The American Red Cross Los Angeles Region READYteens Program is a region-wide initiative designed for Youth and Young Adults, with a mission of educating high school and college students in the areas of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Youth have the opportunity to gain extensive, hands-on experience in the aforementioned areas, with an overarching goal to enhance community preparedness and safety and public health.
Throughout the academic year, the READYteens Program facilitates three main training programs including the Summer Program, Bootcamp, and Club Academy, providing opportunities for Red Cross Youth Volunteers to lead presentations and community work, engage with READYteens content, and prepare their own communities.
The READYteens Program also coordinates the LA Region Disaster Preparedness Workforce, which consists of Disaster Preparedness Officers (DPOs), E-Board Officers, and other Youth Volunteers around the region. The workforce engages with leading the READYteens training programs, Homes Made Safer Campaign (Sound the Alarm), and related community engagement.
Photo taken during the Summer 2019 Program
The READYteens Program was launched exclusively in a summer format in June 2019 within the Greater Long Beach Chapter Youth Corps. The program was held in-person from July - August 2019 with around 35 participants.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it expanded virtually, hosted from May - June 2020, with around 120 participants from around the nation including Youth volunteers from the LA, Southern California, and South Florida Regions. In Summer 2021, the summer program hosted around 100 participants from the Los Angeles and Southern California Regions virtually.
Topics Covered during the Program
1: Orientation
2: Disaster Preparedness
3: Incident Command System and Disaster Response
4: Disaster Recovery
5: Field Day (July 29)
The 2022 Summer Program will be held in-person at 3 different sites in the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region from July 11, 2022 - July 29, 2022 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3:00 - 6:00 PM PST.
The READYteens Program is committed to providing youth volunteers the opportunity to gain leadership experience, enhance their personal and professional expertise, and be actively involved and productive in serving as volunteers for the Red Cross.
The Preparedness Workforce is the opportunity for youth volunteers to remain involved with the program and its efforts, beyond initial education and exposure to training programs. Workforce members are the top Youth Leaders in the LA Region in the areas of disaster preparedness and community outreach.
The workforce structure is outlined as follows:
Photo taken during the Summer 2019 Program
Members of the Youth Corps will gain extensive knowledge in the areas of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; carry out READYteens-related activities within their respective Preparedness Workforces; and connect with Disaster Cycle Services in more actively engaging Red Cross Youth in disaster-related education, mobilization, and activities.
READYteens volunteers gain service hours and…
Earn certifications in:
Learn about:
Since launch in 2019, over 3,518 Red Cross Youth Volunteers from across the nation have had the opportunity to participate in our programs.