Whilst being very rewarding, organising an educational trip for young people at school or from a youth group can take a lot of energy, not least in deciding how it will be paid for. Fundraising can be an excellent preparation for the holiday.
Why go on a trip?
School trips, ranging from day trips to a local adventure centre or a nearby town, to a week or more on a trip to a foreign country, can be a significant experience for children and young people in their education. Various youth groups also offer holidays, such as camping trips, or holidays to play sport or perform in musical concerts. On these excursions, young people learn life skills, encouraging independence and confidence. A tour might also be focused around a specific activity, such as music, sport, or a language and so will have specific educational benefits, but it is often the fact of being away from home, managing themselves and learning to make decisions that is of greater significance. These trips can introduce young people to new and exciting experiences.
How is it to be paid for?
Once overnight accommodation is involved, the cost of children going on educational tours or group adventure tours can start to be significant for some families and the organisers need to think of how the trip will be funded. Hoping that parents will pay the whole cost will exclude some children, so fundraising by the young people can be a great way of raising some or all of the money needed for the trip. The young people can be involved in making decisions and organising the fundraising schemes and in doing so, will learn skills such as group working and arranging publicity. Depending on the specific event being arranged, they will also learn about managing events.
What kind of fundraising events?
There are lots of ways of raising funds for group adventure tours or educational tours. It could be that a group going on a tour where they will perform at a number of concerts can give a concert or two before they go. A sports team may be able to arrange a match against another team. A group going on an environmental tour might arrange a sponsored litter pick or river clean. These activities are unlikely to raise sufficient funds on their own, so it could be that sales of various kinds could also be arranged. A bring and buy sale could be arranged in the school grounds on a weekend, or a stall selling homemade cakes be held on lunchtimes. A local supermarket may be willing for groups of young people to help customers packing their shopping, or clean cars while customers are doing their shopping. The young people could be involved in finding ways of raising the funds, as well as in the organisation. After the trip, it may be possible to arrange an event to share the tour experience. This offers the chance for the young people to practice presentation skills and may also raise funds towards future tours.
Going away on an educational trip can be a great experience for young people and children. Finding ways of fundraising to pay for the trip can be an excellent way of generating excitement amongst those who will be going and interest amongst the wider community of school and family.
About the Author: Anna Mathews has been involved in several holidays with young people. She has found a variety of ways of fund raising for these group adventure tours and educational tours and writes regularly on her experiences for a range of websites and blogs.
