Most teenagers hate asking for money. Here are the exact scripts and strategies that make it feel natural — and get people saying yes.
Asking for money is the part of fundraising that most teenagers dread. It feels awkward, presumptuous, or like begging. But here is the truth: most people who know you want to support you. They just need to be asked in the right way, at the right moment, with the right words.
This lesson gives you ready-to-use scripts for every situation — face-to-face, WhatsApp, and social media — so you never have to figure out what to say on the spot.
The awkwardness usually comes from one of three things:
The best face-to-face ask is short, specific, and gives the person an easy way to say yes. Here are scripts for different situations:
"I'm raising money for my expedition to [destination] — I need to raise £[amount] by [date]. I've set up a JustGiving page and I was wondering if you'd be willing to donate? Even £5 or £10 would make a real difference. Here's the link — [show them your phone]."
"Hi [name], I'm not sure if you knew but I'm going on an expedition to [destination] with my school in [month]. I'm fundraising to cover the costs — I've got a JustGiving page if you'd ever like to donate. No pressure at all, but I wanted to let you know it's there."
"Thank you so much for coming! All the money raised today goes towards my expedition to [destination]. If you'd like to donate directly, I've got a QR code here — it takes 30 seconds and goes straight to my JustGiving page."
The single biggest barrier to a donation is friction. If someone has to go home and find your link themselves, most of them will not. Always have your JustGiving page open on your phone so you can hand it to someone immediately.
WhatsApp is your most powerful fundraising tool — but only if you send personal messages, not group broadcasts. A message that feels personal gets a response. A broadcast that goes to 50 people gets ignored.
"Hi [name]! Hope you're well. I wanted to let you know I'm going on an expedition to [destination] in [month] — I'm so excited but I need to raise £[amount] to make it happen. I've set up a JustGiving page and I was wondering if you'd be willing to donate? Even a small amount makes a real difference. Here's the link: [link]. Thank you so much — it means a lot! 😊"
Send this to every family member and close friend individually. Change the name at the start of each message. It takes longer but the response rate is dramatically higher.
Social media posts are less personal than WhatsApp messages, but they reach people you might not think to contact directly. Here is a template that works:
"Big news! 🌍 In [month] I'll be travelling to [destination] with [organisation] to [brief description]. I'm raising £[amount] to make it happen and I've just set up my fundraising page. If you'd like to support me — even £5 makes a real difference — the link is in my bio. Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated — you're amazing! 🙏 #expedition #fundraising #[destination]"
Not everyone will donate, and that is completely fine. If someone says no or does not respond, the right response is always the same: "No worries at all — I really appreciate you taking the time." Then move on. Never make someone feel guilty for not donating — it damages the relationship and makes future asks harder.
The numbers game is in your favour. If you ask 20 people and 10 say yes, that is 10 donations you would not have had if you had not asked. Every no is just one step closer to the next yes.