Context: Young people are a potent force in the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (RCRC), numbering almost 7 million (2019). Young people are also disproportionately affected by the rapid and significant changes occurring in the world around them, such as urbanization, violence, substance use, mental health issues, unemployment and, most recently, a global economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With this increasing complexity, youth are regularly facing challenges. At the same time, recent events around the world have delivered powerful examples of the potential of young people to mobilize, engage in social, political and economic issues, and drive the change they want to see around them.
Implementation of programme/ initiative: IFRC’s Youth Engagement Strategy (Y.E.S.) aims to articulate an approach that supports young people to do more, do better and reach further in their local communities. Y.E.S. was initiated in 2013 and reinforces the notion that strong youth engagement is central to strengthening RCRC National Societies and community resilience. Y.E.S. actively uses three perspectives of meaningful youth engagement within RCRC: youth as leaders, youth as volunteers and youth as beneficiaries of the IFRC Youth Policy (2011). Furthermore, it connects these with components of the IFRC 3Es framework: RCRC Youth Education, Youth Empowerment and Creating Enabling Environments for Youth. Y.E.S. promotes diversity, which includes a balanced representation of gender and marginalized groups, including migrants, and reinforces the importance of tailored investment in development opportunities for three distinct age groups of young people: children, adolescents and young adults. Y.E.S. uses a self-assessment toolkit to be implemented by National Societies to assess progress.
Main challenges: In 2020, one of the main concerns was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, namely that local volunteers did not have the same level of support as aid professionals. For instance, volunteers lacked proper tools, training, services – such as mental health support – yet needed these in order to make them feel valued and supported by their organization. Some National Societies found that they lacked resources in this area to support local volunteers.
Results achieved: A total of 161 RCRC National Societies were engaged in the development of Y.E.S. In all, 1,800 voices contributed through social media and other online avenues. As a result, Y.E.S. was being implemented in various regions, including Asia and the Pacific, while aiming to recruit more young volunteers. Notably, in 2020, IFRC saw a global surge in the number of volunteers, including young people. A key explanation for the significant increase in volunteers is that the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the humanitarian need in which IFRC witnessed unprecedented humanity and kindness.
Moving Forward: Looking ahead, Y.E.S. aims to empower and support more youth in their journeys to drive the change they want to see. In the face of multiple challenges, young people have continuously demonstrated their powerful potential to engage in social, economic and political issues through increased access to information, rapid technological enhancements and eased mobility to improve the lives of many.
Replicability: Y.E.S. can be used as an exemplary model for how young people can meaningfully continue to play a key role in being part of solutions, both by addressing humanitarian challenges and shaping the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Y.E.S. allows youth to make decisions for themselves, envision how they would like their future to be and effectively influence those who make decisions on matters important to them.
Acknowledgement:
This good practice was kindly prepared by Ms. Alysha Brahmantiara Putri.
References:
https://yptoolbox.unescapsdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/IFRC_YouthEngagementStrategy_YES.pdf
https://volunteeringredcross.org/en/recurso/yes-youth-engagement-self-assessment-toolkit/
https://www.devex.com/news/ifrc-sees-global-surge-in-volunteer-sign-ups-98680
Project Details
Date: June 14, 2021