Giving back and building community

Giving back is about more than money. Your time, skills, attention and kindness can strengthen your family, neighbourhood and school. Done well, giving also strengthens you.

Why giving matters, for others and for you

• The NHS says acts of giving and kindness can create positive feelings and a sense of reward, and give you a feeling of purpose and self-worth.
• The Harvard Study of Adult Development, running since 1938, found that close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout life.
• Its director Robert Waldinger puts it simply: 'Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too.'
• Giving within your community builds those relationships: people remember who showed up for them.

Kindness you can start today

• The NHS suggests simple acts: saying thank you, asking someone how they are and really listening, spending time with someone who needs support, or helping with a project.
• Greater Good's 'random acts of kindness' practice: do five acts of kindness in a single day, once a week, and write a sentence about each.
• In a 2005 study by Lyubomirsky and colleagues, people who did five kind acts in one day each week for six weeks became happier, while spreading the acts across the week did not have the same effect.
• Vary your acts and the people you help, so it does not become routine.
• Examples: help a younger sibling with homework, carry shopping for a neighbour, send a sincere message to a teacher who helped you, or welcome a new student.

Giving money wisely in the UAE

• The UAE Government portal says fundraising is regulated under Federal Law No. 3 of 2021 and may only be carried out by entities classified by law as charitable and humanitarian organisations.
• Individuals may not host, organise or carry out fundraising, and promoting or collecting donations online without proper licensing is prohibited under Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021.
• So if you want to raise money for a cause, for example a school bake sale for a charity, work through your school and a licensed charity rather than collecting money yourself or through social media.
• Give through licensed charities and official channels. The Money Basics lesson 'Money, family and generosity' covers zakat, sadaqa and building giving into your budget.

Building community where you are

• Start with your own circle: regular family meals and visiting relatives, especially older ones, are a form of service the NHS also recommends for connection.
• At school, join or start a club that serves others, such as peer tutoring, an environment club or a welcome team for new students.
• In your neighbourhood, notice who might be isolated, such as a new family or an older neighbour, and say hello.
• When you move to university, join one society related to service or your faith or culture, and one purely for fun. Both build belonging.
• Online, community-building means kind comments, sharing useful information and not joining in pile-ons.