Social Engagement

FWBO members engage in a range of compassionate activities. For some Buddhists their livelihood is a vocation, and many work in the caring professions, in hospitals, schools, charities, social work and so on. Others give their free time — for example, prison visiting, volunteering at hospices or on telephone helplines, befriending the aged, giving blood, environmental campaigning — whatever motivates their altruism.

Others practise the path of Right Livelihood by working on teams and enterprises with other Buddhists, to raise funds for the spiritual community.

There are also local projects undertaken by many Buddhist centres to contribute to their particular area. For instance, around the London Buddhist Centre as well as many Right Livelihood teams, Buddhists are involved in a couple of wider initiatives:

• ‘London Citizens’ (TELCO) is a communities organisation that fosters cooperative links between different faith groups, schools, unions and other groups — working together for positive change in the city.
• The Globe Community Project was founded by local Buddhists and runs events and services for the inhabitants of Bethnal Green, East London. These artistic, educational and cultural activities aim to promote the well-being of various sectors of the local community — such as t’ai chi for the elderly, aikido for girls and boys, ‘Making more of your life’ — a project for women (with Bengali translation), and classes in creative performance, drumming, mask-making and healthy eating.

• << structure
• top
• green buddhism >>