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Category: Stories

  • Surviving and enjoying lockdown with kids

    Surviving and enjoying lockdown with kids

    With schools closed in NSW and Victoria, and childcare restricted to authorised workers in Victoria, many children will be at home for the next few weeks. And with their usual creative and physical outlets – libraries, sport, playgroups, and other public places – now cut off, families want to be innovative in the ways they interact with kids in the home.

    Children have experienced trying to stay safe from the virus for 18 months now.

    Jony Doe

    Use Zoom, Facetime, or Skype to keep in touch with family and friends, both local and overseas to stay social, and maintain friendships and relationships when you can’t be together.

    How to keep kids engaged and parents sane

    Keep a routine. Giving children a structure to each day will help them feel more secure, and it gives parents and caregivers a routine to work around. Try to do the things you would normally do, including your showering/bathing routine, keeping consistent mealtimes, and restricting recreational access to screens, having at least some screen-free time each day, as you would at other times. 

    If possible, ensure that everyone in the family has time and space to retreat and have alone time. It is challenging to be in a confined area with the same people for extended periods of time. Maintaining your mental health is important at times like these.

    Find time for children to get fresh air and sunlight. This may be as simple as spending some time in the backyard or on the balcony. If you live in a place where you can’t get outside, open your curtains and windows if you can, and let the natural light in.

    Children thrive on parental attention

    For both parents and children, it’s important to remember, the lockdowns won’t last forever. This period of time may be difficult, but it will pass as Australia speeds up its vaccination rates, providing protection for those vaccinated against hospitalisation and death. With strong vaccination rates, we can be confident into 2022 that we can protect the most vulnerable members of society.

    In this time ask them if they just want to share, or if they want you to help them to find a solution. Children don’t always want advice, sometimes being heard is enough. If you or your children need further support, please reach out to a trained professional such as a psychologist, social worker or GP. 

  • 7 Fundraising Actions That Successful

    7 Fundraising Actions That Successful

    While the insights you’ll learn from below are based on organizations who saw success in their first few months using the Classy platform, here’s a snapshot of what success has also translated to for a couple other nonprofits that maximize Classy’s capabilities to engage their communities.

    Finance can reconcile donations and surface insights on incoming revenue

    Jeremy Lin

    Applying for grants

    The pandemic has quite rightly highlighted the great work undertaken by the sector but we know that at the higher governmental The first indicator of a successful nonprofit organization is the amount of time they spend on the details that bring their fundraising campaigns to life right from the start. 

    • Be on guard for a surge of solicitations related to any highly publicized crisis.
    • Do not respond to, or click on any attachments, links or pictures.
    • Beware of individuals or others claiming to be third-party intermediaries for charities or those in need.
    • Avoid name confusion by independently verifying that the charity is legitimate before you donate. 

    Finding grant funding

    The other important factor to note is that the virtual component of these campaign types is allowing nonprofits to reach wider audiences across the world. Virtual success is here to stay and offers you more opportunities to build campaigns you may not have had the resources for previously.

    For many charities, having enough funds to meet the increased demand for their services has been a real obstacle to address. Grants in particular remain and will always be an important source of funding.

  • Rohingya refugee children in Desh want to learn

    Rohingya refugee children in Desh want to learn

    New infrastructure and efforts aimed at providing the basics of health care, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene have improved conditions for the children and families who fled persecution and violence in Myanmar.

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  • Hacks to Improve Your Fundraising Efficiency 2021

    Hacks to Improve Your Fundraising Efficiency 2021

    More time means more focus on impactful campaigns. It also creates room for the small details to shine through your fundraising efforts. Overall, refocusing your time makes a world of difference to supporters and beneficiaries. 

    We’re here with time-saving hacks that any fundraising professional can appreciate to help you reach your full strategic and creative potential. 

    It is important for the good governance of your charity that you record your decision and the reasons for it.

    Jony Doe

    If your governing document does not allow you to postpone or cancel meetings you should use any power in your governing document to communicating about new fundraising opportunities, campaign launches, or appreciation for your donors doesn’t have to consume your entire day to be effective. Lean into email templates that make meaningful outreach possible, even when you’re short on time.

    Automate Email Templates to Reach More Donors

    Another way to avoid starting from scratch when writing an email is to gain inspiration from your favorite consumer brands. With some language tweaking, you can create unique templates for your organization based on just about any email you’ve received and replicate what you loved about it.

    If you do consider such a decision is necessary, you should follow any rules in your charity’s governing document that allow for postponement or cancellation.

    Create Year-Round Fundraising Campaigns

    Campaign start and end dates create limitations. Sometimes they’re necessary, but there’s a lot of benefit to releasing time constraints. Continue to generate income, diversify your fundraising portfolio, and keep supporters engaged with your mission.

    • A main donation website gives any visitor the option to take action, wherever and whenever they’d like, with compelling content and a simple payment process
    • Peer-to-peer fundraising helps provide loyal supporters with everything they need to fundraise on your behalf and attract new donors all year long

  • The Water Crisis is a Women’s Issue

    The Water Crisis is a Women’s Issue

    Those are just a few of the words we could use to describe the incredible women we’ve met over the years. These are women who raise families, start businesses, and perfect their crafts.

    Women who are capable of so much—especially when they’re relieved of their 40-pound (about 20 kilos) Jerry Cans and their long, dangerous walks for water.

    But the reality is, women and girls are disproportionately responsible for collecting water in nearly every developing region. As we spend this month celebrating and observing International Women’s Day and World Water Day, we want to share that reality with you.

    This is Caption for image

    For women, collecting water steals time

    We’ve met young girls who walk in the 115ºF (46ºC) heat of the Sahel Desert to collect water from 1,000-year-old holes. We’ve met women in Ethiopia who walk to the river before sunrise and don’t get back until after lunch.

    We’ve even met mothers in Mali who sometimes sleep next to an open water source so they can be first in line when the water refills the next morning.

    For women, collecting water limits opportunities

    When we met 8-year-old Rita in Nepal, she was crouched down at the front of a long line, scooping water from a rocky basin into her metal water container. It was just after 6 a.m., and Rita and her mother had been waiting in line to collect water for their family of nine since 3 a.m.

    This isn’t an uncommon experience for young girls living in rural, mountainous parts of Nepal. Every day, they can spend hours waiting in line for the nearby source to refill or trek miles down the mountain to another dirty water source far below.

  • How To Promote Your Nonprofit Crowdfunding Campaign

    How To Promote Your Nonprofit Crowdfunding Campaign

    There’s a first time for everything, and that includes creating your first crowdfunding campaign (if that’s you, congrats!). And unless you just came out from a decade of hibernation, you probably know that the campaign itself is just the first step.

    Children are hardest hit by human-induced climate change as it limits their access to essential services such as foods, shelters, and education. 

    Jony Doe

    What exactly do we mean by “promotion”?

    While our politicians ignore the fact that current disasters are intensifying due to the climate crisis, scientists are telling us we need to do more to reduce the intensity and severity of disasters. It’s not a complex theory or speculation—statistics paint a clear picture of what the future may be like.

    Shreya turns “climate warrior”

    • Is storytelling a big component of the campaign? Think of creating a embeddable photo gallery or a place to add videos, all of which can be easily viewed and shared.
    • If your site has a blog or stories section, create at least one post relevant to the campaign.

    We encourage you to try one or all – but to tweak them for your specific purposes. What might work for one campaign may not work for another, and the same is true for one nonprofit versus another.

    Time to listen and to act

    Your nonprofit’s website is like a welcome mat. It’s usually someone’s first impression, and it should be an invitation to come in. Likewise, in the digital world, it invites the visitor to take a look around.

  • How mealtime looks around the world

    How mealtime looks around the world

    A child’s first bite of food is celebrated among families around the world. It marks a new phase of discovery – new tastes, textures and smells. A nutritious diet in early childhood has the power to shape a healthier future for a child, helping to build a strong immune system, fuel a growing body and nourish a developing brain.

    Families want to feed their children the nutritious food they need to grow up healthy. But there are big barriers to doing so.

    Jony Doe

    Recruiting charity trustees

    Sadly, millions of young children across the globe are missing out on the benefits of a nutritious diet due to a combination of factors, including a broken food system, the COVID-19 pandemic, families struggling to find and afford nutritious foods, increasing poverty, and mounting time pressures on mothers.

    Shreya turns “climate warrior”

    Yet change is possible. Even in the poorest contexts, families are finding ways to provide diverse meals that provide the energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed to fuel growing bodies and brains and keep children healthy, active and strong.

    Children like Shreya are all over the world and are demanding more from world leaders. And it’s time we listened. The world must recognize and stand with children, acknowledging their voices, activism and leadership in the climate movement. There is an urgent need. Their lives are at stake. 

    Time to listen and to act

    I have been actively involved in raising awareness, influencing policymakers, and taking climate action. In 2017, I participated in the National Youth Conference on Climate Change organized by the Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA). The conference motivated me to join the network and make a collective impact. Since then, I have been working with NYCA, a youth-led coalition of the Nepalese youth and youth groups tackling the climate crisis, which is the biggest challenge of our generation.

  • Supporting your child’s mental health during COVID-19

    Supporting your child’s mental health during COVID-19

    The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to daily life and children are feeling these changes deeply. While a return to school will be welcomed by many students, others will be feeling anxious or frightened. Here are tips to help your children navigate some of the complicated emotions they may be facing with going back to school.

    How parents can help their children navigate their feelings during school reopenings.

    Jeremy Lin

    My child is scared to go back to school. How can I help him feel at ease? 

    Starting school or starting a new school year can be stressful at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic. You can make him feel at ease by having an open conversation about what it is that’s worrying him and letting him know that it’s natural to feel anxious.

    • Be on guard for a surge of solicitations related to any highly publicized crisis.
    • Do not respond to, or click on any attachments, links or pictures.
    • Beware of individuals or others claiming to be third-party intermediaries for charities or those in need.
    • Avoid name confusion by independently verifying that the charity is legitimate before you donate. 

    How can I encourage my child to follow precautions (such as frequent handwashing,  etc.) at school without alarming her?

    Children may feel nervous or reluctant to return to school, especially if they have been learning at home for months. Be honest – for example, you could go through some of the changes they may expect at school, such as needing to wear forms of protective clothing like masks.

    Children may also find it difficult being physically distanced from friends and teachers while at school – you could encourage them to think about other ways to bond and stay connected.

  • Delivering for Afghanistan’s children

    Delivering for Afghanistan’s children

    Increased conflict and insecurity in Afghanistan have left children paying a heavy price. Afghanistan was already one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a child. Now, with a security crisis, skyrocketing food prices, a severe drought, the spread of COVID-19, and another harsh winter just around the corner, children are at greater risk than ever.

    Children should not pay for conflict with their childhoods. Afghanistan’s children need peace.

    Jony Doe

    UNICEF has been on the ground in Afghanistan for 65 years with offices nationwide and a range of partners that support us in delivering life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable, especially children.

    What’s happening in Afghanistan? 

    • Think about data in everything you do
    • Network with other data “non-geeks”
    • Get comfortable with a new way of working

    UNICEF is supporting mobile health and nutrition teams in camps for internally displaced persons, setting up nutrition hubs and vaccination sites, pre-positioning additional life-saving supplies, and supporting students in community-based education classes.

    Against a backdrop of conflict and insecurity, children are living in communities that are running out of water because of drought. They’re missing out on life-saving vaccines. Many are so malnourished they lie in hospital beds, too weak to grasp an outstretched finger.

    How is UNICEF responding?

    UNICEF is continuing to work with partners to support children and their families across the country.

    UNICEF

    UNICEF is committed to continuing its work for children and families across Afghanistan. To reach the hardest-to-reach children, UNICEF is advocating with all parties to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access, in line with the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action.

    UNICEF is supporting emergency water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) services, including the provision of safe water through water trucking, construction and repair of handpumps, along with the provision of supplies and hygiene promotion.

  • Ratings of Small and Local Charities

    Ratings of Small and Local Charities

    While it is sometimes possible to obtain the data we need in order to subject these smaller organizations to the rigorous analysis necessary to be able to provide meaningful information to donors, often it is not.

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