Understanding Youth Leadership

American Red Cross Youth

Big 5

> Count off in sevens> Seven groups> Find five things you all have in common

(not Red Cross or Red Crescent!)> You have 10 minutes

Seven fundamental principles

> Humanity> Impartiality> Neutrality> Independence> Unity> Universality> Voluntary service

Your friendly presenters> Mahati Acharya> Chris Chen> Aubin Dupree> Justin Lam> Kelly Quann> Sandy Tesch> Pat West> Stewart Zellars

Introduction

> I. Youth Leadership Essentials> II. (a) Youth Leadership in Practice> Lunchtime> II. (b) Youth Leadership in Practice> III. Bringing it Home

I: Youth Leadership Essentials

Aubin DupreeKelly Quann

At the newsstand> 1. Magazine cover –

short leadership exercise

> 2. Write the Story –extended personal and group strategy exercise

Youth leadership case: the Measles Initiative

> The Measles Initiative has helped reduce measles deaths by 74% worldwide and 89% in Africa since 2000

> Youth Red Cross clubs and volunteers help the Initiative by raising awareness in their communities through creative activities and fundraisers

> Since the beginning of the Measles Initiative in 2001, American Red Cross chapters have raised over 1,228,000 USD, mostly by youth volunteers

Key takeaways on youth leadership> We need leadership skills as much to be a good

group member as to direct the activity of the group.

> Leadership can be learned through experience and practice, just like other skills.

> Success as a leader depends on not only what we know and learn, but also on what we do with what we know.

> We can learn leadership skills best by thinking about what we are doing and practicing leadership behaviors with other people.

Youth Power Continuum

Youth leadership ingredients

> Youth leadership skills> Working with staff and mentors> Youth-inspired examples

Youth leadership competencies

> Five areas of competency in youth leadership: 1 Communication2 Teamwork3 Personal identity4 Professionalism5 Project management

Group activity

> Generally, which kinds of youth activities and programs can help build your skills?

> How can you identify which skills need improvement?

> Back home at your National Society, what kinds of projects might help to improve skills?

The staff/mentor perspective> What can staff and mentors do to help young

people develop leadership skills?> Young people often face obstacles from

adults because of certain beliefs or practices:• Youth are not capable of leadership• Adults are unwilling to share power,

responsibility, or decision-making• Adults assign young people to tasks, rather than

allow them to determine what happens in planning, design, implementation, and evaluation

Positive steps for staff and mentors> Promote youth/adult partnerships> Empower youth to share in the decision-

making process> Support youth leadership development> Provide youth with diversity of experience> Reward accomplishments and challenge

youth to aim even higher

RC/RC youth leadership

> Brainstorm examples of activities and programs which could be developed and implemented by RC/RC youth volunteers

At the newsstand> 1. Magazine cover –

short leadership exercise

> 2. Write the Story –extended personal and group strategy exercise

II: Youth Leadership in Practice

Mahati AcharyaSandy Tesch

Stewart Zellars

Overview> Reflect on the ways

youth serve as leaders in your National Society

> Find out about activities of other National Societies

> Identify and address challenges

Youth leadership check-in> Take a step forward if…

Youth leadership check-in

> Take a step forward if your National Society has…• Youth representative on the local board• Red Cross Clubs at schools• Local training opportunities for youth• Youth involved in all aspects of RC/RC

service delivery

Youth leadership check-in

> Take a step forward if your National Society has…• National Youth Council• National policy on youth involvement• Youth representative on the national board• National training opportunities for youth• Volunteer opportunities for youth of all

ages

Youth leadership check-in

> Take a step forward if your National Society has…• Partnerships with other organizations• Regional networks of multiple RC/RC

Societies

Youth leadership check-in

> What else? What did we forget?

Activity summary> We all have room to grow> We have similar goals> We face similar

challenges> We can learn from

each other

Activity summary

> There are many opportunities for youth> Youth are leaders at the local, regional,

and national levels

Recap> Youth are important to the Red Cross/Red

Crescent Movement because…> Youth leadership is important because…

Lunch assignment> Start thinking about successes and challenges

at your National Society> After lunch, be ready to share a best practice

from your National Society• A great program• Your youth leadership structure• A collaboration or partnership

II: Youth Leadership in Practice

Mahati AcharyaSandy Tesch

Stewart Zellars

Beach ball sharing> Favorite service activity > Greatest success> Biggest challenge, and how the

challenge was met by youth> Time you served in a leadership role

American Red Cross> Facts

• Youth is age 18 and younger

• Youth adult is age 19-24• 27% or 130,000 of

American Red Cross volunteers are youth and young adults

Leadership structure> National Youth Council

Leadership structure> National Youth Council

Alumni Board

Leadership training> National Youth Institute

Leadership training> Leadership Development Centers

Local youth involvement> Red Cross

school clubs

Social media> redcrossyouth.org> YouthWire email list> Facebook

Best practices> Share some great

ideas from your National Society!

Thinking big> What is your youth program’s biggest

challenge?

Addressing challenges> Make sure your goals

are SMART!• Specific

• Measurable

• Agreed upon

• Realistic

• Timely

Key points> We’re all doing

amazing things!> Youth leadership has

many forms> Take this time to learn

from each other

III: Bringing it home

Reviewing what we have learned to create tangible takeaways

Time to meditate

> Ideally, what should youth leadership look like in your National Society?

> What does a youth who fully encompasses youth leadership look like?

Time to share

Back in your groups of seven!

> If you had three wishes, what would youth leadership look like in your National Society?

> What are three qualities that every strong youth leader should have?

Reflection pool

> Your personal leadership abilities> Your National Societies’ current

stance/competencies towards youth leadership

Building a bridge from reality to ideal

Report back

> What was your ideal situation and what is your strategy for getting there?

> What are the challenges you see?> How do you plan to overcome them?

Growing as leaders while in Solferino!

Growing as leaders while in Solferino!

1) What is your personal commitment to making the most of the WYM?

2) How will you use the knowledge you have acquired today and will acquire during the WYM?

Be impact-driven.

General framework: action plan

> Goals> Stakeholders> Responsibilities> Timeframe

Goals> Remember SMART?> What are your personal leadership development

goals for the WYM?> What are your National Society’s goals for youth

leadership, based on what you will learn at the WYM?

Stakeholders> Primary

• Your main audience (e.g. your National Society’s youth volunteers, senior leadership)

> Sub-targets• Other indirect audiences (other National Society

leaders)> Future targets

• Potential audiences (e.g. non-Red Cross / Red Crescent youth who might join your National Society)

Stakeholders

Responsibility

> You must take the lead for your own personal development and networking during the World Youth Meeting!

> Who will be the leader for developing your National Society’s goals after the World Youth Meeting?• Staff vs. volunteers: what are their roles?

Timeframe

> Set a realistic time frame> Benchmarks

Remember> Above all, be impact-driven!> Whether or not the World Youth Meeting is

successful depends on whether we make a difference with the thousands of volunteers within our respective National Societies.

> Ask yourself, “How does my World Youth Meeting experience affect me and my country’s typical Red Cross or Red Crescent youth volunteer and communities?”

At the newsstand> 1. Magazine cover –

short leadership exercise

> 2. Write the Story –extended personal and group strategy exercise

Key Points

> Your and your National Society’s growth> Remember where you want to go> Reflect and adjust

IDEAL youth leadership…

> Is a goal to strive for

> Is impossible to define

Doing more. Doing better. Reaching further.