20 November is celebrated as World Children’s Day.
World Children’s Day was established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is celebrated on this day each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare. Children are the next generation and our future, thus projects that work for children is particularly important. Children also need special protection as they cannot always stand up for themselves.
The theme of International children’s day 2021 is, “Investing in our future means investing in our children”.
As we look back on 31 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, today we want to give tips for all the great NGOs that work for the benefit of children all around the world.
Look at the bigger scheme of things
When applying for projects for children, always keep the bigger scheme of things in mind. While singular projects already might help, it is always better to take a step back and look at the situation holistically. If you are helping children through school, try to make sure that there is something waiting for them after graduation. If you want to help them do their homework, first find out why they don’t – there might be more systemic problems that are the root cause of the problems. Many times, projects for children need to focus on the entire family to have a lasting impact.
Keep the security of the children in mind
Children are vulnerable. If you want to work with children on a project, you need to make sure that they are adequately protected and safe. Many donors are also very aware of this issue. You should have a child protection policy in place and also submit this with your proposal to show that you are thinking of these issues.
Do not fall back on pity plea
It might be tempting to use pity pleas when you try to raise money to work with children. But do not fall for this trap. Only because children are not always in a position to talk for themselves does not give you the right to use them for a cause. If you use pictures or case studies that only depict children as victims, the donor might also think that you do not really respect your beneficiaries. It might even put them in danger. Make sure that you always keep the security and the best interest of the children in mind and that you do not use them – even if you think it is for their good somehow.
Make sure your project is sustainable
When you work for children, it is particularly important that you think about project sustainability before you apply. You do not want to engage with children and then run out of funding and leave them in the situation they started in. Before you even start to plan your project, you should develop a plan on how it could be sustained once the one-time funding runs out. If you have a good sustainability plan in place, this also shows the donor that you are really committed and serious about the issue you want to address.
Make sure your project is inclusive
When you are working with children, make sure your project is inclusive of all children in your area. You should eliminate any form of gender discrimination from your project and make sure that boys and girls can equally benefit from the project. Also, keep in mind if there are any marginalized groups that might be excluded. If you do not set up your projects with children in an inclusive manner, you just create the precondition for an unjust future. Every child should have the same starting chances, and your project should make sure this is the case.
Do not miss this article:
5 Tips for Proposals for Youth Projects
10 Top Tips to Write Great Project Proposals
If you are looking for a grant for children’s projects, check out The Build A World Of Play Challenge.