Look at you go, starting off the year strong by supporting a Big Issue vendor! Here’s a big list of worthy causes, random acts of kindness and nice new habits that’ll make this year count – and potentially change the rest of your life, too.
Return that thing you’ve been meaning to give back for ages. It’s not too late. Have the awkward conversation and hand over the book/Tupperware/umbrella you “borrowed” in 2025.
Give blood. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood says three donations are needed every minute across the country, and each donation can save up to three lives. If you’re not eligible for full blood, you could give plasma and platelets, or even sign up your pet to give on your behalf! (Now where did we hear about that?)
Get to know your neighbours. Handy in case either of you are in an emergency, or just need to borrow a spare egg. You’ll both feel more at home on your own street.
Go on a bush walk for biodiversity. Did you know that countless environmental initiatives need people to simply stroll in nature, taking note of wildlife to update survey data for fauna and flora conservation? Two birds with one stone! (The Aussie Bird Count, for example, takes place in October.)
Offer a lift to somebody in need. Many local councils organise volunteer drivers to help older community members get around. Then there’s the L2P program, which pairs L-platers (including refugees or those who don’t have a car) with licensed mentors. Can’t spell good karma without “kar”!
Learn to make do and mend. Sew, fix or whip out the manual when your electronics are on the fritz rather than binning them. Even crappy single-use stuff can become sustainable, if you’re clever enough to find a fun new use for it. Turn crayons into candles, a big ugly towel into little ugly tea towels, or used tea bags into aromatic earrings!
Speak another language? Volunteer as a translator. Help someone cross a language barrier. Community interpreters support those with limited English to navigate complex situations: legal, medical, what have you. It’ll probably boost your fluency, too.
Visit your local library. They’re not just buildings full of books: they’re community hubs, lifelines for some, and they need the public’s support. Or start your own Street Library, one of those cute boxes that stands in your front yard and gives out good reads to passersby who might need them.
Let an artist know that you appreciate them. It’s hard out here for performers, writers, creators – anyone trying to make us feel things through their work. If you’ve felt it, shoot them a DM, an email or even some good old-fashioned, hand-written fan mail.
Craft for a good cause. We love Knit One Give One (or KOGO), a not-for-profit that distributes woolly creations to those in need. If you’re idly knitting anyways, why not purl up a beanie for a premature baby, or a jumper for little penguins affected by oil pollution? The thought is almost too cute to bear.
Get into plogging: the Swedish art of picking up litter as you jog. Or walk. Or bike, if you dare to give “pliking” a try. With rubbish picker at the ready, your neighbourhood will look more ritzy in no time.
Keep some hard cash in your wallet. As transactions turn digital, people who are sleeping rough and/or experiencing homelessness are being left behind, no longer able to get by without physical money from the public. If you’re going to give, some old-fashioned coins or notes can go a long way for someone with no other options.
Become a citizen scientist, or chronicle untold stories of the past. Calling all nerds! You could help turn data into discovery through a fascinating digital volunteering project, for organisations like the Australian Museum, Australian War Memorial and NSW’s State Library. You’ll make history – literally.
Join a Landcare Australia group. All over the country, hands-on grassroots groups are creating healthier landscapes – and building friendships between tree-huggers, too. Take your pick from the large volunteer network: learn from original custodians, water a community garden or protect a coastline in crisis.
Give away some groceries. Sounds like a big ask amid a cost-of-living crush, but that’s also why it might be more important than ever to donate. Foodbank estimates that one in five Australian households experience severe food insecurity. Drop off some staples at a community fridge or pantry.
Or, donate products to end period poverty. Share the Dignity is a charity that distributes pads, tampons and more to people experiencing homelessness and to under-resourced Indigenous communities. If you’ve got spares, why not share?
Make a new/old friend. The Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme has been running for over 30 years. It’s a free service that arranges social connection for isolated older people. Your future intergenerational bestie might be reading this article right now, waiting for your call.
Compliment people behind their back. Gossip is fun and all, but why not give others your grace and praise when they’re not around instead? It encourages a seriously sunshiny atmosphere in your workplace or social circles that’ll reflect back onto you. A genuine compliment to the face works, too.
Carry your own reusable drink bottle. Use anything except a dang plastic water bottle. They can take a thousand years to degrade, and Australians buy 15 billion of ’em a year! Yuck! Double yuck to single-use coffee cups and plastic straws!
Be a good sport: Volunteer to coach or help out a local team. For fitness, for fun, for that feeling of supporting your community – for victory! May we suggest The Big Issue’s very own Community Street Soccer Program?
Think local. This could be the year when you finally try the little independent restaurant around the corner, or buy groceries grown in your own neighbourhood. Write to your local representative on the stuff you care about. Furthermore, get informed about the history of where you live and whose land you’re on.
Learn first aid. You’ll be ready for anything, and might even end up saving a life – or just making a crisis situation a wee bit more manageable. It’s not too difficult to find free courses on offer, either.
Really listen to people. Remember their names and how they’re pronounced; get their pronouns right. If it’s somebody who’s pretty important to you, remember their birthday, for goodness’ sake.
Look after local wildlife. You don’t need to start nursing baby possums back to life with an eyedropper or anything. Conservation can be as simple as slowing down on roads, keeping your pets indoors, or dropping off old towels, blankets or newspapers at a shelter near you.
Put your bloody phone away. They’re ruining our sleep, making us lonelier and angrier, and shortening our attention spans. We know all this, and yet we’re still itching to check our notifications right now. Turn off your phone, touch the grass and take a deep breath. Look at the sky.
Stop and chat with a Big Issue vendor. We think spending time with the people who sell this magazine is a great way to start 2026 – to share a laugh, perhaps gain some perspective on living with disadvantage, and make a new pal in the neighbourhood. We may be biased, though.
by Eliza Janssen Acting Editor
Published in ed#752
Want more of The Big Issue?
Subscribe to The Big Issue magazine to enjoy powerful journalism, stories from our vendors, and more — all delivered straight to your door.
Subscribe now.