Creative charity event ideas for your team
We don’t need to tell anyone why charity is important. Even more so, given the cost of living crisis and the fact that compared to 2019, charities have lost 5 million pounds. Why is this happening? Many do indeed point to the cost of living crisis, but there could be more. Research shows people are more prone to give time than money as they need more control over their donations. This certainly seems to be the case for some people who prefer to be actively involved, so they can experience the direct impact of their offer, enjoy personal contact and feel part of it all.
Given the drop in monetary donations, coming up with novel charity fundraiser ideas is increasingly becoming more important —and the thing is, it can also be fun.
Yes, we did say fun.
Fundraising ideas are all over the web, so you don’t have to look too far for something that will keep the team engaged. The more of your team are involved, the more engagement you’ll achieve—and the more fun you’ll have. Could it be a community house renovation? Maybe getting local allotments up and running or a plant-a-tree event?
Make it active
However, the truth is that not all charity event ideas match every individual, and you are the one that knows your team best. Aligning with a team’s unique character can bring up their competitive spirit and work miracles. What are your colleagues obsessed with? Sports, cooking or arts? What about a bowling or cupcake competition where everyone can bet on the final result? You could even try an art fair where colleagues can sell their creations and donate the money raised.
Alternatively, it can be something pretty simple. Christmas always unites everyone around the office, so this year, your team could decorate the Christmas tree their way – writing wishes on cards bought from any charity they wish.
Make it guilt-free
Yes, people are more inclined to offer their time than money. But do they have enough time to give? Volunteers are the backbone of many organisations, and many companies, seeing this, have offered their employees the chance to devote a few hours per month to volunteering. Here, actively encouraging your team to participate is key, which could also be a great way to communicate your values and show them you care.
Make it real
When it comes to charity, people love to know where their money—and time goes, as well as what impact they have.
That’s why transparency is key. Follow up and tell (or even show) them where their efforts have made a difference. Why not dig a little deeper and see which organisations collect food, clothes, blankets or Christmas gifts, and let your team see the change they can bring with their own eyes?
Make it special
People value personal contact, which means meeting those they are trying to help and listening to their stories could be incredibly useful. To achieve this, one idea is to arrange an interaction or even carry out the work together with the people who will benefit from your efforts.
Make it team-friendly
People strive to build connections, especially with those who share the same belief system as them. Joining a community action group has the benefit of having people to guide you and learn together, share the experience of giving and even motivate them to keep showing up.
Being a part of these groups, you could help run art sessions, organise the collection of goods and hand them out to those in need. Here, you could even take part in litter picking at the local beach or park – activities like these could make anyone involved feel like belonging to a big team that wants to do their best to change things for the better, all while giving them the voice to attract more people into this type of thinking.
Make it quick
Sometimes people put too much thought into it, thinking “how should I help?” and “is this the right thing to do or say?”.
The truth is that charity could even just be a form of human interaction that comes naturally to them: a smile, a “good morning”, or offering a cup of tea are the simple things we can do every day to make the lives of others just a little bit brighter. Simply just thinking ‘how could we help?’ can be the seed of some great fundraising ideas.
From specific food needs to clothes or even Christmas presents, Asda for Business gift cards can help them cover a wide variety of needs – expected or unexpected – that may crop up all year round. So, even if you decide to invest in your team building this year, why not throw some corporate e-gift cards in, too, to show your appreciation?