Fundraising ideas and inspiration

Contents

Thank You

WHAT You can do for your fundraising

HOW Your money will help

WHY Your support matters

For choosing to raise funds for Inspire. This resource is full of ideas and inspiration to help you raise vital funds for our work.

We hope you have a great time fundraising to help young people all over Australia.

Inspire is committed to reducing the stigma associated with mental health.

When you talk about your motivations for raising funds for us, it is our hope that your friends, family and colleagues will know that it is ok to ask for help.

The (kind of) easy stuffAskAsk sounds simple but it’s often the hardest thing to do. However, the worst someone can say is no!

Set a targetTargets are great motivators and once you reach yours don’t be afraid to double it!

Share your storyWhy are you fundraising for Inspire? Letting people know the reason behind your decision to raise money for Inspire will help with donations.

WHATYou can do

Drum up supportEmail, Facebook, Tweet. Get the message out there and drum up support. Ask your friends to repost it for you too!

Local newspapers are also a great way to get some notice for your fundraiser.

Ask againIt might not be pay day, it may have slipped someone’s mind; there are many reasons why someone may have not donated yet. Research suggests the people who follow-up their initial request are more successful in their fundraising efforts - so don’t be shy in asking again.

Ask your boss...If they will match donations. Lots of workplaces encourage employees to take up community events and are really supportive.

Ready. Set. GoWhen you enter your local fun run, walk or swim you can be part of a growing number of people that combine pushing themselves to new levels and raising funds. Set up a fundraising page and watch how supportive your friends, family and colleagues will be.

Do you have a secret talent?Paint, sing, joke, dance, hula hoop; we all have a secret talent.

Pick a date, find a location, sell tickets and put your talent on show.

Sausage SizzleSausage sizzles are a popular fundraiser (they’re difficult to resist when walking by). They are low cost to set up, easy to organise and fairly straightforward to run. Your local butcher might even donate some sausages and your bakery some bread if you ask!

Tea Party – after all who doesn’t like cake or biscuits Throw down the challenge and have a bake-off.ORHold a high tea complete with cucumber sandwiches, scones and pastries.AND THENAsk people for a donation.

Quiz it up

This one takes a little bit of organising but who doesn’t love a trivia night! Approach your local pub or club, tell them it’s a fundraiser, then invite your family and friends (and ask them to invite their friends and family!)

You can charge a cover fee. Just 20 people giving a $15 donation will boost your fundraising by $300.

Movie MarathonHold a movie marathon, complete with popcorn and choc tops. Invite your family and friends and ask for a ticket price donation.

Girls NightGet together a bunch of your girlfriends and plan a girls night in. Enjoy facemasks, makeovers and manicures then ask your friends to donate what they would have spent at a salon. 5 girlfriends, $20 donation - an evening with loads of laughs and $100 to add to your fundraising efforts.

Friday night footy In the comfort of your home, grab a few pizzas or hot dogs then invite your mates and cheer on your team. Ask for a donation. It’s also a great opportunity to ask how your mate is doing. 10 mates, $10 donation - that’s $100 to add to your fundraising tally.

Evening of luxuryEveryone loves a bit of pampering!

Enjoy facemasks, makeovers and manicures then ask your guests to donate what they would have spent at a salon.

Lawn Bowls

A great way to spend an afternoon and raise money.

Book it with your local bowling club, invite your friends and ask for a set donation.

Use it or lose itSell your unwanted items on eBay OROrganise a garage sale ORGet a stall at your local market ANDDonate 10% -100% of the sale price to Inspire!

It’s your birthdayIf you have a birthday coming up on the lead up to the event, ask for a donation rather than a gift. Turning 16, ask for $16. Turning 40 why not ask for $40.

The only answer is YES

Get involved in a yes day challenge. Ask people to sponsor you to say yes to everyone’s demands (maybe set some ground rules first though!)

An oldie but a goodieFill a jar with lollies and have everyone make a gold coin donation to guess how many are in there.

Auction your skillsAsk your friends and family to donate their skills and services for auction. It could be mowing someone’s lawn once a month for six months, washing someone’s car, weeding a path or doing something ‘handy’ like changing light globes.

Thank you“Every dollar you donate to the Inspire Foundation will help young people around Australia to live happier lives. I know this because someone just like you was able to do this for me. Even if your donation only helps one young person to live a happier life isn’t it worth every cent?” Nick, 23

WHERE your money will help

Nothing we do

would be possible

without your help.

With your help in raising awareness every young person living in Australia will know that they are not alone – whatever they’re facing.

The money you raise will allow us to continue to lead research into young people, technology, mental health and wellbeing ensuring that the services available to them are relevant.

With your help, young men will change their perception of asking for or seeking help. Through innovations and the use of technology young men will have a better understanding that being well is not just a physical thing but a mental thing too.

All young people should be supported to be happy and healthy throughout their school life. With your help, we will create a supportive environment for young people in schools by ensuring that teachers have access to the tools and materials needed to provide this.

Health care professionals play a crucial role in working with young people. Your support will help ensure that healthcare professionals understand the significance of technology and are supported to integrate this knowledge into their practice to better meet the needs of young people.

WHYYour support matters

In an average Australian Year 12 classroom of 30 students:

• 7 young people will have experienced a recognised mental health difficulty, but only 2 will have sought professional help.

• At least 1 will have attempted suicide.

• 70% of young people who need help never get it.

Young people need your help.

Sarah, 18 -Youth Ambassador

Each week, five young people will suicide. Tragically it is the leading cause of death in young people aged 14 - 25 years. Unfortunately, our current mental health system is heavily reliant on young people making an appointment to talk to someone like a psychologist when they need help. It assumes that there is someone nearby, which simply isn’t true, but the biggest barrier for most young people is that they simply aren’t prepared, willing, or able to ask for help.

You can make a difference Attitudes to mental healthEven though tough times are a normal part of life many young people don’t have the knowledge, skills and support to get through them.

“Growing up, I never even knew what mental illness was. When I became depressed, and began to suffer from panic disorder, I knew that something was wrong, but I thought that the problem laid with me. I felt like I was a freak, the only person in the world that cried herself to sleep at night. I didn’t feel able to talk to people, because I didn’t associate what I was going through with an illness, I thought it was just me.” Sarah, 18 - Youth Ambassador

Good health is generally thought of in the physical sense only.

“For me, when I think of a healthy person, it just comes down to exercise.I don’t really think of mental [health]” Male, 19 - WorkOut Research Participant

Using the internet for information, help or supportResearch shows that 90% of young people use the internet on a daily basis. After friends and family, the internet is a key source of advice and support.

Technology has shifted the way in which young people engage with the world. This means that young people can access help and support immediately and anonymously, overcoming many of the limitations and barriers of traditional services.

“I’d prefer to talk to someone on the internet and then maybe make my way to a counsellor or a psychiatrist, rather than jumping straight in the deep end and going to a psychiatrist.” Anonymous Male, Focus Group Participant

When you help inspire you never know who you might be helping.

“It was 1.30am, I was desperate and had nowhere to turn. I somewhat sarcastically went to Google and typed in ‘help’. This was the first result. Thank you” Anonymous, 19

You can help young people like Stacey lead happier lives“The day I came across ReachOut, I was searching for a way to end my life. Suicide, quick and easy were the three words I typed hoping I could find my exit from this world. Amongst my search results I found ReachOut.” When she was 15, Stacey hated the world, and herself. Unable to turn to friends or family for support, Stacey withdrew from life. “I was miserable, scared and felt so alone.” She thought constantly about taking her life. That is, until she found ReachOut.com.

Reachout.com is not just another website. Each young person that engages with ReachOut.com will use it in their own way and will take away something different.

“I like to think of it as a journey. I know for me, when I first started to engage in the site I mainly used fact sheets and stories to gain an understanding of what was happening to me. As time progressed I felt more and more comfortable and started to engage in a different way and startedto use the online community forums, where I felt safe enough to explore the issues I faced and other young people were able to support and encouragement. This eventually led me to seeking help in my community through counselling.”Even then, ReachOut.com continued to provide Stacey with a place to go, to find clarity and support at any hour of the day or night.

“My journey with Inspire has gone from a young person seeking help, to a young person wanting to make a difference, It has given my life inspiration and hope.”

Just $10 will ensure that one young

person has access to help through ReachOut.com

for an entire year.

You can ensure young men like Daniel never feel alone“I thought I was alone. So, so alone, like I was the only person who had to deal with this, and now I know that was, and is, far from the truth”When you are going through a tough time, growing up in a rural area with limited access to information and youth friendly services has its challenges. It can leave you feeling isolated and completely alone.

“Throughout my high school years I suffered from what I now know was depression. There were times when I seriously considered taking my own life. I could not explain what I was going through to other people, and even if I could felt they would not understand. I felt alone in sorting out my problems, but I didn’t have a clue how to do this.”Daniel turned to the Internet in the hope that he could find information with answers. It was then that he came across ReachOut.com.

“I couldn’t believe what I found: an easy to navigate website with fact sheets covering a range of issues and information on where to find help.I cannot put into words how much the ReachOut.com website has changed my life. For the first time I was able to understand what I was experiencing, and learned strategies for helping myself, and my friends, get through.”“I thought I was alone. So, so alone, like I was the only person who had to deal with this, and now I know that was, and is, far from the truth. But for those who don’t know about ReachOut.com there are many young people who have not realized this yet”

Just $50 will help fund an extensive

campaign targeting high risk groups

including young men

You will help create places for young people to feel safe when asking for helpKate was just 16 when she made her first post on the ReachOut.com forums. She had been feeling depressed for some time but was extremely resistant to talking to anyone, including her parents, or seeing a counsellor.

“I guess I am ashamed of the way I am feeling…It is my fault I am depressed and because it is my fault, I need to deal with it myself. Well that’s what I reckon anyway. It is much easier to talk about things online, not just on the ReachOut.com Forums, but elsewhere as well, than it is in real life… low self-esteem could come into that, I don’t feel judged online, and I feel wanted.” For the first few months of her time on the forums, Kate posted only about her own problems, even when she was responding to other members’ posts. Her tendency was to use the forum predominately as a place to vent her frustrations and misery, with little direction and helpfulness, rather than an opportunity to accept support, consider alternative ways of thinking and managing, and to support others.

“I know that I really do need to see a doctor about my depression, but I am scared, and I don’t want my parents to know. I wish I could just pull myself out of this depression. But I don’t know how to. I am sick of feeling trapped and having a big black cloud flying over my head. But I don’t know what to do. I just wish there was some simple answer.”With the support and direction of ReachOut.com staff, forum moderators and other forum users, Kate’s pattern of posts gradually began to change and the focus took a much more productive direction. She started posting in positive discussion threads and recognised when her negative thoughts and posts became unhelpful:

“I know that it’s not helpful to others, nor to me, if I post REALLY negatively, like I have in the past, and I don’t want to be unhelpful to others, so I am trying to stop posting negatively, especially when I am in one of my really pessimistic moods!… I know that I can get out of this depression, and I know that one day, I will!!”Kate began to identify sources of help, ask questions and find out about the experiences of others. She got advice from others about what to say and what her rights were when talking to a professional. This made getting help and talking face-to-face with someone seem much less daunting and mysterious. With this support, Kate became confident enough to approach and talk to her school counsellor, who then referred her to a psychiatrist.

“I just wanted to thank you all for the help you’ve given me... especially lately... with me going to the psych and stuff... the support on here is just amazing! I am so thankful to all of you... and your wonderful suggestions and words of encouragement!.. I am on the road to recovery!”At around this time, Kate began to support other members and took on more of a leadership role on the forums, referring members to relevant fact sheets on the Reach Out.com website, encouraging them to seek help from professionals, and providing personal encouragement and inspiration.

$130 will pay for a trained moderator on our forums, providing

a safe environment for young people to talk openly and without

judgement.

“To the wonderful people who make this whole Inspire thing possible—thank you. Thank you for your commitment, your inspiration, your time, your resources, your care,

your thoughts, and your help.

Thank you for understanding the power of young people, for wanting to create change, for helping us make change

and for making the lives of so many young Australians better.

It’s people like you that inspire me to be a good person, to give back to my community, and remind me that the world

has great people in it.

Be proud of your contribution—every single one of you really has helped us build something amazing.”

Rosie, 23. w. inspire.org.aue. fundraising@inspire.org.aup. (61) 2 8029 7777