Act at school

We’re calling on your school to act for humanity.

Pop-up clothing sale

Running a clothing sale or a swap at your school or youth group is fun and easy. Students can bring their pre-loved clothes and set up stalls to sell them for a donation, or pay an entry fee to take part in a clothes swap. Or get creative and throw a thrift clothes disco party!

Learning notes for teachers and youth group leaders

A pop-up clothing sale or swap provides opportunity to engage students in the following curriculum areas:

• Work studies (customer service, retail)
• Sustainability, waste management and environment
• Climate change
• Critical and creative thinking
• Numeracy (for kids running their own clothes stalls and budgets)

As second-hand clothing is closely related to retail as well as environmental issues, you could use the following materials related to the work of Red Cross:

• Learn about donating clothes and other goods to Red Cross’ retail stores
• Learn more about clothes waste on the Moving the Needle website
• Learn about the Climate Changed Me campaign and add your voice
• Read our position on climate change
• Learn more about climate change impacts on communities and how to get climate-ready

Here are some activity fundraising resources to help you plan your event

Get crafty

Tap into the creativity of young ones and raise funds for Red Cross. Use our guide on how to make origami peace cranes and sell them, or get students to make a gold coin donation to make them. Get kids to run an art auction or an art show – anything goes!

Learning notes for teachers and community group leaders

Arts and crafts are a great way to engage young people in the following curriculum areas:

• Arts
• Critical and creative thinking
• Mindfulness and psychosocial wellbeing

Teach kids about the Nuclear-Weapons-Free campaign and the history of nuclear weapons in relation to World War II and its aftermath.

• Learn about the story behind Hiroshima peace cranes
• Watch the video with instructions for making a paper crane
• Read about the United Nations’ Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
• Find out about how to organise a micro-campaign in support of abolishing nuclear weapons
• Have a look at the discussion cards to start a conversation around the importance of eliminating nuclear weapons

Here are some activity fundraising resources to help you plan your event

Lap-a-thon

The school oval, the pool, the block. Whatever your location, clock up those kilometres and get the school community to sponsor students.

Learning notes for teachers and youth group leaders

Lap-a-thons provide an opportunity to engage students in the following curriculum areas:

• Health and physical education (HPE)
• Mindfulness and psychosocial wellbeing
• Personal and social capability
• Intercultural understanding

As lap-a-thons are related to movement of people, consider the following educational materials related to the work of Red Cross.

• Run a class about refugee crises
• Watch a movie or documentary about journeys of people who are searching for safety
• Take the Young Humanitarian Challenge and test your knowledge about migration
• Learn about tracing missing persons

Here are some activity fundraising resources to help you plan your event

Wear red for Red Cross

Wearing red for Red Cross is one of the easiest ways to raise funds for and awareness of our work in your community. All you need to do is get a permission to run a day at your school or club, set a date, advertise, and then ask for donations.

Learning notes for teachers and youth group leaders

Wearing red for Red Cross is a great opportunity to engage students on the history of the Red Cross Movement and the following curriculum areas:

• History, the Geneva Conventions and red cross emblem
• Humanities and social sciences
• Critical and creative thinking
• Ethical understanding
• Intercultural understanding

Wearing red goes back to the beginnings of the Red Cross Movement. Use the following materials related to the work of Red Cross:

• Learn about the importance and history of the red cross emblem
• Read interviews with international humanitarian frontline workers and learn about the history of the Geneva Convention

Here are some activity fundraising resources to help you plan your event

Video game competition

Gamers will unite to play their hardest and raise money to help others.

Learning notes for teachers and youth group leaders

Videogaming competitions provide an opportunity to engage students in the following curriculum areas:

• Digital technologies
• Information and communication technology (ICT) capability
• Legal studies
• Personal and social capability
• Mindfulness and psychosocial wellbeing 

Engaging with digital technology and connecting with other people lends itself to learning about the importance of social connectedness. If students are playing war-based games, teach them about International Humanitarian Law. Use the following resources.

• Learn about international humanitarian law in the context of Game of Thrones’ war criminals
• Learn about the importance and history of the red cross emblem

Here are some activity fundraising resources to help you plan your event

Food feast

A BBQ, bake sale or morning tea? Get students to display their cooking skills and put on a feast for the school.

Learning notes for teachers and youth group leaders

Food events are a great way to engage students in the following curriculum areas:

• Health and physical education (HPE)
• Mindfulness and psychosocial wellbeing
• Personal and social capability
• Intercultural understanding
• Work studies (customer service, retail)
• Maths (adding money, giving change)

You can connect your kids with the concepts of how food can help connect people and is an important basic necessity for everyone. You can also use this activity as an opportunity to refresh students’ knowledge of First Aid.

• Watch a video about the Night Café in Brisbane and homelessness affecting young people
• Go through the online First Aid Basics training
• Download the free Red Cross First Aid app

Here are some activity fundraising resources to help you plan your event

Do It Yourself

Let students come up with their own activity, or choose something that you know will inspire or challenge them, or that supports what they are currently learning about.

• Do you have budding performers? Put on a show and raise funds through tickets sales.
• Want to encourage reading? Host a read-a-thon.
• Have a school fete or market coming up? Get students to run a stall.
• Run a car wash, host a movie night or have a disco. Choose an act and raise funds to help others.

Learning notes for teachers and youth group leaders

All fundraising activities are a fantastic way to engage students in the following curriculum areas:

• Critical and creative thinking
• Personal and social capability
• Ethical understanding
• Work studies

Any fundraising activity is an opportunity to instil humanitarian values in the next generation. Use this as an opportunity to teach kids about the following areas of Red Cross work and how they can continue taking action beyond raising funds.

• Learn about the iconic and globally recognised red cross emblem
• Educate kids of all ages on emergency preparedness and recovery
• Find more ways to do good in our community action catalogue

Here are some activity fundraising resources to help you plan your event