In a world that is so frequently fraught with conflict and complex global issues, it would be strange not to feel scared, frustrated, and helpless sometimes. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when these problems are so much bigger than yourself. After embarking on a degree which involved studying the complexities of global crises, and becoming involved in activism and advocacy work, it became impossible for me to ignore emergent situations. Spending so much of my time learning about and listening to descriptions of atrocities made it a necessity for me to help in some way. The dichotomy between wanting to take an action and feeling unable to make a meaningful change often leaves you feeling powerless. This doesn’t have to be the case, though. There are lots of ways to make a considered, meaningful impact ranging from minimal effort to full blown organising. 

1. Educate yourself. Complex and developing situations can be confusing to get your head around, and misinformation is frequently spread which complicates the challenge further. Dedicating time towards learning about your issue through trusted and legitimate sources helps you to understand it better yourself, but also allows you to share this knowledge with others. 
2. Donations. Donating cash or supplies to causes is often the best, most immediate impact you can have. Research legitimate fundraising sources, using websites like GoFundMe or JustGiving. If you are personally unable to donate money, you could take part in a sponsored event, such as a sports event, hike or other activity to raise money for a cause.
3. Signing petitions. This is one of the quickest, most simple ways of contributing to a cause. Change.org features many petitions on a variety of causes. It can be worth checking to see if your decision-making body government has a petition website. For example, the UK and Scottish Parliaments both have dedicated petitions processes, which allow petitions which garner a specific number of signatures to be debated by members of government. This therefore presents a great way of getting your cause into the minds of those in power.
4. Contacting local representatives. You can also directly write to an elected representative. It is simple to find their official contact details by searching your postcode on the UK Parliament website. Writing letters or emails to their office informs them might prompt them to raise it in decision making processes, or pursue their own work related to the issue. A helpful resource to target your efforts is TheyWorkForYou, a website which allows you to understand how elected representatives have voted on key issues in the past. Searching your representatives name on the site might allow you to gauge whether they are likely to be a strong ally for your cause or not. You might even get the opportunity to work together with them on your cause.
5. Volunteer on the ground. Manpower is often sorely needed in fraught situations. Researching ways to safely volunteer to help your cause on the ground can be challenging, but is also a hugely rewarding way to make tangible change. Many organisations help to match individuals with volunteering posts well suited for their skills. It is important to make sure this is done through a safe and legitimate source, and not to put yourself into a risky or uncertain situation. It is also wise to educate yourself on the concept of ‘voluntourism’ to help make sure you are genuinely making a positive impact in an ethical way. 
6. Join a pressure or advocacy group. If you aren’t able to volunteer in the field, dedicating your time to collective action or advocacy also allows for you to contribute towards advancing your cause. As is often the case, there is strength in numbers and participating in a group can improve your chances of making a positive change in society.
7. Create your own pressure or advocacy group or campaign. If you aren’t able to find a group yourself, you could develop your own one. Finding other like-minded people who share your frustrations with your cause will help you to share your change-making efforts. University or College campuses and local communities can be great bases to grow your movement from. You can start small, creating leaflets, posters or campaign materials.