It’s the season for recognition. Thank you.

National Youth Involvement Month is upon us and so is the season of giving thanks! We here at the National Youth Council are so grateful for all the work that youth volunteers across the nation put into their Red Cross activities. Every smoke alarm installed, youth volunteer certified in first aid, and blood drive hosted makes an impact. Volunteer recognition is important for any volunteer-driven initiative. Youth leaders, take a look at some of the ways you can show gratitude during NYIM and this holiday season: 

1. Volunteer of the Month: Choose an outstanding member of your club to be “Volunteer of the Month” and recognize their accomplishments/contributions to the club and the Red Cross. You can base this off a number of volunteer hours that they’ve logged in Volunteer Connection (this can be a good incentive to get members registered!) or collect nominations from fellow members.  
2. National Youth Spotlight: This national program is run through the National Youth Council and is a way for club leaders to be nominated for recognition at the national level. If selected, the NYC will celebrate the youth volunteer through a RedCrossYouth.org blog post, through a post on the American Red Cross Youth Network Facebook Group, sending a press release to your local chapter, and they might even appear on the next issue of YouthWire. Nominate a youth volunteer here.
3. Navin Narayan College Scholarship: This NYC program recognizes and honors Navin Narayan, who previously served as Chair of the National Youth Council among other positions in the American Red Cross. Youth volunteers who embody his legacy of volunteerism, dedication to the Red Cross, and academic excellence are awarded the one-time scholarship of $1,000. For more information, click here.
4. Navin Narayan Award for Excellence in Youth Leadership: This award is presented by National Headquarters and is presented annually to a youth volunteer at a national awards dinner in Washington D.C.. Youth volunteers who have exhibited the traits of leadership that Navin Narayan embodied such as inspiring fellow volunteers and have made a lasting and positive impact on their community can be nominated for this award. For more information, click here.
5. Club Superlatives: Make superlatives and have members vote on them for things like “Most Inspiring” or “Most Likely to Reach the 100 Pint Mark”. You can make these Red Cross related or just plain fun. Present these at a club meeting and think about what you can do to help spread the word about the awardees. 
6. Certificates: Contact your local chapter in getting official Red Cross member certificates to celebrate multiple outstanding members or all of your club members at the end of the year. Note: many chapters have their own volunteer recognition programs. Feel free to ask if they have an Outstanding Youth award and the process that goes along with it. 
7. End-of-Year Slide Show: Take lots of pictures during every club event. Capture fun memories and compile them into a slideshow to present at the end of the year. You can solicit member submissions, as well.  

We here at the National Youth Council thank you for all of your service towards the Red Cross mission. Have questions? Check out our Office Hours program and make sure you’re registered for NYIM 2018 for the #RaceoftheRegions! 

 – Ian Lee, National Youth Council Member, Communications Working Group Lead