Youth in Action: Youth Caring: Youth Preparing: Youth Sharing: Youth Daring, Poster, 1973

One of the principal reasons youth and young adult volunteerism has remained strong in the American Red Cross since 1917 is the unique leadership opportunities offered to young people. The organization does not want young people to just serve, it wants them to lead. We have responded with great enthusiasm. This is exemplified by programs encouraging youth and young adults to serve on Red Cross boards, plan and attend Leadership Development Centers (LDCs) and start Red Cross Clubs. These programs take service delivery to the next level by putting young people in charge, thus developing important skills like public speaking, strategic planning and project management.

As a board member at age 14, I was painfully shy. My youth coordinator would sit behind me and tell me what to say as I gave our Youth Services report. Slowly, I learned to speak for myself. I picked up on what the board needed to hear about youth involvement, gave thorough updates on my own and soon began to participate in board discussion. I started making annual contributions, even though I could only give $10, because that was one of my duties as a board member.

When I attended my first LDC the following year, I barely spoke during the three-and-a-half-day camp. In fact, on the last day I was given the Silent Spirit award. Through the activities at camp, I learned how to speak up. By then I knew quite a bit about the Red Cross and I found my voice by talking about our service projects and fundraisers and sharing ideas with other Bay Area youth volunteers. The Red Cross became part of my identity.

When I got to college, starting and running a Red Cross Club taught me so much at once: how to deal with university bureaucracy, how to motivate and retain volunteers, how to create volunteer opportunities appropriate for our campus community and how to get the resources I needed to run an organization. I understand our lines of business and strategic goals so much better for it, and I am able to lead people much more effectively.

What sets Red Cross volunteer opportunities apart from those of other organizations is the degree of involvement possible. This focus on leadership guarantees that today's youth and young adult volunteers, financial donors, board members, blood donors and blood donor recruiters will stay with the Red Cross, but not stay in the same place. Today's youth board member is tomorrow's board chair. Today's first time blood donor is tomorrow's one-gallon blood donor. The American Red Cross is making an investment that pays off today and in the future.