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National Youth Council at Volunteer Administration Institute 2007
"...led by Youth...", "...I was truly inspired by these young people..."; "...very impressive"; "...energetic..."; "...infectious passion..."; "...can't wait to get started..."; "...wonderful job..."
This is some of the feedback shared by the participants at the youth sessions during the 2007 Volunteer Administration Institute (VAI), held this year in San Antonio, Texas.
With almost 600 participants, VAI 2007 was the place to receive hands-on volunteer resource management training and it provided access to a huge talent and expertise pool in volunteer-related issues. The theme Viva VAI! A Celebration of Successful Volunteer Management provided plenty of reasons for merriment. The National Youth Council was a part of this celebration, organizing an exhibit booth to showcase their programs, fundraising for the Navin Narayan College Scholarship and delivering a Grande session and two workshops on youth involvement in Red Cross core areas of interest.
Passionate about their work, the National Youth Council members triggered the interest and attention of VAI participants. Here is a glimpse of what the sessions were focused on.
Building Service Delivery and Leadership through Youth Involvement
Developed in collaboration with Youth and Young Adult Programs and Services and presented by the members of the National Youth Council, the Grande session covered leadership development, marketing to youth and recruitment topics. Participants were provided with an opportunity to enrich their understanding of current involvement methods such as campus Red Cross clubs and leadership development centers. Finally, members presented information on the Youth Involvement Toolkit, which provides Red Cross units with customized youth involvement resources. Regardless of the chapter's current youth involvement level, the session delivered examples on how to take it to the next level through networking, round tables, presentations and an interactive "barn-raising." During the session, volunteer managers and coordinators had numerous opportunites to make connections and network with fellow volunteers and staff.
Youth and Blood Donations—Collaboration for Life
It is well-known that young donors carry a great deal of responsibility in keeping the blood supply stable during the school year. However, few know that young people also make great donor recruiters and volunteers. This session provided tools and resources to learn how to make the most of this energetic, diverse Red Cross population in local communities. The session's key message demonstrated how youth and young adults can help blood regions with everything from the canteen to the region board to the sign-up list for an upcoming drive.
Youth Involvement: A Vehicle for Diversity
Designed as a panel of youth and young adults from the field, this session guided the exploration of the valuable skills and insights that youth and young adults bring to a Red Cross unit. The participants were provided with a great opportunity to discover the diverse ways units incorporate youth programs and how one can take youth involvement to the next level. Youth representatives from across the country were on hand to offer their perspective and to provide answers to participant's questions about successfully and seamlessly involving youth and young adults across all areas of a unit. Involving youth and young adults can have tremendous benefits in ensuring the unit jurisdiction is well-represented at all levels.
Beyond shared resources, best practices and great presentations, a thorough evaluation indicates that more than 92 percent of the participants in the youth sessions expressed that each session met its purpose and objectives, and more than 89 percent declared their overall satisfaction with the sessions. The high ratings for these sessions demonstrate the quality of contributions of the National Youth Council. Their tireless efforts, dedication and passion are a reflection of these positive evaluations. Engaging youth and young adults in all levels of intervention is a must. Bravo!
If you are interested in receiving the materials shared during these sessions, stay tuned to CrossNet or visit https://neighborhoods.redcross.org/youth.
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