Fundraising
Making the most of fundraising with young people.
Fundraising is an important part of life in schools and youth groups. Getting involved in fundraising activities, from sponsored sports events to charity concerts, can be motivating and fun for young people, as well as supporting charities in their work. Such experiences also have huge educational potential, offering opportunities to develop young people’s understanding and skills as active, responsible citizens.
Order a copy of our free fundraising poster for schools by emailing your name and postal address to info@globaldimension.org.uk.
You may be planning your own fundraising event, or deciding whether to get involved in an event or campaign of a particular charity. Either way, there are steps you can take to make sure that the young people you work with have the opportunity to really participate, and through research and discussion explore the questions raised by taking part.
(Picture shows staff and students from St Augustine’s RC High School with a cheque for Haiti.)
Good fundraising gives young people the chance to:
» Make decisions
That could be which charity to fundraise for, what kind of activity to plan, or how to publicise the event. Taking responsibility and getting fully involved develops young people’s sense that they can bring about change, and their skills in research, planning, problem-solving, reflection, team-work, creativity and communication.
» Learn about the work of charities
That might include exploring broad questions (What is the role of charities in society? What factors should I consider in choosing a charity to support?), as well as the specific work of the charity young people have chosen (Where do they work? What kind of activities do they carry out? How will our money be spent?)
» Think critically about the big questions involved
What is development? Why are people in some places poorer than in others? How can we best help people in crisis? Fundraising for development and humanitarian action raises questions like these, and good fundraising gives young people an opportunity to grapple with them, even where there are no clear answers.
» Consider different ways of bringing about change
Raising funds for charity is just one of a whole range of ways to make a difference, from practical actions in our everyday lives to lobbying decision-makers. Raising funds for charity may be the most effective and appropriate action to take, but giving young people the opportunity to explore and try out their options as active citizens develops their confidence and skills to make a difference.
» Carry out safe, legal, appropriate fundraising
Young people’s wellbeing is as important during fundraising activities as at any other time. As part of planning, they also need to consider whether their fundraising is legal and appropriate: Do they need to get any permissions or licences? Is a sponsored bath in baked-beans the best way to raise funds for a food relief programme? Do the images they are using on publicity material show people in developing countries as passive victims or as actively responding to disaster?
Are you making the most of the fundraising you do with young people?
Case Studies |
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A range of short school fundraising case studies to inspire you and your students. Downloadable as PDFs. |
| St Richards RC Primary School - Supporting charities with water programmes |
| Lady Eleanor Holles School - A multifaceted climate change campaign |
| Paget High School - Raising funds for Practical Action |
| One World Charity Challenge for sixth formers on the Isle of Man |
Useful links | |
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| Global Dimension resources |
Visit our online Calendar to find out about a range of international days to support fundraising activity, from World AIDS Day to World Braille Day. This website is also a great place to find teaching resources to help young people explore the big questions of development and humanitarian aid. Use the advanced search to narrow down your search. |
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Institute of Fundraising |
The Institute of Fundraising has codes of practice on how to ensure your fundraising is safe and legal. The Institute has a wealth of other guidance and resources on its website and also on How2Fundraise, a website designed for volunteer fundraisers. |
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Giving Nation |
The Citizenship Foundation’s Giving Nation project gives teachers and young people ideas and cash to start fundraising projects. |
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Use of images |
You can find top tips on how to use images of people in fundraising appeals on the British Red Cross website. |
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Guidestar |
The latest, largest, most authoritative government-backed guide to UK charities is the Guidestar website. |
These top tips for fundraising with young people have been developed by:
