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ANSWERS FOR TEENS & PARENTS

Your questions, answered.

Everything you need to know before you begin the EdVenturist journey together.

Ways2Raise is built around a simple belief: the EdVenturist journey can be every bit as valuable as the adventure at the end of it. It gives a young person a chance to build confidence, learn to plan, promote an idea, manage money and discover what they can achieve—with a parent or guardian beside them.

The first questions every family asks.

You do not have to know how to fundraise before you begin. That is what the plan, tools and parent support are for.

The big picture

Who is Ways2Raise for?

It is for UK teenagers and their families who are working towards an expedition, Scout or Guide trip, DofE adventure, school journey or another life-changing goal. If there is a big target and a young person ready to work for it, you are in the right place.

Start here

Where do we begin?

Begin with the The Set Up. It explains the few foundations that make a real difference: a shared project inbox, a clear parent-managed money route, Easyfundraising and a first-name-only webpage. Then open a free account together and we will help build the plan around your own target.

No experience needed

What if my teenager has no idea what to do?

That is completely normal. The EdVenture Library, How-To Guides and My 10 EdVentures plan are designed to turn “where on earth do we start?” into a manageable next step. The aim is never to copy somebody else’s fundraiser; it is to find businesses and activities that suit your teenager.

Already underway

We have already started. Is it too late?

Not at all. Bring what you have already raised, what is in the diary and what has felt difficult so far. You can use Ways2Raise to organise the next stage, record the income and costs, and give the rest of the journey a clearer shape.

A proper home for an EdVenturist journey.

The account is where a big target becomes a workable plan—not just a list of fundraising ideas.

Free for every account

Is Ways2Raise really free?

Yes. There is no account fee, payment card, subscription or upgrade decision. Every signed-in account has access to the complete Ways2Raise toolkit, including Member Resources.

Your page

What is the shared webpage?

It is a free, shareable home that we help your teenager create as part of The Set Up. It brings their goal, story, EdVentures and progress together in one place. Your family decides when it is shared, and a parent or guardian approves it before it goes live.

Your plan

What are My 10 EdVentures?

They are your first EdVentures into making money: the ideas you choose, adapt or create as part of a practical route towards your trip goal. Ten is the aim, not a pass-or-fail test. Trying, learning and changing direction all count.

Your plan

Does an EdVenture mean my teenager has to set up a real company?

No. An EdVenture is an adventure into making money: a safe, practical idea a young person can try, learn from and improve with parent support. There is no need to register a company or become a sole trader simply to create a Ways2Raise webpage. If a particular activity grows into an ongoing commercial business, a parent or guardian should check what additional tax or legal responsibilities may apply.

Real-life skills

What will my teenager learn beyond the trip goal?

They can practise the skills behind any small business: planning, communicating, marketing, serving customers, tracking income, understanding costs and seeing the difference between money taken and true profit.

Progress

Can we track money and activity?

Yes. My Business Hub, Business Progress and the calendar help your family record activity, see progress against the target and keep the next event or EdVenture visible. It makes the journey feel real and keeps the little wins from disappearing.

The tools

What is included?

Every account includes the EdVenture Library, How-To Guides, Grant Finder, Business Tools, Skills Lab, My Business Hub and planning tools. The tools are there when you need them throughout the whole journey.

Your teenager has their own space. So do you.

Parents do not have to carry the whole target. Your time, encouragement and practical support are what help their EdVenturist journey grow.

A shared journey

Do I need to be involved?

Yes—parent or guardian involvement is part of the journey. You will set things up together, use a shared project inbox that you can both access and be there for the practical bits. The goal is to invest time and belief, not simply to pay the bill for them.

Parent Lounge

What is the Parent Lounge?

It is your PIN-protected parent space within Ways2Raise. It gives you calm, practical guidance while your teenager is getting on with their plan—so you have somewhere to turn when an event, an idea or a new question feels unfamiliar.

Practical support

Can Ways2Raise help with the grown-up bits?

Yes. The parent resources help you navigate practical topics around activities and events, including where to look for guidance on areas such as raffles and public liability. You are not expected to guess your way through it alone.

Community

Is there support from other parents?

Yes. The parent Facebook community gives families a place to share encouragement, ideas and useful tips with others who understand the same mixture of excitement, questions and “how are we going to do this?”

Safe communication

Why use a shared project inbox and no teen surname?

We recommend a generic email address that a teenager and parent or guardian can both access, rather than a teenager’s personal email. It gives young people room to communicate while an adult can oversee every message. Ways2Raise does not ask for a teenager’s surname during onboarding, and the family decides what is safe to share.

Online safety

How does Ways2Raise approach safeguarding and online safety?

Ways2Raise is designed around parent involvement, limited collection of young people’s personal information and age-appropriate online behaviour. We also encourage responsible use of AI and careful sharing of information online. You can read more about our approach on our Safeguarding & Online Safety page.

Money route

Do we have to use a fundraising platform that takes a cut?

No. Ways2Raise does not take or hold supporter payments. The Set Up guide explains a parent-managed option for eligible 6–15-year-olds that can provide a payment link for family and friends, alongside the free Ways2Raise page where a parent-approved link can sit.

A few practical answers before you begin.

The aim is a simple, supported system that your family can actually use—not another thing to manage.

How long does setting up take?

Allow around 15 minutes to get the free account set up together. That early time is well spent: it is when we begin to shape the target, The Set Up foundations and first-name-only webpage that make the rest of the work easier.

How often should we use Ways2Raise?

Use it whenever there is something to plan, make, promote, run or record. A short weekly check-in works brilliantly: look at what came in, what was spent, what has moved forward and what the next small action will be.

Can a Ways2Raise webpage show a supporter-payment link?

Yes, when a parent has chosen and set up a suitable route. Ways2Raise provides the shareable fundraising home; the parent remains responsible for the provider account and decides whether to add their approved supporter link.

Will we see affiliate links?

From time to time, Ways2Raise may recommend genuinely useful third-party services. If a link is an affiliate link, it will be clearly labelled. We do not sell your personal data, and you never need to use a partner to have a free Ways2Raise account.

What if we have a question that is not here?

Use the contact page to get in touch. If it is a parent-support question, the Parent Lounge and parent community are there to make sure you do not feel like you are figuring out the whole journey alone.

What is the most important thing to remember?

The goal may be big, but nobody has to solve it all today. Set up the foundations, choose one useful first EdVenture, keep the family informed and let the small, consistent steps do the work.

Start their first EdVenturist journey together.

You bring the reason, the encouragement and the time. We will help you build the foundations, the plan and the tools around it.