How kid power can build a community

My family is big on neighbourly sharing. But before I go on, please imagine our wholesome appearance. We're baked from the same perfect ingredients...good looking, perfect teeth, dazzling smiles! Yup, like the Waltons. With extra sparkle.

Thank you for that. Really, we look like hobos. This is one of the reasons our children became involved in local community groups from the age of five.

Unschooled and unkempt, we were out and about in the daytime, where we could be judged, often negatively. But the local community was where we intended to build our education. The neighbours we needed to rely on for support, and our locality was our first stop for help. Simply put, we needed people to like us -- to judge us for what we did, and not how loud we could brawl in public spaces.

And that, I believe, is part of the key to getting the under tens busy in the community. Involvement in local groups from an early age is a simple way to be liked.

We made a difference

Last year, I had a casual conversation with the toy library lady and, as a result, got my children sewing sturdy cloth play bags to donate to the charity. The bags were fun, functional, and promoted the toy service around town. Hey, people liked us. They said thank you, the kids made a difference.

We carried on, making shopping bags for neighbours and offering them to strangers. (Yes, I taught politics and undermined the corporate bag-for-life deal at the same time, but shhh, don't tell Tesco.)

From those few months of sewing and giving, my children realised practical ways in which a community worked. They saw how local people helped each other, and became familiar with the daily work of a local charity. They followed through the needs of others, and knew the impact individual action could have.

I like to think too, how getting my juniors busy with a local charity helped other people understand our family, and make our town a more accepting place to live -- a win win situation.
 

A natural extension

But here's an issue. We didn't hope a school would initiate a community programme. We didn't join a church, youth group, or wait for a national charity to call. We had a conversation, saw a local need, and acted. I involved my youngsters because we're a family living in a neighbourhood.

I don't think our family is unique. I think thousands of people around Britain become active with charities, politics and pressure groups, because they care. It's a natural extension of an involved family to get the children working alongside your grass roots movement. If you can, there is no better community education.

Ultimately, children need to know they can create networks for themselves in a town, and build on those for positive result. They need to know they're important in the community; that they have power to make positive change happen, regardless of age.

So what if they end up sounding like the Waltons? At least you can claim smiles all round.

Get the kids involved

• Inform yourself of local issues which matter to children. Provision of road crossings? Playground equipment? Get involved, express an opinion, and do something.
• Develop the interests and abilities of children within a local charity. If they're interested in animals and are mature enough, find a nearby welfare centre where they can help out.
• Help your youngsters organise their own jumble sale, with proceeds to a charity of their choice.
• Go local. Stop at a town charity and ask what practical help your family can give.
• Friends of friends are great networking contacts. Someone will need a visit, help with dog walking, baby amusing or grocery shopping.
• Don't wait to be asked. Take the kids litter picking in parties to the local playgrounds. Tell your local paper. Turn it into a community group.
• Never be put off. There are adults (some in authority) who don't want children involved. Press on regardless. Educate their attitude. Children are an equal part of the community whatever their age and, given the chance, can take a fair role in building a social place that suits them too.