Getting to Give Activity
Youth Activity: Students brainstorm time, talent, and treasure examples that they have to offer/give. The activity will ask each person to think of some ways he/she can generate money.
“You should never think that just because you’re a kid you can’t do something.”
~ Max Penning, 12 years old, 1999 Prudential Spirit of Community Award Honoree, sold 2000 pizzas
Youth will
- see they can generate treasure to use in philanthropic actions.
- discover access to treasure through selling things that young people own.
handout: Getting to Give
Review the flipchart from lesson three: Time Equals Treasure
Instructions
Review the line, “ Money is our time, talents, and things changed into dollars." Today’s activity will demonstrate how each participant has their own time, talent, and “things” which can be changed to dollars. Participants are reminded that one important way to be a philanthropist is to give money.
The facilitator hands out the Getting to Give handout. Before students complete the handout on their own, the group comes up with examples for each section.
- THINGS I have that I could sell to get money to give.
- Ways I could use my TIME to make money to give.
- Special TALENTS I have that I can use to make money to give.
The following questions guide the group discussions before they work independently.
Ask who has an old book or CD or something else at home that they don’t use or want. There may be things they are done with that might have value to someone else. Ask, "Where do old books, CD’s, games and toys sometimes end up?” (in the trash) Ask, "Where could a person sell these things?" (garage sales, online, consignment stores)
Ask youth what they could do as a group or individual to make money for a good cause (using their time)? What have you seen others do to make money for causes? Answers may include car washes, selling candy, raking leaves, collecting cans or newspapers to sell.
Does anyone here draw or do some form of art or play the piano or a musical instrument? Maybe you could use your talent to create something to sell.
Give youth ten minutes to brainstorm on their own handout.
The facilitator brings the individuals or groups back together. Ask for several to share what they have included. Add these to the ideas to the group list.
Ask the participants to talk about some of the “fundraising” they have done.
- Did you realize you were taking philanthropic actions when you were doing this?
- Why did you sell the Girl Scout cookies or raise money for the school?
- Why did you wash cars on a Saturday for the church group?
- Were you doing it for a special cause? To attend camp or an amusement park? To send missionaries to a Third World country?
- Did you ask at the time about how the dollars are used and why there was this need?
A philanthropist needs to know how the dollars they have given or raised are being spent. Are they being used for a cause that you believe in? Do you think you will continue to support these causes?
The facilitator returns to the definition of philanthropy to close the session.
