What are Awareness Days?

A national or international awareness day is a date usually set by a major organisation or government to commemorate a public health or ethical cause of importance on a national or international level.  There are also some awareness days that are just for fun!  Awareness days can form part of your social media strategy.

Why use them for Blog & Social Media Content?

Coming up with decent content ideas constantly is HARD!  Am I right?  If I’m struggling for social media post ideas or blog content at work, I will check what awareness days are coming up, and choose which ones are inline with the company mission. 

This affords me the opportunity to re-purpose / re-share some older content to make it relevant again.  These awareness days also provide inspiration for new posts. PLUS, it’s always great to raise awareness for something that you feel strongly about that is relevant to your mission.  But it doesn’t have to be all serious all the time…just this week I made a point of sharing some tweets related to “International Talk like a Pirate Day.”

AHOY ME HEARTIES …

Awareness Days for the rest of 2018

To make things easier on us both, I have handpicked a substantial list of awareness days covering September (well, what’s left of it) to December.  SO that’s the rest of your 2018 awareness days covered folks! 

I will readdress this concept later in the year for January onward.  I have tried to pick a mixture of days that could fit into various niches.  But they could be used to inspire you to try your hand at something new.  Who doesn’t love a challenge?

There is a mixture of serious and light hearted because it can’t rain all the time …

The awareness days will be listed in the following order throughout.

• Name with hyperlinked event website
• Date(s)
• Brief description/blurb
• Media resources – links/Twitter handle/hashtags etc. (if available)

Please make a mental note of the order above cuz yeah; imagine if I had to list those subtitles within ALL the entries below.  *Cries*

This list is not exhaustive but there should be something below for everyone!  Anyway, let’s not waste anymore time. 

THIS IS A LONG LIST!

September

Sexual Health Week 2018

Monday 24^th – 30^th  September

This year’s theme, Consent: Yes, yes, yes! covers a topic that underpins all our work on sexual health and wellbeing, for both health and education professionals.

World Contraception Day 2018

26^th September

It is our mission to spread the word
and raise awareness about contraception and safe sex. Our aim is to help each new generation
of adults make informed decisions until every pregnancy in the world is a planned one.

#WCD2018

European Day of Languages

26^th September

At the Council of Europe’s initiative, the European Day of Languages has been celebrated every year since 2001.

National Fitness Day 2018

26^th September

We hope that by encouraging people from all walks of life, activity levels, and interests to share what fitness means to them, it will inspire others to live healthier and happier lives through being active.

#Fitness2Me #FitnessDay  @FitnessDayU

FSC Friday 2018

28^th September

The Forest Stewardship Council will be hosting ‘FSC Friday’ an annual event designed to raise awareness about responsible forest management- the best way to keep using forest products and keep our forests too. FSC Friday started in 2008 and has grown every year, spreading to be a global event.

https://marketingtoolkit.fsc.org/

World Heart Day 2018

29^th September

World Heart Day is celebrated on 29th September of every year. It is aimed at drawing people’s attention to heart illness and the range of associated health issues.

https://www.world-heart-federation.org/world-heart-day/materials

October

The Big Draw 2018

1st – 31st October

The Big Draw is the world’s largest drawing festival with the goal of promoting visual literacy and art education. This year’s theme is “PLAY” where kids and people who are ‘kids at heart’ can celebrate art by letting loose, discovering new things, embracing happy accidents, and of course drawing!

#TheBigDraw  #Play2018

National Work Life Week 2018

1st – 5th October

National Work Life Week is an opportunity for both employers and employees to focus on well-being at work and work-life balance. Employers can use the week to provide activities for staff, and to showcase their flexible working policies and practices.

https://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Working-Families-National-Work-Week-Toolkit-2018.pdf

@workingfamuk #WorkLifeWeek

Black History Month 2018

1^st – 31^st October

The main aims of Black History Month are to celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people not just in the UK, but throughout the world and also to educate all on black history.

https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/black-history-month-schools-resource-pack/

World Vegetarian Day 2018

October 1^st

Make a difference this October by informing others about the benefits of vegetarianism. You will be helping to create a better world because vegetarian diet have proven health benefits, save animals’ lives and help to preserve the Earth.

https://navs-online.org/product-category/outreach-materials/

International Coffee Day 2018

October 1^st

International Coffee Day is fast approaching. The International Coffee Organization has chosen a very special theme for this year’s celebrations: ‘Women in Coffee’.

@internationalcoffeeday     #internationalcoffeeday

National Poetry Day 2018

October 4^th

This year the theme is ‘Change’ and thousands of events are expected to be happening all over the UK, bringing people together to celebrate the power of poetry.

https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/education/free-education-resource-downloads/

#nationalpoetryday

World Mental Health Day 2018

October 10^th

Presented by the World Federation of Mental Health, World Mental Health Day will be on October 10, 2018. The goal is to help raise mental health awareness. Each of us can make a contribution to ensure that people dealing with problems concerning mental health can live better lives with dignity.

This year’s theme “young people and mental health in a changing world.”

National Coming Out Day 2018

October 11^th

National coming out day is a time for those in the LGBT community to finally be open about who they are to their friends, family and the world!

National Baking Week 2018

15^{th –} 21^st October

Pyrex originally founded National Baking Week back in 2007 with other like-minded baking brands, with the aim of encouraging people of all abilities to bake at home.

https://www.nationalbakingweek.co.uk/media/

Chocolate Week 2018

15th – 21^st October

Chocolate Week aims to promote fine flavour chocolate, the independent artisan chocolatiers and the chocolate companies who work in direct partnership with cocoa farmers, encouraging consumers to pay a fairer price for their chocolate.

International Sloth Day 2018

October 20^th

The unofficial holiday raises awareness about the life cycle and natural habitat of the Sloth. The day also calls on people to learn more about these native South and Central American animals.

National Mentoring Day 2018

October 27^th

National Mentoring Day was launched to recognise the significant benefits of mentoring across the World and takes place on October 27th each year.

http://nationalmentoringday.org/downloads/

@MentoringRocks

National Cat Day 2018

October 29^th

National Cat Day was created in 2005 by Colleen Paige to raise awareness of the number of suffering cats that need care and homes. It also encourages pet owners to not take their cats for granted and shower them with affection and love!

@NationalCatDay

I’m gonna be there with my fur babies…Are you?

November

National Novel Writing Month 2018 (NaNoWriMo)

1^st – 30^th November

National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo is a month-long creative writing challenge that takes place every November. During the month participants from all over the world are challenged to write a 50,000-word first draft of a novel.

https://nanowrimo.org/spread-the-word

#NaNoWriMo @NaNoWriMo

International Stress Awareness Week 2018

5^th – 9^th November

Theme: ‘DOES HI-TECH CAUSE HI-STRESS?’

International Stress Awareness Week enables major goals to be achieved, including raising profile, achieving publicity about stress and stress prevention, and promoting the importance of wellbeing for individuals and organisations.

National Stress Awareness Day 2018

November 7^th

National Stress Awareness Day is run by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA).  The theme of National Stress Awareness Day 2018 is ‘Does Hi-Tech cause Hi-Stress?’ And it will look at the negatives and positives of the lifestyle that aspects of computers, internet and automation have brought.

Self-Care Week 2018

12^th – 18^th November

“Choose Self Care for Life” is the strapline for the 2018 awareness week.  Self-Care Week is an annual national awareness week that focuses on embedding support for self-care across communities, families and generations.

World Kindness Day 2018

November 13^th

On this day, participants attempt to make the world a better place by celebrating and promoting good deeds and pledging acts of kindness, either as individuals or as organisations.

@TeamKindnessUK

Book Week Scotland 2018

19^th – 25^th November

Celebrating the world of literature, Book Week Scotland brings together people who share and enjoy reading books.

World Television Day 2018

November 21^st

World Television Day is not so much a celebration of the tool, but rather the philosophy which it represents. Television represents a symbol for communication and globalisation in the contemporary world.

16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence 2018

November 25^th – December 10^th               

16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence is aimed at businesses to support them to take action against domestic abuse and violence.

http://16daysofaction.co.uk/toolkit/

December

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week 2018

1^st – 7^th December

Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are often viewed as ‘invisible illnesses’. It was our mission this Awareness Week to increase understanding of Crohn’s and Colitis and ensure the true impact of these debilitating conditions is visible.

#MakingTheInvisibleVisible @CrohnsColitisUK

International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2018

3^rd December

International Day of Persons with Disabilities falls on the 3rd of December each year, with the aim of promoting empowerment, and helping to create real opportunities for people with disabilities.

http://www.un.org/en/events/disabilitiesday/resources.shtml

Human Rights Day 2018

10^th December

Human Rights Day commemorates the day the General Assembly of the UN adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UDHR is one of UN’s major achievements as well as the first enunciation of human rights across the world.

#StandUp4HumanRights

Christmas Jumper Day 2018

14^th December

Christmas Jumper Day is an annual charity event, and in 2018, it is held on December 14th, with 100% of proceeds going to the charity ‘Save the Children’.

Christmas Morning Swim Day 2018

25^th December

While it remains a time for family, friends, gift giving and food and drink; it’s also a day when thousands of people flock to the beach to see hundreds of brave swimmers enter into the sea.

Final Thoughts

Wow, it’s December already?!  It just flew by didn’t it?  I hope you’ve gained some inspo for your future content!  I’m sorry the September ones are short notice, they may provide the opportunity to repurpose past content.  But if the mood strikes you, and you have a fantastic idea, get to stepping write some content!  YOU CAN DO THIS!

What did you think to my list?  Was it helpful or a waste of time?!  Either way let me know in the comments below.  Your feedback means the world to me!

P.s. If you appreciate the content I share here, why not buy me a coffee? 🙂

P.p.s.  Why not check out my previous post by clicking the image below!

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