Find a problem that interests you. If you're concerned about the plight of homelessness in your city, read a few issues of your local newspaper and make copies of any recent articles that deal with this problem. If possible, also interview the directors of local homeless shelters, residents of those shelters, and community activists who raise awareness about homelessness in your city.
Write an interesting introduction. Don't start the essay with a sentence such as "The reasons why homelessness has increased in this city are because...." Instead, start your introduction with a story about someone you interviewed who became homeless through a job loss, or by discussing a relative or friend you know who deals with homelessness, then use this as your platform to state the problem in the essay.
Mention why people should be concerned about the problem. If you're writing about how modern technology is hindering the social skills of teens, say that face-to-face interaction is an important part of developing socially and emotionally, and when young people rely solely on text messaging or e-mails to hold meaningful conversations, they miss out on learning strong interpersonal skills, which they'll need in the workforce and in personal relationships.
Give your solutions to the problem. If your essay discussed the problem of a lack of access to resources that would help military veterans in your city find meaningful careers and decent housing, suggest that your local and state social service departments increase funds and partnerships with nonprofit organizations in your city who currently assist military veterans in rebuilding their lives.