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Fall 2006
Teaching Philanthropy to Children
by Bill King
Giving back is a learned practice. And it often starts at a very young age when we teach children the simple value of sharing.
Children — and many adults — find it hard to relate to the word philanthropy. The word is long, and the idea is even bigger. Instead, children
— like adults — connect with what they encounter in life. If a fellow classmate is dealing with cancer, children often develop a deep interest in showing support for that friend. They might collect pennies or food for their classmate's family. Some kids may even volunteer to shave their heads so their friend undergoing chemotherapy doesn't feel self-conscious about hair loss.
What we all need to understand about youth and giving, however, is that philanthropy assumes different forms when younger generations get involved. Youth infuse energy into their giving. This engagement might mean they give something other than money
— giving, for instance, more of their time and talents.
For more information about children and philanthropy, look at the following valuable resources:
learningtogive.org offers lesson plans, activities and resources to educate youth about the power of philanthropy (sharing time, talent and treasure) to empower young people to make a difference in their school, their community and their world. The resource underscores the importance of voluntary action for the common good in a democratic society.
youthgrantmakers.org provides a source for getting started in organized giving, best practices, lessons learned, resources, sample documents, advisors and a link to a Youth Grantmakers National Database. The website is a communication of the Michigan Community Foundation Youth Project (MCFYP) of the Council of Michigan Foundations, with funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
greatgivers.org provides resources for parents, teachers and youth as part of its Smart Givers Network. "Growing the Next Generation of Great Givers" is a service of the Minnesota Charities Review Council.
sharesavespend.com brings a balanced and values-center approach to financial matters. Author Nathan Dungan created this site to help people of all ages develop and maintain healthy financial habits, and to offer advice on creating financial values based on the Share-Save-Spend approach to money and teaching children.
In 2000, the Northland Foundation, in collaboration with its longtime partner Minnesota Power, developed the KIDS PLUS Youth In Philanthropy Board as a way of teaching young people about the art of giving and the importance of civic involvement. As part of the
foundation's KIDS PLUS Program, Youth in Philanthropy is designed to infuse youth into leadership and decision-making roles. This grantmaking board is made up of young people in grades 8-12 and adults from around the region. For more information, visit northlandfdn.org/YouthInPhilanthropy.shtml.
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Bill King is president of the Minnesota Council on Foundations.
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More
Information from the
Fall 2006 Edition of Giving Forum
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Thank you to the sponsors of this issue of Giving Forum:
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| $5,000 Sponsor |
Anonymous Sponsor
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| $3,000 Partner |
Minnesota Initiative Foundations |
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© Copyright 2006 Minnesota Council on
Foundations
Reproduction in any form without the written permission of the publisher
is prohibited.
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