American Red Cross Youth

If you are from a foreign youth program and would like to share your projects with American volunteers, please email us! We would love to add your information to this page.

Learn about the international Red Cross and Red Crescent movement here.

Learn about the seven fundamental principles that guide the international movement here.

Measles Initiative

The Measles Initiative is a partnership— led by the American Red Cross, the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization (WHO)— committed to reducing measles deaths worldwide.

One of the most successful public health programs in recent years, the Measles Initiative has supported the vaccination of more than 400 million children in over 50 countries.

In 2000, measles caused approximately 757,000 deaths, mostly children under five. By 2006, measles deaths were reduced to 242,000 people worldwide– a remarkable drop of 68 percent. The reduction was even greater in Africa where measles deaths plunged by more than 91 percent.

More information is available at the Measles Initiative website.

Introduction to International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

International Humanitarian Law is everyone’s concern. In a world where warfare and civil strife are a daily reality for millions, International Humanitarian Law provides a framework for protection for civilians and combatants alike.

The conduct for warfare as embodied by IHL is laid out in the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The American Red Cross has a unique mandate to educate the American public about the guiding principles and IHL framework as it applies to the protection of members of the armed forces including prisoners of war and civilians.

More information is available at the Red Cross website.

Climate Change

According to an October 2007 article:

Between 2004 and 2006, the number of disasters that the Red Cross and Red Crescent responded to increased from 278 to 482. Significantly, floods and other meteorological events have driven this increase. In 2004, the Red Cross and Red Crescent responded to 54 floods. By 2006 this figure had jumped to 121. Already this year, the International Federation has responded to more than 100 floods. These numbers do not include the so-called ‘small scale’ disasters – such as floods that affect only two or three villages, but are devastating nonetheless. Indeed, most disasters go unrecorded, too remote or obscure or small-scale for the wider world to bother.

More information is available at the Red Cross / Red Crescent Climate Center.

Blood Donation

Club 25 is a youthful concept, promoting the value of saving lives by giving blood. Through Club 25 young people are encouraged to attend a blood centre, learn about healthy lifestyles and to give blood regularly, aiming for about 20 blood donations by age of 25 years. They also share what they have learned with their communities through health promotion activities to prevent HIV/AIDS, substance abuse and other health risk behaviours; in addition there are opportunities to be active in promoting first aid, good nutrition, physical exercise and road safety.

More information is available at the IFRC Youth Website.