Once in a lifetime trip disguised as fundraising for Charities

[staveleymum]

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for people raising money for Charity. People asking for sponsorship for things like Marathons, 1000 miles walked in a year, midnight walks, etc. I'm also on board with Red Nose Day, Children in Need, PTA fundraising, kids clubs fundraising and everything else that seems to constantly need money to run.

BUT I just don't get fundraising for things like hiking up Kilimanjaro or funding a trip to Borneo (for a 16 year old) to build a school or some such similar. Both these events need to raise £4,000 so they are on facebook, justgiving, etc trying to raise the money. My issue is that of the £4,000 needed how much will actually go to charity. This covers flights, accommodation, food, guides, etc - surely this is just something that they want to do as a personal thing and wrapping it up in Charity and getting others to pay for it?

I'd love to walk over Sydney Harbour Bridge but I wouldnt dream of masking it in Charity and hoping others will pay for it with perhaps 5-10% of the money raised actually going to the Charity?

I know I don't have to sponsor but I'd rather just give the donation directly to the Charity. AIBU?

I think a point is being missed here. This model of charity is not a good model. Whilst every action has a consequence, the negative consequences are far higher than need be. The negative could be massively reduced by sending the volunteer fee but not the volunteer. The volunteer could even send all the expenses that they would have incurred for the trip, or go on a life changing trip that doesn't cause damage to the vulnerable. We need to be teaching our dc good charity models, not these giving to receive types. My 7 year old gets we don't do the OCC shoe box because they are give to receive god.

ALL charity is give to receive Scaredycat.

Are you being deliberately obtuse user? Or do you genuinely not understand?

I understand the point of view of most posters on here, certainly, and agree with some of their concerns to some extent.

I don't understand your pov though scardycat. I think you just sound very bitter, and unsatisfied,. Maybe jealous?

But anyway ALL charity is give to receive. Do you not get that?

Go on then, jealous of what? You probably doing more harm than good?

I don't know, its just a suggestion, but a lot of kids doing these trips have nothing themselves, but the initiative to work and organise and fundraise, and take the plunge, and work hard and give their all, and achieve a lot.

So I'm guessing that what you are jealous of is not having the initiative yourself, so are attacking those that do.

Its fine, you don't have to support them, but your vitriol says a lot about your state of mind.

Again, this level, term, and type of volunteering is commonly accepted and praised in the uk. Its only if done abroad that is is being attacked. There is no difference. You are attacking it because you wouldn't have what it takes yourself.

if you do have what it takes, and you want the experience, join in! You won't have to do anything you are not comfortable with. And will come back different!

Again, it is fine not to support OCC if you don't want to, but you are filling your DCs heads with some pretty weird stuff telling them not to receive from charity giving!

(I am having a another cup of tea and stroking another cat, by the way, in case you are wondering!)

I also think and have said previously that the majority of these schemes are awful, I'm not jealous? I just think they are awful schemes and should be weaned out . Your jumping to some rather ridiculous conclusions becausr posters aren't agreeing with your POV

bubblesagain, I was talking specifically to the poster who was being vitriolic, largely to the children who are working so hard at fundraising,

not the ones who have a valid point of view that they have explained, with reasoning.

I have a huge experience of volunteering myself, and overseeing voluntary work. I have concerns about a lot of it! But not most of it, and not abroad more so than in the uk.

Obviously, attachment is something that has to be thought about carefully, and in my experience it normally is, but LEAST so within the UK.

I got the OCC banned from my DC's church school, it was against the schools equality statement.

I can't see anything remotely vitriolic in scaredy's post. Bitter, jealous...what??? Are you reading the same thread?

There are 2 companies in the U.K. In which schools use so that children can go on these adventure holidays.
My daughter has been invited to go to South Africa in which she will go on a safari and help build schools. She only 14 years old.
The cost of the trip £3000 and this is to be raised by the children themselves or parents. The schools and trip provider at the meeting talked about how they get the children to set up gofundme pages or charity nights to raise money for them to go. If they can't get the money the parents pay. Luckily for me my daughter has changed her mind and said no.

yes, Dulcima, vitriolic. Don't worry about it though, its not going to hurt anyone else except her herself.

I don't understand this

charity always benefits the giver, often more then the receiver, not that I am saying it is a bad thing, but it is a two way process. That is all I mean.

That isn't charity then

that is exactly what charity is, you give, they benefit, you benefit from giving.

I cooked a meal in a homeless shelter last night, it was snowing, people came rushing in as soon as the doors opened, enjoyed a hot meal and thanked me.

I was been out, active and social. I came back feeling justifiablely tired, satisfied and appreciated.

They benefited, I benefited. Both of us, it is a two way process.

ALL charity is a two way process. It is hard sometimes. But you still benefit

which is a selfless act and being able to consider your self "selfless" is a benefit.

There are no circumstances in which charity does not benefit the giver!

And by boasting about it

and I am not boasting about it, I am discussing it on an anonymous forum...it isn't something that any of my colleagues for example would no about, and very few of my closest friends ( because they do similar)