How Rachel P. Made a New City Her Home Through Idealist Days

Rachel P. has been motivated by the desire to create positive change in the world her whole life. A social-impact professional at heart, she’s worked at nonprofits spanning a variety of cause areas, from education to technology, and traveled around the world in support of small communities.

So naturally, Rachel has used idealist.org to find nonprofit jobs, volunteer opportunities, and other ways to take action for years.

"My focus has to be changing the world for the better,” Rachel said. "When I got an email from Ami (Idealist’s Founder and Executive Director) explaining Idealist Days, I thought, this is it. This is exactly what I want to be doing."

Rachel immediately jumped into planning an Idealist Days project to ensure the United Kingdom was represented among hosts across the United States, Latin America, and Africa. While virtual events helped more people participate, she eventually shifted to organizing hyper-local gatherings in Birmingham, England, where she recently moved with her husband. She even partnered with a local café, The Hive, which creates employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. 

"What has always frustrated me," she explained, "is that whenever people do something nice, it often feels like there's another motive behind it, like some corporate social responsibility goal. I wanted to be part of something that's simply about supporting one another because it's the right thing to do."

This type of community connection is exactly what Idealist Day is all about. As Rachel has scaled her gatherings, she’s been able to link up with other businesses throughout Birmingham's historic Jewellery Quarter to spread the word about events and invite the entire city to participate.

"This is neighborly," she said. "This is a hangout. This is kindness.”

She knows that not every event will be full, but what makes Idealist Days worth hosting is the potential to inspire people to join whenever they can. She wants to encourage folks from all walks of life to see the value in meeting with their neighbors, particularly during a time when people are encouraged to isolate themselves from strangers or hide out online.

Rachel’s next Idealist Days event in Birmingham will take place on July 11, 2026 so that more people have the opportunity to join outside of regular working hours. If you’re located nearby, consider joining to meet Rachel in person and take part in the Idealist Days joy!

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If you’re wondering how to launch an Idealist Days group in your local community, here are a few steps to get started:

• Sign up to get involved in Idealist Days, and stay in touch by registering for the free Idealists in Action newsletter, sent monthly.
• Start small by gathering friends, co-workers, or family members to talk about how you can make a positive impact in your local community once a month on Idealist Days.
• Browse local volunteer opportunities to join an existing positive action.
• As you grow, post your event on Idealist’s Global Calendar via Luma to invite others in your area to join you for projects.
• Submit your photos and reflections to actions@idealist.org.