Meg VanDeventer is the new Youth Action Campaign Coordinator for Utah and Nevada. She brings international experience to a role teaching young people about global issues.
By, Christy Wilcox
Today is International Youth Day, and American Red Cross Youth Action Campaign Coordinator Meg VanDeventer looks forward to educating younger generations about humanitarian law.
VanDeventer is a Red Cross volunteer from Reno, Nevada, who has a wealth of knowledge about humanitarian issues. She served missions in different international roles, including two years with the Peace Corps in Belize.
As a volunteer, she plans to help kickstart the American Red Cross’s International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Youth Action Campaign. This year the campaign serves to educate youth about wartime matters.
"Youth are great to talk to because they haven't formulated their opinions yet around what actions are acceptable during times of war," VanDeventer said. VanDeventer started as a Red Cross volunteer in June.
Along with serving humanitarian missions, VanDeventer is passionate about technology. She uses her business degree to compliment her expertise in blockchain technology. She says working remotely promotes new ways to teach youth during COVID-19. It's a great setup because she is so technologically savvy. "It's really important for me to see the results or impact. In technology, you can't see that directly."
Each year the campaign has a different theme, this year the idea is to empower youth to promote awareness on how the law protects VanDeventer says that no matter where she's gone she's gravitated toward education. She sees it as a way to build relationships and connect with people in the community.
"I want to be able to make a difference on a grander scale."
The Youth Action Campaign focuses on people ages 13 to 24 years old and takes place during the 2020-2021 academic school year.
