Set a regular time each week for volunteering or helping in an area where you have the ability to contribute, without waiting for a request or formal appeal.

Develop daily awareness of the needs of people around you that may not necessarily be expressed in words, and extend help before they ask.

Practice 'the outstretched hand first' - whenever you identify a situation where someone may need help, take the initiative and offer concrete assistance instead of asking 'Can I help?', which can sometimes make it harder for people to accept help.