Fundraising Ideas

The Island • September 15, 2020

Over the last couple of weeks, we have had a number of people ask us how they can fundraise for us during the ongoing pandemic.

 

Like most charities, our fundraising activities are currently non-existent, meaning we need to find new ways to generate funds. Our fundraising activities allow us to guarantee mentoring services for our one-to-one mentoring scheme which we are hoping to resume in April 2021, if it is safe to do so.

 

Below we have created a list of fundraising ideas to keep you busy whilst at the same time doing something to support your much-loved local children's charity.

 

Donate your commute
If you are continuing to work from home, then why not donate the money you have saved from your daily commute to us? According to reports, the average monthly commute cost is £146. Now we're not expecting you to donate the full lot to us, however, if you donated just £15 a month this means we can guarantee one mentoring session for a vulnerable child in need.


Ebay your unwanted items
If you are using this time to declutter your home, then using eBay to support our children's charity is one of the greatest gifts that you can give to us. If you do not have time to eBay your items, then donate your items to us and one of our volunteers can eBay them on your behalf.


Host an online quiz
Hosting a pub quiz online is relatively easy to do and is a great way to have some fun with families and friends whilst at the same time raising funds for a good cause.


Set yourself a mammoth challenge
The pandemic is taking its toll on many, however, it's important more than ever to remain positive and to stay active. Exercising regularly improves your overall health and wellbeing, so why not set yourself the task to exercise every for a month or even set yourself a target of how many miles you walk a day.


Fundraising through food
With The Great British Bake Off due to start soon, this is the perfect time to hold your own bake off with your loved ones or work colleague. Simply ask those participating for an entry fee through our JustGiving page and on the day vote on the best foodie creation!


Start an online book club

Hosting a virtual book club is a great way to keep your mind active as well as discussing your favourite reads with others. Let people get involved with the club for a small charitable fee.


Get competitive through gaming
Whether you have a PlayStation, XBox or PC, why not set a gaming challenge with your pals in aid of charity? Choose a game to play and live stream it to the nation. Ask those involved and those watching the stream to donate.


Encourage the little ones to get involved

If you are finding it challenging to keep the children entertained why not get them involved with your fundraising activities? You could host a sponsored silence, go litter picking or even host a day-long sing-a-thon.


If you decide to host a fundraiser for us, then please let us know so that we can support your charitable efforts. Click here to get in touch .


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What interested you about becoming an Island Volunteer Mentor? I was interested in volunteering and personal development to enhance my career prospects. I was at a stage where I was confused as to where I wanted to go next but I knew I was good with people, and I knew that my personality would suit working one to one with a young person. I knew that I could pass on good advice and life experience. How long did you mentor for The Island? I mentored for around 15 months. Every week for around 2 hours on a Thursday night. Sometimes we would miss a session due to various factors, but these sessions were caught up on. What did you enjoy most about the Mentoring? I enjoyed being able to experience many different activities with my young person and being able to see their confidence grow. I enjoyed catching up and hearing stories from the week and focusing my attention on that session. Different social settings allowed me to guide my young person and relay stories from my experience which I knew would be helpful. This was enjoyable as I knew I was passing on vital helpful advice for adulthood. Why do you think Mentoring is important for young people? I think in today's world with social media and the stresses on life can be overwhelming for everyone. For a young person to be guided by a mentor, they can step away from that world for a short while and express themselves or let off steam in an environment where they can be nurtured and not judged. With the guidance of a mentor, the young person can take the advice into everyday life which will hopefully help them in difficult and stressful situations. The young person can build up a relationship with the mentor and know that they have trust in them to be able to openly talk about their feelings away from a family, friend it school setting. Please let us know how you have found the support from the island and which aspects you have found the most valuable? I found the support very good and easy to access. I knew that if I needed any support or advice, I could email or call my supervisor. I found the group sessions with other mentors helpful as we could come together and talk about our experience and use any advice in future sessions. Hearing stories from other mentoring experiences was highly valued. Has the Island supported you with any future plans personally or professionally? If so, could you share this with us? The island has kept in touch with me regarding several career opportunities throughout the mentoring process that I have considered. I know that I could sit with the island and discuss any plans if I needed to. Most of all, they have helped my confidence and gave me a platform to express myself and follow my goals which has put me in good stead for next move in my career as a health trainer. The skills and experience I have gained from my mentoring will be transferred over to this next role. At the Island, we are constantly looking for people who have the ability to listen, and who feel that they can develop a positive rapport with children and young people in an honest, challenging and non-judgemental way. All prospective volunteer mentors receive training, support and supervision. This covers such areas as communication, child protection, equal opportunities and often, in the process mentors learn more about themselves, too. To find out more about our volunteer opportunities please click here www.theislandyork.org
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