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Helping Your Community

Find simple ways to make a difference where you live.

  • Define and explain Helping Your Community in your own words
  • Use key terms such as Community accurately
  • Apply what you have learned to new examples and questions
  • Avoid the common mistakes learners make with this topic

This lesson focuses on Helping Your Community: find simple ways to make a difference where you live.

Definition: Helping Your Community

Find simple ways to make a difference where you live.

Key ideas

A community is people, not just buildings

Streets and shops matter, but a community is really made of relationships: people who greet each other, help in trouble and celebrate together. Sociologists say communities give us a sense of belonging beyond our families. A place full of strangers is just a location; a place full of neighbours is a community.

Helpers have special roles

Doctors, nurses, firefighters, teachers, shopkeepers, bus drivers and bin collectors each do jobs the whole community depends on. Many helpers also volunteer on top of their paid work. Recognising these roles helps us understand that society only works when thousands of people do their part.

Key term — Community: A group of people who live in the same place or share interests, and who look out for each other.

Worked example: Helping Your Community

What is a community?

A group of people who live in the same place or share interests and look out for each other.

Answer: A group of people who live in the same place or share interests and look out for each other.

Common mistakes
  • Thinking a community is only the place where you live You can also belong to a school community, a club community or an online community of shared interests.
  • Believing only uniformed workers are helpers Shopkeepers, volunteers, neighbours and even children who tidy up are community helpers too.

Practice

A new family moves into your street and speaks little English. Give two ways to welcome them into the community.
Think about belonging.

Any two kind actions, e.g. say hello and introduce yourself, invite their children to play, show them where the shops and park are.

Name three community helpers and say what each one does.
Think about who you see on a walk through town.

Any three with correct jobs, e.g. firefighter, puts out fires; teacher, educates children; shopkeeper, provides food and goods.

You want to help your community this weekend. Suggest one realistic action and explain who it helps.
Small actions count.

Any realistic action with a clear beneficiary, e.g. litter-picking in the park helps everyone who uses it; visiting an elderly neighbour helps them feel less lonely.

What is a volunteer?
The key word is freely.

Someone who gives their time freely to help others without being paid.

Quick check

Helping Your Community — quick check

Which of these best defines "Community"?

A group of people who live in the same place or share interests, and who look out for each other.

Your town is building new houses on an empty field. Name one good change and one difficult change this could bring.

Good change: new friends, more customers for shops, better facilities; difficult change: busier roads, less green space, pressure on school places.
Key takeaways
  • Helping Your Community: find simple ways to make a difference where you live.
  • A community is people, not just buildings: Streets and shops matter, but a community is really made of relationships: people who greet each other, help in trouble and celebrate together.
  • Neighbour: A person who lives near you.
  • Watch out for: thinking a community is only the place where you live
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