Top ways to fund your travel

Travel costs money; there is no getting around that! While at Pod Volunteer we pride ourselves on being transparent and keeping our fees as low as possible, we are also aware that once flights, insurance and visas have been taken into account, costs can mount up. Many of our volunteers fundraise for their trip to help cover these costs or as a donation to the project they are joining.

We have come up with our Top Tips for Fundraising for your volunteer placement...

Use your talents

Are you a master baker? Do you have a skill for making jewellery? Why not use your abilities for your fundraising? You could organise a dinner party and charge an entrance fee, or use any musical talents you have and go busking. Use your skills and be as creative as you can!

Set yourself a challenge

Get sponsored! Do a fun run or give up your favourite food. Pack bags in a supermarket or sky dive. Why not take a bath in beans or give up electricity for a day? Whatever you can think of, the wackier the better!

Call on your contacts!

Organise an event and think about which of your friends, or friends of friends could offer you a free venue like the local pub or school. Local shops and organisations may donate items or services for you to either use at your event, as prizes for your raffle or for you to sell in an auction. Is anyone you know a beautician or a masseuse who could offer free treatments? Remember – it is great publicity for them too!

Sell your stuff

Are you the sort of person who has endless amounts of stuff that you don’t want anymore? Boxes full of toys, books, clothes or general bric-a-brac? Organise a sale! The old saying goes, ‘One person’s trash is another person’s treasure’, make this saying your reality!

Offer your services

Knock on doors, put leaflets through letterboxes, put notes in the local Post Office or supermarket – anything you can do to be of service, DO IT! You could mow lawns or wash cars. Why not do someone’s ironing or water their garden? Anyway you can be helpful, the funds will come flooding in.

Speak to your place of work or study

Think about how you can use your day to day life to help you. You could ask if your place of work or study, or even your colleagues, could directly sponsor you. Or you could ask for help in organising an event in order to raise money for example organise a ‘no uniform’ day with funds raised going towards your cause.

Make it easy for people to donate

Publicise! Spread the word about what you are doing; the more people your message reaches, the more funds you are likely to raise! Donation websites are also a good, tool; if people can donate from the ease and comfort of their own home, they are much more likely to do it!