief efforts through employee matching, which not only supports the cause but amplifies employee donations. Find out if your company is supporting Ukraine through donations and matching or other means.
Some companies that are doing this type of work include:
Bank of America, which pledged to donate $1 million to the people of Ukraine via five groups: the Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Ukraine and the region, World Central Kitchen, Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, International Medical Corps and Project Hope. The bank also said it would match employee donations to support the relief effort.
KPMG Chair and CEO, Paul Knopp, shared via Twitter, “At KPMG we stand with and support the people of Ukraine, condemning violent attacks by the Russian givernment [sic]. Today, KPMG is making an initial $250,000 donation to GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund and encouraging our partners and professionals to donate as well.”
Whether you activate all six elements of the Civic Circle or choose just one, you’re exercising your civic power. Which will you choose? Tag us on
Facebook
,
Twitter
,
Instagram
and
LinkedIn
to share your story with us.
Points of Light operates with a network of innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations who serve more than 177 affiliates across 38 countries around the world. Together we are inspiring, equipping and mobilizing more people to use their time, talent, voice and resources to create positive change in their communities. Learn more about our Global Network.
