Apply to the National Youth Council

•  Represent the needs and advocate on behalf of the interests of youth and young adult volunteers for a two-year term, with the possibility of a third year.
• Lead and participate in National Youth Council projects and activities, including outreach calls, social media, National Youth Involvement Month, etc.
• Engage with local volunteer position(s) in current Red Cross region
• Attend and actively participate in all scheduled and special meetings, including weekly Working Group Calls and biweekly All Council Calls
• Maintain a Red Cross email address for all National Youth Council business and respond to emails within 48 hours
• Attend yearly in-person meeting 

• Understanding of the value of youth and young adult volunteers
• Leadership and support to ensure productivity
• Diligence towards individual and team contributions
• Willingness to learn and desire to make a difference
• Collaboration with varied communities and audiences
• Professional, clear and diplomatic communication skills
• Cultural sensitivity to diverse audiences
  

-The National Youth Council (NYC) consists of 15 members as follows (see below at the bottom of the tab for a comprehensive visual of the NYC structure):

• Thirteen (13) unit-nominated youth and young adult volunteers ages 16 to 24

• Of these 13, one serves as the Chair and one serves as the Vice-Chair.
• Another two serve as leads of the main working groups: Field Relations (FRWG) and Peer Outreach (POWG).

• The remaining nine non-executive Council members have dedicated programs and initiatives for which they’re responsible (more details below).
• Two (2) adult unit-paid or volunteer staff members also comprise the Council’s leadership team.

-More information on non-executive positions can be found below. Note that you can apply to be a general member of the Council with certain position preferences, but that you are not guaranteed to serve in your top choice positions:

o   Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Lead

• Implement DEI initiatives within the Red
  Cross.
• This past year, our DEI Lead connected with various organizational resource groups to learn more about how to better incorporate DEI practices and guest spoke on several panels relating to DEI initiatives.

o   National Collegiate Assembly (NCA) Lead

• Plan and facilitate a cohort of divisional collegiate representatives (National Collegiate Officers) to develop resources in support of collegiate Red Cross clubs.
• This past year, our NCA Lead worked with National Collegiate Officers to better execute and recognize collegiate clubs.

o   National Youth Involvement Month/Navin Narayan
Scholarship (NYIM/NNS) Lead

• Oversee NYIM activities; facilitate promotion and recipient selection for NNS
• This past year, our NYIM Lead championed an “Inspiration through Service”-themed month of activities and promotions in November.

o   Youth Consortium Call (YCC) Lead

• Facilitate a regular space for Youth Engagement Leads and other youth and young adult champions to exchange advice and resources.
• This past year, our YCC Lead has led monthly calls to update Youth Engagement Leads across the country on various initiatives and foster a collaborative environment between Red Cross regions.

o   Crash Course Call (CCC) Lead

• Facilitate a regular space for youth and young adult volunteers to exchange advice and resources. 
• This past year, our CCC Lead has led monthly calls on various topics such as member retention and Blood services. Find past presentations here and any upcoming calls here. 

o   Two Field Ambassador (FA) Leads

• Plan and facilitate a cohort of regional youth representatives to disseminate national initiatives develop projects in support of youth-led Red Cross clubs and council.
• This past year, our FA Leads led a cohort of ~ 30 regional youth representatives to accomplish individual and group projects. Stay tuned at @americanredcrossyouth on Instagram to learn about upcoming FA-led events in April.

o   Resources Lead

• Develop and distribute resources for youth and young adult volunteers.
• This past year, our Resources Lead created monthly editions of YouthWire, managed the redcross.org/youth page, and refreshed internal resources.

o   Social Engagement Lead

• Plan content for and manage the Council’s social media platforms.
• This past year, our Social Engagement Lead developed an ongoing content calendar for @americanredcrossyouth on Instagram and the American Red Cross Youth Network on Facebook.

**Please note that the structure below applies to the current fiscal year (July 2022 - June 2023) and is subject to change depending on the organizational needs. **

- Current, registered Red Cross volunteer between the ages of 16–22 with a Volunteer Connection account that has been active for at least one year as of Sept. 30, 2023 (two years of experience is encouraged).

- Additional accessibility requirements are listed below. If you struggle to meet them, please indicate so on your application in the appropriate section (it will not affect our selection process).

• Functioning, stable Internet
  access
• Working laptop or desktop compatible with Microsoft Suite 
• Mobile phone that can call/text

- Experience working with and leading youth and young adults

- Comfortable working remotely using virtual communication platforms

After visiting the FAQ section for resume and letter of recommendation requirements, submit an application via Google Forms with the following items:

*Note: signing into a Google account is required to upload a file

• Application, including a personal response in the form of an essay, video or presentation
• Resume (1-2 pages)
• Additional short essay responses
• 2 Recommendation Letters (see additional guidelines here -Google account sign-in required to upload)
  • Red Cross recommendation
  • Non-Red Cross recommendation 

- March 27: Applications are open.

- May 12: Applications are due at 11:59 PM ET.

- End of May: Selected applicants receive offers to interview.

- Early June: Interviewing period.

- July 1: New members begin term on the National Youth Council.

Roles and Responsibilities

Q: When a new member joins the Council, what does the transition look like? Is the workload overwhelming?

A: All new members undergo an onboarding period during the first month of their term on the Council in which they learn the basics of everything they need to know about working on our team! We want to make sure that you feel comfortable with the structure and functions of the Council before formally starting your Council work. Members gradually take on more responsibilities before they are assigned to a leadership role starting in August.

Q: How do Council members become specific program leads?

A: After onboarding, Council members receive position descriptions of all the available leadership roles for
that given year (July 2023 – June 2024). They have the opportunity to ask clarifying questions and hear from returning members regarding their experiences before
ranking which leadership roles they are interested in serving that year. Afterwards, our Executive Committee assigns roles based on everyone’s preferences and skillsets.

Q: Are there opportunities to explore/create your own projects?

A: Absolutely! We always encourage creativity and innovation from our members and encourage them to submit a proposal for a new project to our Executive Committee, who will support them in making it realistic and attainable!

The Application

Q: How should I format my resume?

A: Your resume should be 1-2 pages long and explicitly include the specified categories—however, you
can format it however you like! The categories are (1) Red Cross service (position, accomplishments, dates served), (2) Other work experience and community service, and (3) Professional development (i.e., awards, conferences attended, relevant training, publications, etc.). Please do not include information about your education unless it is immediately relevant to your potential service with the National Youth Council (e.g., a community service course). All irrelevant information about your academics will be removed from review to encourage greater diversity in our applicants’ academic backgrounds and eliminate bias towards certain educational institutions. For more clarity on our guidelines, please check out this resume template.

Q: Can my recommendation letter be from another student in a leadership position?

A: Unfortunately, no. All recommendations must be from an adult you have worked with.

Q: Can I reuse my recommendations from when I applied to the Navin Narayan Scholarship?

A: Yes! However, please make sure that your recommenders modify their responses accordingly to reflect the correct application. If you have any more questions, feel free to contact YouthInvolvement@redcross.org. Good luck to everyone applying!

We will be introducing Council Coffee Chats this year. You can schedule a time to meet 1-on-1 with current members about their roles and the application process to gain valuable insights! Sign up for times between 4/9 and 4/29. 

Thank you for your interest in serving as a National Youth Council Advisor! You can read more information below on National Youth Council Advisor Responsibilities and Qualifications.

Application instructions will be updated in the fall of 2023.  

• The NYC holds two weekly Working Group Calls, as well as biweekly Executive Committee Calls and All-Council Calls. These calls occur often during evenings and sometimes during weekends. Most Council work happens during these calls and Advisors are expected to participate on each of these calls. 
• Advisors can expect to put in 8–10 hours of Council-related work each week. 
• Advisors facilitate bimonthly professional development and leadership building tutorials during the All-Council Call. Topics are determined by Advisors with the input of Council Members based on professional development needs and are designed to aid as a growth and development tool for the NYC. 
• There is one in-person meeting per year which advisors are expected to attend: meeting dates and locations are determined approximately two months prior. 
• Advisors lead the Progressive Discipline Process as needed, as based on Red Cross Human Resource policies and NYC Standard Operating Procedures. 
• Advisors facilitate clearly defined Member evaluations twice per year, whose purpose is to increase professional development and Council engagement. 
• Advisors are expected to provide guidance and recommendation to all Council projects and serve as subject matter experts in their specific Red Cross fields. 
• Advisors work with the entire Council and Youth Engagement team to connect them with internal and external areas of the American Red Cross where opportunities for engagement may lie. 
  

• Positions are open to experienced field youth coordinators, Red Cross Unit Executives, and skilled employees in a specific line of service delivery, with a commitment to advance youth engagement.  
• Advisors serve a 2-year term, from January 2023 to December 2024. The term is renewable. Advisors may resign at any time; however, a December exit is preferable. 
• Various technical requirements are also essential to the success of the Advisor role, which includes regular access to a working computer, Wi-Fi, cell phone, headphones, etc.).