Every city and town, for all of its positive attributes, has some issues which need to be addressed. For most people, the most they ever do to affect change is to complain about the problems to their friends and neighbors or complain about them to the whole world through social media. While complaining and lamenting to friends certainly has its place, this approach is unlikely to result in any lasting change. If you and your family want to truly see a change in your community, here are a few steps you can take.
Note Specifics
It’s easy to note that your city has a “crime problem,” or an “infrastructure problem,” or a “litter problem.” Simply noting these general problems, however, is not going to be much help to those who have the power to make changes. What is powerful, though, is noting specific instances of more general problems so that specific solutions can be sought. For example, if your city has a litter problem, note specific areas that seem to have the worst problem, including pictures, if at all possible. Also, familiarize yourself with relevant financial statistics. You can learn about the budget that applies to these projects and visit an industry website, like icunj.us for civil engineering, for example, to find out more about costs. Then, when you take the problem to someone in power, you’ll have convincing evidence that something needs to be done.
Talk the Talk
To continue the line of reasoning from the first idea, if you’re going to affect positive change, it’s important to talk to the people who can actually do something about it. Anyone can complain to those in their social circles about problems they see, but it takes a truly bold person to find out who is responsible for the department in which a noted problem exists, and then to approach that person with the evidence mentioned above. For example, if you frequently encounter issues with your city’s bridges, find the person in charge of the municipal bridge repair services department, and let them know what you’re seeing. It may take some research and some legwork, but the results you see will usually be worth the effort.
Don’t Give Up
Unless the issue you seek to change is small, it will likely take some persistence to convince those in power that something needs to be done. Even with great evidence presented to the correct people, you could still find yourself dealing with the same issues. This is when it’s important to stick it out, remembering that “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Though it can be frustrating, especially when a particular issue specifically affects you, simply giving up will only ensure that the issue takes longer to solve.
Present Well
As important as it is to work to affect change in your community, it’s even more important to do this task with dignity. Don’t become a negative, angry, or bitter representative of your issue, no matter how impossible the odds seem. Taking this low road will simply give those in power another excuse not to address your issue. If you take the high road, however, even if the issue isn’t resolved how you would like it to be, you can still hold your head high and know that you’ve set a good example for those around you.
