Introduction
The
Red Cross and Red Crescent humanitarian commitment, to prevent and
alleviate human suffering, is a task with which young people easily
identify themselves. In their actions, young people can make a significant
contribution to meeting the needs of the most vulnerable people
within their local communities and globally.
Red Cross and Red Crescent Youth make up
a substantial part of the Movement's membership worldwide. The International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has regularly
recognised the importance of this group.
This policy will help both National Societies
and the Federation to plan for the development of Red Cross and
Red Crescent youth, to use the motivation and idealism, experience
and skill of the young people for the benefit of the Movement.
This policy describes the role of each of
the partners involved in the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
in ensuring that this important group of people is recognised and
supported. Everyone has a role to play in this:
- Young people themselves,
- Youth leaders and representatives,
- National Societies,
- International Federation,
- International Federation Youth Commission
- International Federation Youth Department.
The terms "youth" and "young
people" are taken to cover the broad age range of 5 to 25 years.
This includes children (5 to 10 years old approx.), adolescents
(11 to 15 years old approx.) and young adults (16 to 25 years old
approx.).
Traditionally, children and younger adolescents
have tended to be the "beneficiaries" of the Movement.
They should also have the opportunity to serve the Movement as volunteers.
Older adolescents and in particular young
adults, benefit from the programmes of the Movement, but in many
countries these young people have children of their own, have left
school, and are working or unemployed. Their main role within the
Movement is as partners in its management and as workers in each
of its programmes.
The
Red Cross and Red Crescent Youth Programme
The
Red Cross and Red Crescent youth programme aims to involve young
people in the Movement and its activities as partners in the management,
as workers and as beneficiaries.
This programme helps young people to implement
the Fundamental Principles of the Movement through:
- The protection of health and life,
- Service to the community,
- International friendship and understanding,
- Informing themselves and others of
the role of responsibilities of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
The work carried out in each of these areas
depends on the important issues for young people in their country,
and the work being carried out by the rest of the Society.
Policy
statement
Young people have a key role to
play in the provision of the Movement's services.
Young people have contributed over the
years as an exceptionally good volunteer force within the Movement.
Again and again, they have worked hard in relief operations,
emergency services and development programmes.
They are in an ideal position to identify
the needs of young people and others within the community. They
develop and carry out programmes, and see ways and means of
reaching other young people in need. They add credibility to
the Movement's work with many groups.
Young people are an important
target group, both in the membership and in the wider community.
To succeed in many of its programmes,
the Movement needs to work directly with young people. Many
health programmes have young people as their main "clients".
Young people are one group among others that are most threatened
by disaster, underdevelopment and war.
Young people have a role in the
leadership and management of the Movement of today.
When fully involved in decision-making
and in leadership, both in their own affairs and throughout
the Movement, young people bring not only their experiences
but also a special creativity and idealism which complements
the maturity of other members.
Young people of today will lead
the Movement of tomorrow
In many National Societies, the leaders
of today were the youth members of a generation ago.When young
people work side by side the older members of the Movement in
service programmes, emergency actions and the management of
the Movement, they rapidly acquire the skills which will enable
them to lead the Movement of the future.
Young people need support.
Young people can sometimes be marginalised
within society because of their social position. If we are to
realise their full potential within out Movement, special support
in the form of youth programmes and structures must be put in
place.
Strategy
In
accepting this policy, each of the partners in the Red Cross and
Red Crescent Youth programme have a number of tasks to perform:
Youth members should:
- Promote the message and provide the
services of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to their peers and
to the rest of the community;
- Recruit members of the Movement;
- Inform the Movement of their needs,
their interests and their abilities;
- Use their peer and family contacts,
to identify areas where Red Cross and Red Crescent services
are needed;
- Be prepared to take on responsibility
within the Movement.
Youth leaders should:
- Help young people to identify their
needs and those of their communities;
- Provide the necessary training and
resources and motivate young people to meet these needs;
- Encourage young people to take a leadership
role in the youth group;
- Act as a link enabling young people
to work with other members at different levels of the Movement;
- Create an atmosphere where young people
can be full partners in the Movement.
Youth representatives should:
- Take responsibility and initiative
with the Movement by developing or participating in the development
of policies and programmes for youth members;
- Be a partner in the management of the
National Society by taking part in policy and programme development.
National
Societies
To
enable young people and their leaders to achieve this, each National
Society needs to:
- Provide national support for youth
in a form appropriate for the structure and resources of the
Society, such as a well resourced Youth department, Youth service
or Youth officer based at the National Headquarters;
- Work with its young members to develop
a national youth policy which will provide the basis for all
of its work with young people;
- Together with its youth members analyse
the needs and potential of young people in its membership and
in the general community, and use this information to:
- Involve young people in each
of the Society's programmes, and
- Design educational, dissemination
and training programmes for young people, that promote
gradual integration into the National Society;
- Ensure that young people are involved
in decision-making at every level of the Society. This can be
done by involving them in structures such as: youth group executive
committees, branch youth committees, national youth committees,
or by having youth representation on existing branch and national
executive committees and working groups, etc.;
- Implement a leadership training programme
for both youth members and their adult leaders to ensure that
both have the skills to implement this Policy;
- Encourage other members at all levels
to involve young people in their work, to share their skills
and knowledge;
- Establish contact with sister Societies
to share resources, learn from one another, and to provide a
structure whereby young people can meet their counterparts from
other countries and experience true international friendship
in the spirit of the Movement;
- Make special efforts wherever possible,
to encourage female youth to take more active roles especially
in leadership positions.
 The
International Federation
The
Youth Commission in accordance with its mandate, shall:
- Promote and assess the progress of
the implement of the Youth policy worldwide;
- Report to each meeting of the General
Assembly on its progress;
- Seek youth opinions worldwide on the
implementation of the Federation's policies and programmes and
ensure that these opinions are considered in the Statutory Bodies
of the Movement;
- Propose priorities for work in the
Youth programme, e.g. young women's issues, young people with
disabilities, out-of-school youth, etc.;
- Identify National Societies where
help is needed in the development of their Youth services and
structures;
- Propose priority areas of work for
the Federation Secretariat, and in particular the Youth department
of the Federation, in line with the content of the Youth Policy,
and taking into account all other policies and priorities of
the Movement.
The International Federation Secretariat shall:
- Ensure that youth issues are considered
in relation to each of its operational areas and programmes;
- Encourage the development of the National
societies' Youth services in line with its overall organisational
development programmes;
- Ensure that its Youth department is
well resourced and prepared for its role.
The Youth department within the Secretariat shall:
- Provide support to National Societies
as required in the development of their Youth service and structures;
- Coordinate the exchange of programmes,
ideas and resources worldwide to avoid unnecessary duplication
of work between National Societies and to facilitate programme
development;
- Participate in the development of model
programmes and resources relating to key youth issues, which
can be adapted or used directly by National Societies;
- Organise international meetings and
events to encourage young people, and adults working with young
people, to meet and exchange ideas and experiences;
- Provide technical assistance to international
meetings and events which are organised on a National Society
or regional level;
- Advise and cooperate with other departments
of the Federation on youth issues relating to their work;
- Report to the Youth Commission on
the progress of the implementation of the Youth Policy.
Other
Youth organisations
Through
cooperation with other youth organisations and networks, we can
both gain knowledge and experiences, and we can disseminate the
Red Cross and Red Crescent message to other young people. The basis
of any cooperation should be a common aim and in conformity with
our Principles.
Evaluation
To
ensure the continued relevance and progress of the Youth Policy,
regular evaluation must be carried out at all levels of the Movement.
Young people in particular should be involved in this evaluation
process.
Evaluation is thus the responsibility of
the young people themselves, the National Societies and the Federation.
Reference: This policy was adopted by the General Assembly in 1991 and confirmed
by the the 12th Session of the General Assembly of the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in October 1999.
This policy should be considered in conjunction with all other International Federation policies with specific reference to:
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Youth
