It’s true that kids really do put the “fun” in fundraising. Whether their goal is to feed hungry families across the globe, or simply buy new uniforms for their softball team, the passion and determination that children bring to your fundraiser can be contagious! The most important thing, of course, is making sure that kids stay safe. In addition, fundraisers are a great chance to teach kids important lessons about responsibility and reaching their goals. Here are five top tips to help your organization’s kids stay safe and smart while fundraising.
1: Don’t Go It Alone
This is the first rule we always tell kids to follow, whether they’re selling value-priced laundry detergent or homemade cookies. Even when selling in their own neighborhoods, children should always sell in groups of two or more. Ideally, children should sell with an adult present, particularly in neighborhoods or situations they are not familiar with.
2 Never Enter a Home
This is another rule that is vital to keeping your kids safe, but can be easy to break in practice. On hot days, people may offer a cold drink or a place to sit for a bit. They may ask kids to step inside for any number of reasons, and these people are probably well intentioned. However, for your children’s safety, it’s important that they understand that they can never, ever enter someone’s home, under any circumstances.
Practice Your Pitch
Fundraisers are a great way to teach children the basics of sales, and they should practice their sales pitch for parents and mentors before heading out. This should include identifying the organization they’re with, what the organization does, what the overall goal is and what they’re selling. Once they know what they need to say, they can put it into practice – even if they’re a bit nervous at first!
Stay Organized
Learning to stay organized while selling can be challenging for kids, which is why quality fundraising campaigns always offer customized forms that make tracking orders and deliveries easy. Make sure kids know what information needs to be filled out on the form. It’s also important to have a designated spot for payments, and to track them as they come in carefully so there’s no confusion later on.
Be Accountable
Lastly, fundraisers are an awesome opportunity for parents and leaders to teach kids how to be accountable. Many kids are excited when they start fundraising, but find themselves a little less excited down the line. If they’ve set a personal goal, make sure they understand the importance of continuing to work towards it. Also, as representatives of your non-profit, make sure they understand the importance of keeping their word. If they tell supporters they will deliver their product in a certain time window, it’s important for them to keep their word, even if they don’t necessarily feel like doing it.
Fundraisers are a great way to earn money for sports and trips while teaching kids important safety and life skill lessons they won’t get in day to day life. By following these simple rules, kids can stay safe while reaching goals and supporting a great cause.
