When managing any type of team or school fundraising activity we should have the phrase "Safety First" planted firmly in the minds of our player, students and parents alike. Though we as adults may have this type of mindset we especially need to emphasize the value of safety to our young people.
Copyright (c) 2008 AIM Fundraising
The 6th grade is making a class trip. The school band is raising money to go to a competition. The sports league needs to raise money for equipment and the PTA needs money to fund a special speaker. These are all good reasons for fundraising.
When managing any type of team or school fundraising activity we should have the phrase "Safety First" planted firmly in the minds of our player, students and parents alike. Though as adults we may have this mindset already, it should especially be emphasized to our young people.
When developing a school fundraising campaign where children will be your primary sales force it is imperative that you take the utmost precaution for their safety. Develop a plan for the safe conduct of your fundraiser and ensure that everyone knows about it and make sure it is enforced.
A.) Focus on Safety First
With chilling stories of criminal minds in the newspapers and TV news we recommend that under no circumstances should your kids be going door-to-door selling for your team fundraiser or school fundraising project without appropriate adult supervision. Clearly, if your school fundraising plan requires door-to-door cold call sales you should completely revise your plan. And this should not be limited to product sales. Other types of fundraising activities such as a car wash or a bake sale outside of local stores should have adult supervision as well.
B.) Develop a written policy concerning school fundraising activities.
All fundraising activities should require that an adult be present. Ensure that everyone involved in your project be aware and conscious of your safety policy. Print your policy and give a copy to each of your kids as well as to their parents.
This will ensure that your parent pool understand that you are not promoting unsafe sales practices, and that their children are not being encouraged to "do what it takes" to make a sale.
Cover repeatedly that your students should be concentrating their sales effort in a safe manner by limiting their sales efforts to friends, family, neighbors, and their parents coworkers.
C.) Communicate the need with reinforcement
You might create safety conscious posters to display in high traffic areas of your school. Ask other teachers to help you remind the students by mentioning safety in class. Have "Safety First" or a similar statement printed on all sales materials. If need be buy are rubber stamp with your slogan and use it on all printed sales literature.
D.) Structure your prize program and sales instructions to promote school fundraising safety
One of the best ways to ensure that your kids are safe while fundraising for their school or team is to give the best and most exciting prizes at a level that can be reached without the kids feeling like they have to "sell the world" to get them. Something else that you can do is during your fundraiser kickoff, instruct the students how they can sell what they need to sell without going door-to-door by asking some of their friends or relatives to take their brochure to work for them.
Do not put your kids in unsafe situations. There is no amount of money that is worth compromising the safety of our children.
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