In schools, one way to take direct action is to take up a paintbrush and make the change yourself with a small group. Student Councils often initiate this sort of change.

Having recognised that there is a need for change, the next issue is how to work to make a difference in those areas that we see as needing change. The type of action required depends on the issue that is being faced at the time.

One of the most obvious ways to attempt to make a difference is through direct action. In this case, it does not mean taking to the streets. It means doing something about what the problem is.

It can be too easy sometimes to fall into a cycle of complaining about what is around us. Often just doing it yourself can be the best approach if you want to make a difference in your local community.

Where can I take action?

For some people, there may be the chance to contribute to change in other places by volunteering to work directly with people in need overseas. This is a worthwhile thing to do, but not always easy. It is easy to forget the simple things we sometimes do to help the people next door, or even those in our own school.

Examples of local activities that we can undertake at home in order to make a difference might include

• Helping children at school with their reading programs
• Joining in a working bee at a school or local street to help clean or plant trees
• Picking up a piece of rubbish that you see in the street rather than leave it to head off to the drains
• Talk to someone who is looking a little sad.
• Contribute to world peace by treating others nicely. By the time it rubs off from one person to another, you will have an infectious chain of peace.

For more information and activities of this type, see our Service-Learning section. These actions will not change the lives of thousands, but if thousands do these things, there will be significant change. The small things that add up locally can be seen at the Environment Centre of Western Australia.

Child Labour: Something for Action!

On the global level, while we cannot all head overseas to help in the Mozambique floods or in areas of India with extreme poverty, but there are actions we can take that will make a difference to the lives of others. One area in particular that is of concern is the use of child labour.

Child labour is used in some countries because it is cheap, children do not belong to unions, they can be bullied into working in unsafe and poorly paid situations.The solution to this problem is not as simple as banning the children from working. At a local level, we cando a few practical things:

• When your family want to buy a new rug, ask if you can get a Rugmark Carpet. Not only are the rugs guaranteed to be produced without child labour, they also arrange programs that support the provision of education programs for children who were once employed in this industry. If an alternative cannot be provided, then the child may finish up in a worse situation. If the shop you are using doesn't have Rugmark carpets, ask them to get them!
• Make a point of asking shop owners what their policy on child labour is. If they don't have one, then suggest it about time they did. Then you will think of shopping there.
• Shop at organisations that provide a positive alternatives especially when it comes to the holiday season. Organisations such as World Vision and Community Aid Abroad provide goods that have been produced in areas not exploiting child labour.