In a democracy, citizens are encouraged to participate. Political engagement is considered a civic responsibility, yet many people don’t know how to get involved. In an often-divided country, it can be challenging to figure out how to make a positive difference. Your clients may be in public service positions, requiring them to think carefully about how to engage in the political sphere in a meaningful and appropriate way.

Here are five steps you can share with your clients on how to engage in politics positively.

1.     Donate to a Political Campaign

Political donations aren’t just for those who have a lot of money or corporations looking to influence a particular candidate. Anyone can donate to a candidate or campaign. In 2008, Barack Obama’s campaign demonstrated that small donations could make a big difference. Donating puts people’s money to work for political action without requiring them to do more than sign a check or submit it online. There is little time commitment, and they have the ability to remain anonymous.

2.     Volunteer To Help a Candidate

Volunteering is a step up from simply donating. It requires a time commitment and more active engagement, but it can take many forms. Working on a campaign can mean making phone calls for a candidate or going door-to-door, talking to voters. While candidates frequently spend a lot of money on their ad campaigns, it’s the on-the-ground volunteer efforts that really make a difference. A person can also choose to try to get more people to the voting box rather than engage with one particular campaign.

3.     Sign up for Nonprofit Events

Political engagement doesn’t necessarily mean that people have to work for a political party. Nonprofit organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving often make efforts to influence or change policy. People can sign up to participate in nonprofit events aimed at broad awareness of the issues (peaceful marches) or policy change (knocking on doors to get a petition signed). They may also opt to join the organization if they are looking for ways to engage regularly.

4.     Choose a Political Career

Those who feel called to political life may opt to choose a career in politics. These careers include jobs such as campaign staffers or political consultants. Someone who has a background in fundraising may work full time for a political party on its fundraising efforts. This option allows someone to be involved in multiple efforts for more than one candidate.

5.     Run for a Political Office

The biggest commitment to political engagement is to take the leap to run for political office. The best way to do this is to run for a position at the local or state level and one that is related to a current career, if possible. People in law enforcement may opt to run for Sherriff, for instance. From there, they can opt to stay at the local or state level or move into larger arenas.

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