NOW CLOSED: Please come and watch the Plan UK video – and get the chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher (it takes less than 3 mins...)

[HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing]

Hello. Over the past few weeks. we've been working with Plan UK to help them spread the word about their child sponsorship programme and to get some feedback on this for them.

While lots of Mumsnetters have been interested, Plan UK haven't found as many new child sponsors as they were hoping for. We're a bit surprised by this, tbh, and both we and Plan UK are really keen to find out why.

So, we're now asking you to take a couple of minutes to watch this video in which a MNer shares her thoughts about her sponsorship of a child through Plan UK.

And then we'd like you, please, to help Plan UK by posting (on this thread) what you think of the video and of the campaign.

Any feedback you can give is most welcome - and we'll be passing it on to Plan UK to help them when they're planning future campaigns.

So please watch the video and read a bit more the campaign on our Plan UK pages and add your thoughts to this thread.

Everyone who adds a thought will be entered into a prize draw, from which one winner will win a £100 Amazon voucher.

And, of course, if you'd like to sponsor a child either for yourself (or as a gift for your children or someone else), then please do sign up here.

Thanks, MNHQ

I agree with everyone. £15 a month is a lot of money and it will certainly stop a lot of people from signing up to it.

It really ought to be £X will provide such and such, £Y will provide such and such, £Z will provide such and such.

And let people give what they can.

I thought the video was interesting but also feel that £15 a month is a lot for people to commit to over the long term. I think that £5 a month would be more acceptable with the understanding that you were sponsoring a child jointly with two other families.

I also think the stuff sent from the sponsored child is a bit too personal and agree that I would rather receive something once or twice a year. I too wonder about those that are not sponsored - would need to know more about how it all worked really.

20 plus years ago, my friend and I talked about sponsoring a child between us. Then she got pg and couldn't afford to and I certainly couldn't on my own and so here we are...day to day living is a big worry for me for my own Dc's, so I certainly can't do it now; wish I could :(

I thought the video was lovely, I had a friend who used to work for Plan UK so knew a little bit about them but the video was lovely and personal and it was nice to see how the whole family got involved with sponsoring a child. It was nice to see the progress of the child over the years - this seems to highlight that the sponsorship is an ongoing commitment for a certain amount of years.

I think it is certainly a good thing to do but I couldn't commit to £15 a month. It would be good if there were cheaper options as mentioned above so by sponsoring £5 or £10 a month you could still be doing contributing towards sponsoring a child even if you did not receive as much stuff in return as if you were sponsoring £15.

I would love to sponsor a child. The video is lovely as it makes it more personal

If I ever am in the position where I have a spare £15 a month I know where it wil go

I think more info about how the sponsored child benefits from the sponsorship would be more helpful. I understand that the idea is to up sell the the upside from the donors POV, but I feel that it makes the motives of the donor seem self indulgent

I also thing that option for once off donations should be offered

I can't committ to regular monthly donation as my wages fluctuate too much, so, as a family, we donate to Oxfam at set times like birthdays and Christmas.

I too loved the video and the enthusiasm of the Mumsnetter BUT £15.00 is a lot of money to donate monthly for the next 16 years. I have some months when I am wondering how I am going to feed my own family, let alone others.

The video also made me wonder about the rest of the sponsored child's family? Does only one child get the support and the others have to watch? Could there not be an option for one off donations to the whole family?

Great video - the lady is engaging and puts across well the benefits for everyone involved. It is very informal though and light on the facts and figures that I would want to have in order to make a head decision about it, rather than just having my heart-strings tugged.

We currently sponsor a young girl in India so don't want a further commitment at this time.

Does Plan organise group sponsorships, eg getting a class or whole school to commit to sponsorship so the cost is very small per donor?

Does Plan ask for a long-term sponsorship? I think the thought of doing it for 16/18 years is a bit forbidding perhaps. What happens to the child if you have to pull out? The video does imply a long-term committment which could be quite daunting.

Is there an option for joint sponsorship? So two families sponsoring a child at £7.50 per month? £15 is a pretty hefty amount.

Wishing the charity every future success.

£15 perp nth is a significant amount that many families can't afford to commit to. I have also not heard if this scheme until now. Whilst the idea is good we couldn't afford to tasked part.

These things are great, but the company dictate how much money I must give each week or month and never allow me to choice a suitable amount that is what I can afford.

I may be able to afford £2.50 PER MONTH but I am never given the choice so flick of as soon as the amount is dictated. A standing order for £2.50 from 5 people and £4 from 3 people and £1.50 from 5 people is worth more than nothing from 20 people that can't afford £15 per month

I thought that the video was very well done, involving the Mumsnetter's daughter was a nice touch. They have been sponsoring a child for ten years and have another 6 years to go - its a very long term commitment isnt it, especially at £15 per month which as many people on here have said is a lot of money these days. I imagine that once you start giving to a plan like this it would be hard to stop if your circumstances changed, that would be a concern of mine. However I would love to sponsor a child if I had the spare cash

Great video, but I don't have the money to sponsor a hild at the moment. It's a very worthy cause, but I have to prioritise my own child in a very very difficult time, financially speaking.

I also prefer the idea of sponsoring projects which would benefit entire communities.

It seems a lovely thing to do but a long time to commit to a regular amount. I do see the point of the long term commitment but as we never know what's around the corner I don't think this is for us. I think it is nice to get so much back but I'm more suited to buying the odd goat or contributing to a community project.

Interesting video but, like others, it's too large a committment to make. I don't think that it's something you can start when times are good and stop when times are tough as there's someone else at the other end of the 'transaction'.

It's a real double edged sword thing isn't it? When people do stop giving to charity people at the other end do suffer so this is just more transparent and possibly more difficult for the sponsor......but definitely more difficult for those directly affected by lack of funds.

I think all charity is ultimately for the good of the giver, it makes us feel nice so the 'ego' thing is in every donation.

I used to think Plan were one of the good organisations.

HOWEVER, they have recently teamed up with (i.e. getting money from) is the TV series Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model.

I feel rather uneasy about this partnership - a charity which aims to promote girls rights teaming up with a series which so obviously judges young (sometimes vulnerable) girls on their appearance. Is this the lesson we want to teach our children? That only looks matter? Anyone else feel this is a strange partnership?

www.plan-uk.org/what-we-do/campaigns/because-i-am-a-girl/bintm-live-faqs

Interesting link. They don't actually say if they do or don't endorse the show, and avoid answering the questions on eating disorders in the modelling world not really fitting with an anti-hunger charity nor the question on the show promoting negative stereotypes. Seems a bit of a sell-out to me. I'm afraid this would put me off using Plan.

Probably won't win the voucher now I've said that... :)

I scrolled down to put in a comment and was stopped dead by the comments above about the links with the modelling programme.

Yuk. Sorry, but oversexualised posturing while underdressed is not something I feel I could support. I am so in favour of the MN Let Girls be Girls campaign and that particular series is the antithesis.

Sorry, Plan.

I liked the video and the lady. Also really appreciated the child getting something from it.

Sponsorship to that level, i.e. receiving updates and regular news actually puts me off contributing, because what would happen if 2 years down the line, I had to cut "my" child off. I'd much prefer contributing to a group fund that was then used to help.

The relationship with the child would make me feel as though I had another responsibility that I could, under no circumstances, relinquish.

It seems like you can really only sign up for £15/month for 18 years or so, or nothing.

FWIW we do already give monthly to charity. I think a lot of people already have similar commitments, and are uncertain enough about the financial future of our own families.

Thanks for all the feedback. LittleChiefRunnyCustard was selected as the winner of the £100 Amazon voucher.