Getting support for your ideas

If you think something is wrong in your area then it is likely that other people may feel the same. To promote a cause, no matter how great or small it may be, you need to convince people that your ideas will work.

How to get support

This might seem daunting at first, but as long as you have good ideas and plenty of confidence then people will start to listen and offer support. The most important thing is that you talk to people you trust about your ideas, and refine them, before you look for support from the general public.

Getting started - top tips

Getting people on your side to support a cause, no matter how great it may be, might seem almost impossible at first. But whatever you feel, don’t be afraid to speak your mind. No matter what anyone else is saying, take a chance and stand up for your beliefs. Here are some tips to get you started on the road to success:

Talk to friends and neighbours

it’s best to take small steps to start with and reach for achievable goals
start by talking to other people in your area to see what they think - if your ideas are good they’ll certainly let you know
use your friends to bulk up the numbers but remember because they’re your friends they might not be as honest as the rest of the people you’ll need to talk to

Be realistic

it's a lot easier to get people on your side if they actually think the problem you’re campaigning for can be fixed
make sure that your issue is strong enough or important enough to make it worth starting a campaign

Be positive

make sure you stay positive no matter what direction your campaign takes
remember if people see that you’re willing to keep going no matter what then they will do so too

Look online

Check out websites like Action Network to see if anyone else in your area is interested in the same issues you are
get in touch with them by sending a private email or joining in with one of their forums
Community Action Network website

Join other groups

find out if a group of people in your area are already trying to do something about your issue
it's a lot easier to join a group than start from scratch
even if you don’t join another group, it’s always best to let them know you exist because you never know when you might need their help

Get out there and get noticed

think about getting some publicity for your campaign
if people hear about your campaign then they may contact you to find out if they can help
it doesn’t have to cost a lot – there are cheap ways of contacting people, such as letter drops or posters
maybe a local paper or radio station might be interested in helping with a little bit of free promotion

Get good advice

don’t be afraid to get out there and talk to as many people as possible who are able to help you find the answers you need
talk to the people with expert knowledge, whether they are doctors, social works, the Citizens Advice Bureau, solicitors or even politicians
remember the more good information you get at this point will help save you time later on when you start approaching the government or your local council looking for changes to be made