Recognize that injustice exists.
Pay attention for a few days. Look around your neighborhood, your school, your community. Watch the news. Who’s “in” and who’s “out”? Who has and who does not? Who has to fight to be heard and who has an open door waiting for them?

Change begins with YOU.
Ask yourself what part you play or don’t play in the injustices around you? Do you say or do things that keep people in boxes or classes or categories? Do you think that some people are more deserving than others? Do you think that social problems are somebody else’s responsibility?

Rally the troops.
So you’re ready for more than just the occasional service project are you? Chances are you’ve got friends who are ready for a bigger challenge as well. Maybe they’re in your youth group. Maybe they’re in your classes. Or on your team. Or even in another house of worship in your city? Gather a group of like-minded people (be sure to invite some youth-friendly adults – they can be quite helpful) to begin a discussion and to support one another in developing a justice perspective. It doesn’t take an army of people to change things. As sociologist Margaret Mead said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

Focus! Focus! Focus!
As a group, determine who you feel is in greatest need. Maybe you feel that homeless teens in your local community have the greatest needs. Or maybe you feel that the people of Kenya are in most need. Whether you choose to act locally or globally, pick one place to direct your energies. One place to start.

Learn first.
Before you begin providing direct service, learn more about the issues surrounding the needs of the group you have selected. What does it mean to be a homeless teen? What are their lives like? What resources do they need? Maybe this means reading. Maybe it means spending the night outside to better understand what it’s like to try to live on the streets. Maybe it means prayer and reflection – alone and as a group – in order to be ready to serve.

Act.
Look for service opportunities that address the needs you have identified. If they don’t exist, create them. Is malaria an issue in Kenya? Maybe you’ll work to send bed nets to the country. Is security an issue? Maybe you’ll set up a letter writing campaign that advocates for the safe delivery and distribution of food, water and clothing.

Repeat.
The more you learn, the better prepared you are to serve. The more you serve the needs of justice, the more you learn. Developing a justice perspective means developing a both/and approach to service: both knowledge and action, both service and advocacy, both me and you.

Let’s get to it! That way we can help Everybody see that Anybody can help Somebody and Nobody will struggle alone.