If you are passionate about a certain cause and want to make a positive change in the world, one of the best ways to help is to raise awareness, inform and sensitize the public. Whatever your cause may be, from health issues, to human rights abuses, to fighting climate change, the same principles should guide your actions in order to achieve better results.

1. Choose your statement.

Find a cause that you are deeply passionate about and dedicate yourself to it. Raising awareness can be a constant struggle, challenging and satisfying at the same time. Fighting for a cause that you genuinely believe in will fuel your ambition and determination, making your efforts more likely to succeed. Also, choosing your statement is the first step towards organizing your awareness raising mission. Once you have established a clear message, it is time to plan your various strategies and actions. 2. Be active on social media. 

The internet allows you to easily communicate with a large number of people who you can inform, discuss with and influence. Use social media to your advantage by creating and sharing content or by joining online groups and initiatives. Social media can also help you get in contact with like-minded individuals, groups and organizations that you can cooperate with to organize awareness raising actions and events. Finally, you can set up a blog or website to express your views on the issues that concern you and use social media to promote your content.

3. Engage your community.

Raising awareness can begin at the local level. Work with your community to sensitize and inform people about your cause and what they can do to contribute. You can ask your community leaders to take action or to facilitate your own initiatives. For example, you can give informative lectures at your local schools, organize group meetings to discuss key elements of your mission, recruit volunteers, engage local businesses and pursue any activity that you believe to be efficient in increasing awareness.

4. Use your skills.

Using your personal skills and talents can greatly help your goal to raise awareness for your cause. Personal skills may vary substantially, from professional skills, such as graphic design, to personality traits, like good communication skills. Raising awareness is a personal effort and you should regard it as such. Some skills can be particularly helpful in your effort to raise awareness. Reasoning skills and analytical thinking will allow you to identify and analyse problems and their possible solutions, while communication and interaction skills will allow you to spread your message faster and persuade others to help you expand your influence. In any case, find a way to use your talents to serve your purpose.

5. Lead by example.

One of the best ways to influence those around you is by giving them the right example to follow. For instance, if your goal is to bring attention to environmental issues, you should recycle, cut down on the amount of plastic you use, ride your bike to work. If you want to raise awareness against animal abuse, neglect and abandonment, you can volunteer at a local shelter. Be an inspiration and show others how they can help. In that way, you can make a concrete contribution to your cause and at the same time motivate others by helping them understand that it doesn’t take much to make a difference.

Take into consideration the Lauchlan Leishman’s suggestions to successfully organize your awareness raising actions and achieve better results. Making meaningful change can be a struggle and at the same time a great source of personal satisfaction. Be creative, persevere in your efforts and keep actively pursuing your goals. For more information, visit Lauchlan Leishman’s blog or connect with him on LinkedIn!