Help Without Hurting Your Pocket: Creative Ways to Support Comics Youth
Listen, we’re gonna be real with you here: We live in difficult times, and all of us are feeling the pinch of this dry, dusty cracker era of austerity that we’re all hustling and struggling through. And as a youth service who provides a number of programmes to marginalised young people across the Liverpool City Region we understand this just as heavily as anyone else.
We’re lucky enough to have the support of various funders, but in order to truly thrive and grow and to deliver the programmes and opportunities that we know our young people deserve, we always need more money - not to mention, more fun (nobody likes dusty, dry crackers).
You obviously love Comics Youth and want to support us as much as possible. But we’re also aware that not everyone has the disposable income with which to buy our merch or to make a full donation towards us. But, never fear: There’s a multitude of creative ways that you can still support Comics Youth without making your bank account cry.
So here are a few of our favourite, fun ideas with which you can still support our organisation without skinting yourself! If anything takes your particular fancy or you want to talk more about ways that you can help raise money for Comics Youth then feel free to get in touch with our supreme marketing department to discuss your ideas in more detail: hi@comicsyouth.co.uk.
Put on a charity show or event
Whether you’re a musician, promoter, venue owner, or simply someone who can pack out a party with only a weeks notice (think Parker Posey in Party Girl, people!), putting on a fundraising event is a terrific way to help funnel some much-needed funds our way while also raising awareness in the noisiest, funnest way possible. Plus, raising money for an organisation like Comics Youth is a really solid way of making yourself (or your band or club night) look really cute and switched on and caring - even if your entire on-stage schtick revolves around little more than hailing Satan or smashing drink cans into your head.
Release a charity EP
Releasing a charity EP is the more low-key sibling of setting up a charity show or event, and it’s surprisingly easy to set up. Whether you simply want to create a charity compiliation featuring a cover song from all of your mate’s bands or you’re happy to put together a collection of exclusive tracks to be sold for funds that can go directly (or even partially) back to us, a charity EP is a darling way to show us you care while also making your fans very happy. Pop it up on Bandcamp for a set price or donation and we all W I N!
Make and sell a zine or comic book
DIY or die, baby! There’s truly nothing more Comics Youth than getting your pens out and creating a masterpiece of a zine or comic on the fly with which to share with the world. Maybe you’re an artist, poet, writer, or punk collage enthusiast who already has a following or online store of tasty work that you can sell an exclusive zine or comic from for Comics Youth? Not only would we love you forever for doing such a thing, but we’d also add your little marvellous book to our burgeoning comic and zine library here at our HQ.
Got a business? Donate a select amount from the sale of a specific item
Our fabulous friends over at Bundobust have had some terrific success with their phenomenally tasty Bhaji Butty: A delicious plant-based burger which sees £1 of each sale be donated directly to Comics Youth. Not only has it made us very happy, but it’s also been a huge hit with customers who recognise Comics Youth as an organisation they connect with and want to support (while also enjoying a decadent scran). We know that the majority of independent businesses don’t have a budget with which to support charities, but this is a really easy and wholesome way to still support Comics Youth - and in a manner that your target market will appreciate.
Do a fun work thing
Look, we’re an office full of goths, so we know how awful “organised fun” in a corporate environment can be. But all we’re saying is: Maybe there are ways to do other sponsored days in your office which are a little less awful (possibly even enjoyable?!) and that still help to raise funds for us? Aside from the classic own-clothes-day (where everyone in the office pays a couple of quid to wear their fave threads), you could always do an impromptu cinema-lunch-hour (where everyone pays a couple of quid to watch a classic film in the office during an extended lunch hour), or you could organise an office bake-off competition?! CAKES FOR ALL!
Do a classic sponsored run
Get your gams going and have all your mates and co-workers sponsor you to do it! It’s a classic.
Bake sales & lemonade stands!
Finally, you can always just use your immense entrepreneurial talents - however they may shine - to set up a specific stall or booth with which to sell your wares and donate some or all of those delicious profits to us!
The result…?
To conclude: Make fun things, hustle your faves, and raise money! Even the smallest amount goes a long way to helping Comics Youth and the incredible young people that we serve. And in return, you get to feel like a total boss. Why wouldn’t you want that for yourself?