Young Fundraisers

What skills will I develop?

There are eight Petty Cash events you can take part in and nine core skills that you can develop. Each event will help you develop every skill to a greater or lesser extent. The main skills you’ll develop are shown alongside each event.

These are skills that employers value and that will help you to get a job:

• Planning and Organisation
• Networking
• Communication
• IT
• Leadership
• Numeracy
• Business acumen
• Creativity and Teamwork.

Planning and Organisation: These challenges will show that you are reliable, punctual, can prioritise tasks and organise your time. They show that you can organise both people and the process of your event. e.g. if it’s a competition, you’ll need to organise how people enter, submit their entry fee and vote on a winner – and what the prize will be. Or your event may need a venue, refreshments, music, spectators, health and safety, advertising, publicity and sponsorship etc.

Networking: These challenges show you have the ability to initiate contact with people who can support your event. It also shows your ability to respond to queries promptly, to build relationships with people who take part or help you organise and to keep them informed, smiling and motivated.

Communication: These challenges show that you are a good communicator who can share your thoughts, ideas and plans. This is important so that others know what you want them to do, how, why and by when. Employers look for good verbal and written communication skills, especially if the role involves writing letters or copy for adverts, magazines, newspapers and websites.

IT: As well as the basic skills to help you plan and organise your event, these challenges help to develop other IT skills, from the creation of innovative publicity material, to using viral techniques and social media communication streams.

Leadership: A good leader must be able to demonstrate a variety of skills. These include good communication; the ability to listen to and consider other people’s ideas; being understanding and providing motivation and vision. Remember to delegate and allow people who have offered their support to help you with all the elements that need to be considered for your event.

Numeracy: Employers look for future employees who have good numerical skills. This isn’t simply being able to complete calculations, but being a quick thinker, accurate and methodical. You need to be able to calculate your overhead expenses – for the venue, refreshments, tickets, advertising etc – and balance these with potential profit. You should also plan for any 'unexpected' charges that may occur.

Business acumen: These challenges show your keenness, ability to quickly understand a business situation, make good judgments and quick decisions. Think about how to keep your expenses to a minimum, marketing your event in interesting ways and making as much profit as you can.

Creativity: Everyone has to be creative at some point in their working lives. Even people who think they are not creative in the artistic sense need a little creative spark for other areas of their life. Creativity is an important skill and these challenges help show yours to employers. You can apply it to almost any task. It could be designing an advert or solving a problem. Or thinking up creative ways to sell tickets, give away awards, or market the event. Why not do early bird discounts or multi-buy deals where people buy a certain amount of tickets and get some free?

Teamwork: Working with others effectively means you need to be able to share your thoughts and ideas as well as listen to others. Remember - you’ll need help to organise a successful event!

Holding a fundraising event: things to think about

Venue: It needs to be suitable – would your school or a youth club be ideal? Do you need storage space?

Advertising: Think about where and how you'll advertise your event. High street shops? Social media?

Sponsorship: How will you get sponsorship?

PDSA: Do you need to contact your local PDSA shop so they can help you?

Music: Does your event need music and lights? Have you checked if the equipment is safe to use?

Health and safety: How many people will your venue hold? Is your fashion catwalk safe to walk across? Do you need to plan a route, e.g. for dog walkers? Do you need to give access to fresh water – e.g. dog walkers and footy players?

Tickets: These need to be designed and printed. Remember to include the time, date, venue and the cost.

Process: How will people register? How will they vote for a competition? Will they cheer, vote, text, use Facebook or will you have a panel of judges?

Staff: How many people will be needed to supervise? Who will referee the footy?

Helpers: Are you doing your challenge on your own or as a group? How will you get people to model the fashion? Does your ‘Under 18’s event’ need a DJ, dance act or a band?

Prizes: What is your prize? Could a local business donate a prize? Could you have different prizes for different categories, e.g. by age

Sending us the money you've raised

Once you've held your fabulous fundraising event, don’t forget to send us the money you've raised so we can use it to treat sick an injured pets. Send it to: 

PettyCash Challenge,
Community & Education team,  PDSA Head Office,
Whitechapel Way,
Priorslee,
Telford.
TF2 9PQ