The Case for Youth Involvement

1. The Case for Youth Involvement

2. Youth involvement Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story Everyone should have a voice in the Red Cross

3. Youth Involvement: History Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story In 1884, six children put on a play that raised over 50 dollars that they donated to the American Red Cross. Red Cross. The money was used to aid a family victimized by the severe Midwestern flood. The young volunteers were dubbed the “Little Six.”

4. What is youth involvement? Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story • Involving youth and young adults in all aspects of the Red Cross (service delivery, leadership, governance) • Youth and young adults = age 24 and younger • Youth: 18 and under • Young Adult: 19-24 • Young people under age 25 make up 29% of all Red Cross volunteers!

5. What is youth involvement? Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story Youth involvement does not mean an expensive, separate youth program Youth involvement is not just for chapters who already do everything very well We can build our chapter through youth involvement!

6. Diversity Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story • People choosing the “some other race” category to describe themselves have the youngest median age (24.6). Approximately 97 percent of people choosing “some other race” were Hispanic. • Other groups • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (27.5) • American Indian and Alaska Native alone (28.0) • Black or African American alone (30.2) • Asian alone (32.7) • White alone (37.7)

7. Facts: Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story • Young people require some degree of special recruitment and treatment as volunteers • Liability • Opportunities to socialize • Accommodations for school schedules

8. What can young people do in the Red Cross? Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story • Disaster Services • Participate in disaster drills. • Health & Safety Services • Teach first aid and CPR. • International Services • Raise money for the Measles Initiative. • Blood Services • Make reminder calls. • AFES • Write to troops.

9. Business case Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story Two-thirds of adult volunteers began volunteering when they were young. Adults who began volunteering as youth are twice as likely to volunteer as those who did not volunteer when they were younger. In every income and age group, those who volunteered as youth gave and volunteered more than those who did not.

10. Business case Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story About 55% of young people volunteer, almost twice the rate of adults.

11. My American Red Cross Story My American Red Cross Story Identify Your Audience Research The Case Find Documentation Identify The Issues And Facts Input Red Cross Story