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, weekly Campaign 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 annual in-person meeting
• Understanding of the value of youth and young adult volunteers
• Commit at least 5 hours per week to Council responsibilities  

• Current, registered Red Cross volunteer between the ages of 16–22 with a Volunteer Connection account that has been active for at least two years as of Sept. 30, 2025 
• Additional accessibility requirements are listed below. If you will be unable 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 

Timeline

• April 23: Applications are open. 
• May 27: 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. 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. 

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!

Our application cycle is currently closed and will reopen in 2025. Updated information on the application will be available soon. For any questions, please contact us at youthInvolvement@redcross.org.

• 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 regional youth coordinators, Red Cross Unit Executives, and skilled employees in a specific line of service delivery, with a commitment to advance youth and young adult engagement.
  
• Advisors serve a 2-year term. 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.).