Education

Education is a fundamental human right and an essential public service. The IFRC and our National Societies worldwide work to ensure that all people have safe and equitable access to quality, inclusive education.

Our work in education is diverse and wide-ranging. The IFRC and our National Societies deliver education opportunities for all ages and of all kinds—from early childhood development right through to vocational and adult learning.

Education enables people to develop the knowledge, skills and values they need to achieve their full potential and live in dignity, solidarity and peace. It helps them strive for a better future.

When people lack access to quality education, or when their learning is disrupted by disasters and crises, it can have a dramatic impact on their physical and mental well-being—affecting the life prospects of entire generations.

That’s why we work to support education before, during and after crises and as part of our long-term development work. We help ensure access to education for all and continuity of education for people affected by crises. And we help strengthen capacity within education systems.

Promoting our principles and values

A Tuvalu Red Cross instructor delivers introductory training to new volunteers on the fundamental principles

Photo: IFRC/Rob Few

Promoting our humanitarian principles and values is central to all we do—especially when it comes to our work in education.

Most of our education programmes help people to improve their understanding of these principles and values and, more importantly, put them into action.

To learn more about our principles and values, take our interactive World of Red Cross and Red Crescent eLearning course on the IFRC Learning Platform.

Our flagship education projects

Youth as Agents of Behavioural Change (YABC)

Youth as Agents of Behavioural Change (YABC) is the IFRC’s long standing project that helps young people around the world promote a culture of non-violence and peace within their communities.

Uniting through the power of football

Our innovative and unique project with Generation Amazing that combines our YABC approach and uses sport to address youth isolation and exclusion.

Public Awareness and Public Education

In partnership with Save the Children, we’ve developed key messages on a range of different disaster scenarios to support communities to stay safe.

Y-Adapt

Y-Adapt is a curriculum for young people consisting of games and playful activities to help them understand climate change and take practical action to adapt to the changing climate in their communities.

Project Humanity

Project Humanity helps students discover the importance and function of the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.

PASSA Youth

PASSA Youth helps youth groups, mainly in urban areas, raise awareness of habitat-related risks with their peers and families and prepare for them proactively together.

Key education resources by theme

Climate and environmental crisis

- Y-Adapt curriculum of climate change games and activities for young people produced by the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre
- Australian Red Cross Climate Crab toolkit
- Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre resource library
- Learning resources from the German Red Cross that include their 'Climate Helpers' campaign materials
- Irish Red Cross youth programmes, which include a programme on environmental awareness
- Netherlands Red Cross teaching materials, guest lessons, films and activities
- The Portuguese Red Cross youth programmes, which includes environmental education and sustainable development
- The Spanish Red Cross "Bindu's notebooks" content which introduces children aged between 6 and 12 to environmental problems in Spain and around the world

Evolving crisis and disasters

- Extensive resources from the IFRC Global Disaster Preparedness Center
- Public Awareness and Public Education for Disaster Risk Reduction: key messages from the IFRC and Save the Children
- Participatory Approach to Safe Shelter and Settlements Awareness of Youth project from the IFRC and Habitat for Humanity International
- Educational resources from the American Red Cross on emergency preparedness
- Teaching materials from the Australian Red Cross to introduce students to emergency preparedness and recovery
- Teaching materials from the Belgian Red Cross about household risk prevention and first aid in French and Dutch
- Disasters and emergencies teaching curriculum from the British Red Cross
- Expect the Unexpected and Facing Fear programmes and resources from the Canadian Red Cross
- Teaching materials from the German Red Cross and German Red Cross Youth
- Kia Pakari: Schools' Resilience Programme materials from the New Zealand Red Cross
- Youth Road Safety Programme by the Serbian Red Cross
- Stories from the Spanish Red Cross to teach children about different types of emergencies
- Water safety materials from the Swiss Red Cross
- Teaching materials from the Netherlands Red Cross

Growing gaps in health and well-being

- Healthy Lifestyles eLearning on the IFRC Learning Platform
- IFRC Community-Based Health and First Aid website
- IFRC Global First Aid Reference Centre website
- IFRC Psychosocial Centre website for resources on mental health and psychosocial support
- Teaching materials on blood donation and sexual and reproductive health from the American Red Cross
- First aid teaching courses from the British Red Cross
- Bug out! Preventing the spread of germs teaching materials from the Canadian Red Cross
- Teaching materials from the French Red Cross on first aid, healthy eating and prevention of risks and addictions. Aimed at students aged 6-15
- Teaching materials from the German Red Cross and German Red Cross Youth
- Teaching materials from the Netherlands Red Cross
- Programmes and teaching materials from the Norwegian Red Cross
- Oral hygiene materials from the Romanian Red Cross
- Teaching materials on healthy lifestyles from the Spanish Red Cross
- Mental health and psychosocial support materials from the Ukrainian Red Cross

Migration and identity

- IFRC Smart Practices that enhance the resilience of migrants website
- Positive Images toolkit from the British Red Cross for teachers, youth workers and other educators to teach young people about migration and development
- In Search of Safety programme and lessons from the Australian Red Cross
- Teaching materials from the Belgian Red Cross in French and Dutch
- Refugees and migration teaching curriculum from the British Red Cross
- Teaching materials from the German Red Cross
- Teaching materials from the Norwegian Red Cross and their online interactive learning course Salaby
- Teaching materials from the Swiss Red Cross

Values, power and inclusion

- Project Humanity: discover the humanitarian principles
- Exploring Humanitarian Law resource pack for teachers by the International Committee of the Red Cross
- Belgian Red Cross teaching materials on humanitarian law, humanitarian values and action in French and Dutch
- Teaching materials on humanitarianism, kindness and conflict from the British Red Cross
- Teaching materials on violence, bullying and abuse prevention from the Canadian Red Cross
- Youth Life Skills Manual by the Danish Red Cross
- Teaching materials on international humanitarian law and humanitarian values from the French Red Cross
- Teaching materials from the German Red Cross and German Red Cross Youth
- Abriendo Espacios Humanitarios programme and teaching resources from the ICRC, Honduran Red Cross and Mexican Red Cross
- Teaching materials from the Netherlands Red Cross
- Street mediation programme and other teaching materials from the Norwegian Red Cross
- Teaching materials on domestic violence from the Romanian Red Cross
- Teaching materials on human trafficking and the promotion of humanitarian values from the Serbian Red Cross
- Teaching materials on gender, social inclusion, interculturalism and non-violence from the Spanish Red Cross
- Teaching materials from the Swiss Red Cross on conflict transformation, transcultural competencies and international humanitarian law
- Together for Humanity: Youth in Action programme materials from the Korean Red Cross

IFRC Learning Platform

Sign up to the IFRC Learning Platform to join our humanitarian education community of practice and access our wide range of free online learning courses open to National Society staff and volunteers, partners and the public.