Empower Our Red Cross at the National Youth Institute, April 3rd-5th in Orlando, Florida!

This year the NYI team is hoping to see chapters from all over the country join us in the Sunshine State for an enlightening, engaging, and “en-cridibly” exciting weekend! We will be providing you with weekly NYI planning updates here on redcrossyouth.org to keep you energized and informed about the upcoming conference.  We are here to keep you in the loop with NYI news and also to answer any concerns or questions you may have. Don’t be shy: feel free to reply to this or any NYI post.

The beauty of NYI is that the NYI planning team consists of people like you.  We are high school or college-aged students, current youth volunteers, and highly interested in the well-being of the Red Cross..  We still wrap presents, wash cars, attend LDCs, club meetings, stuff envelopes or take out the trash at our local chapters.  Sounds familiar, right?  Keeping this in mind, it’s easy to see how we can create a weekend full of sessions and events we know you will enjoy, benefit from, and find useful back at home.

We also know that not every youth volunteer has had the same level of experience.  Some come from youth programs of 500, some come from school clubs of 20, some are the only youth in their chapters, and some have been eating, breathing and living the Red Cross since they knew the letters “C-P-R”.  Knowing this, we have designed the Institute so it’s useful for anyone!  No matter how new or old you are to the Red Cross, NYI has specially designed tracks for both the beginner and advanced youth volunteer.  This means you won’t ever feel lost or bored and you will be able to learn from and teach other youth volunteers about your experiences.

This year the NYI will offer you more than it has ever before. Due to the current state of the organization, we have focused the Institute on fundraising this year.  We know that youth have the resources our organization needs: time, blood, and money.  We want to show you the most effective ways to utilize the incredible skills you already possess.

What’s our goal this year? It’s just what the tagline says: to make sure each participant of NYI 2009 leaves ready to Empower Our Red Cross, because let’s face it – it is our Red Cross today and tomorrow.  Not to put too much pressure on you, but the future of the Red Cross lies in our hands.  It’s no longer your grandmother’s organization. It’s yours.  So embrace it, step up to the challenge and join us at NYI 2009!

Visit the official NYI website to learn more and get you and your chapter registered today.  It’s just $100 for registration – but hurry because this is only for early birds!  Keep checking back here for more NYI updates.  

Bianca Kahlenberg, Florida