June 2024
UK Youth is a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering young people across the United Kingdom. Our mission is to provide opportunities, support, and resources to help young people reach their full potential and become active, engaged members of society.
At UK Youth, we believe every young person deserves a chance to succeed, regardless of background, or circumstances. Our various programmes and initiatives aim to address the challenges young people face today and provide them with the tools and support they need to thrive.
Our Ethical Fundraising Policy holds us to exacting standards of ethics and social responsibility within our fundraising.
Our promise to supporters
UK Youth recognises fundraising should be a positive experience for existing or potential new supporters and is committed to ensuring its fundraising is carried out fairly and respectfully.
The Fundraising Regulator regulates UK Youth’s fundraising activity and is committed to adherence to the regulator’s Fundraising Codes of Practice and Fundraising Promise.
This policy applies to all staff working within the Engagement Division. This policy requires ‘staff’ to include permanent and temporary employees, agency staff, and contractors.
We define a supporter as donating to UK Youth, whether a one-off or regular donation.
Donations are not endorsements
Donations help us deliver impactful programs and services that empower young people, promote their wellbeing, and foster personal and professional development. Accepting a donation does not mean UK Youth endorses the donor or their business.
Your donation is your decision
We are committed to making a difference in the lives of young people. That is why we encourage people to donate to UK Youth. However, we also recognise you must make it in your own time.
We will always respect your privacy
Your donations are entirely personal to you. We adhere to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. Read our privacy policy here.
We will never sell or swap your details
Any information you give us will be kept confidential. We will never pass on your details to a third party for marketing or fundraising purposes.
We will keep you updated
We want you to feel connected to the work your support is making possible. We will regularly let you know how you are helping to change young people’s lives.
We will use your donation carefully
We ensure we are as cost-effective as possible so your donation can impact young people the most.
We will act quickly
If people acting on our behalf fail to meet our ambitious standards, we will always take appropriate action.
We will check with you first
Before we call you, we always ask you first to ensure that you are happy to speak to us.
We will respect your wishes
If you tell us you do not want to hear from us again or want to hear from us less, we will change the
details on your record.
How we raise funds
UK Youth uses a mixed approach to raising funds, including but not limited to:
- Approaching local and national funders, as well as trusts and foundations;
- Securing corporate investment;
- Crowdfunding and social investment; and
- Winning service delivery contracts.
Refusals and returned donations
Donations are assessed according to established criteria, which include the following questions:
- Do donor activities conflict with ours and our stated mission?
- Is there a reputational issue likely to impact future fundraising or the ability to partner?
We do not solicit or accept donations from companies or individuals who participate in activities that directly conflict with our beneficiaries’ best interests.
We do not accept donations that could damage the charity’s reputation or impact our future fundraising ability and licence to operate.
We abide by the law (Charities Act 1992), which requires us to consider which action is in the charity’s overall best interest when deciding whether to accept or refuse a donation. The law states trustees can refuse donations if they are not in the charity’s best interests to accept.
In deciding whether to accept or refuse a particular donation, the law requires us to carefully consider, based on relevant law – including anti-money laundering legislation – and the evidence available, which course of action will be in UK Youth’s best interests.
A record of all refused or returned donations will be kept with the date of refusal/return and an explanation.