Your role in the community
Everyone can help make their community a better place. Being a good neighbour includes respecting others, keeping your area clean and safe, and getting to know people around you.
Jury service is a civic duty. If you are on the electoral register, you may be randomly selected to serve on a jury, and you must do so unless there is a good reason.
You can volunteer in many ways: helping at a charity or a local school, joining a neighbourhood watch scheme, becoming a school governor (a school board member in Scotland), or supporting a political party. Some young people aged 16–17 take part in the National Citizen Service programme.
Charities include the NSPCC (children), the RSPCA (animals), Shelter (homeless people), Cancer Research UK and many others. You can give blood or join the NHS Organ Donor Register.
You can look after the environment by recycling, reducing litter, walking, cycling or using public transport, and shopping locally.
Key facts
- Anyone on the electoral register can be selected for jury service.
- School governors (school boards in Scotland) help set the strategic direction of schools.
- National Citizen Service — for 16 and 17-year-olds.
- NSPCC — children; RSPCA — animals; Shelter — housing and homelessness.
- Volunteering and recycling are ways to help your community.
Memory tips
- RSPCA = animals (the “A”); NSPCC = children (the “C”).
Practice questions
1. Which TWO are good ways to look after the environment?
- Recycling
- Dropping litter
- Using public transport
- Burning household waste
Show answer
Recycling and using public transport, walking or cycling help the environment.
2. Who can be asked to do jury service?
- Only lawyers
- People on the electoral register, selected at random
- Only volunteers
- Only MPs
Show answer
People on the electoral register may be randomly selected for jury service.
3. What can you do to help others through the NHS?
- Give blood or join the Organ Donor Register
- Become an MP
- Pay extra tax voluntarily
- Work only in hospitals
Show answer
Giving blood and registering as an organ donor are valuable ways to help others.
4. You are selected for jury service. What should you do?
- Ignore the letter
- Serve unless you have a good reason not to
- Ask a friend to go instead
- Pay a fee to avoid it
Show answer
Jury service is a civic duty. You must serve unless there is a good reason, such as illness.
5. What are school governors called in Scotland?
- School trustees
- School board members
- Head teachers
- Councillors
Show answer
In Scotland, school governors are known as school board members.
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