Ideas in Motion Report

IDEAS IN MOTION REPORTAUGUST 2012

AUTHORS: KATELYN JMAEFF, KORI COOK, JAMES LIU

IDEAS IN MOTION REPORT

The authors of this report would like to thank Christopher Libby for his funding, support, and mentorship; James Park for his graphic design, photography, and creative ideas; Christina Gonzalez for her focus-group note-taking and innovative ideas; Janelle Berry for her focus group note-taking and thoughtful feedback; and Jessica Lowry and Renata Hindle for their focus group recruitment, logistical organization, and note-taking.

We would like to convey our sincere thanks to all the focus group participants and survey respondents.

We would also like to thank the following people for their generous support: Becky Row, John Richey, Jan Bowden, Brenda Sharhon, June Hruby, Melinda Mennie, Cydney Smythies, Susanne Milner, Aki Sano, and to anyone else who contributed their input, guidance, and support.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1 Executive Summary

2 Introduction

3 Engaging Youth

Key ideas of Youth Engagement

Organizational Checklist

Ally Checklist

8 Engaging Volunteers

Key Ideas of Volunteer Engagement

Meaningful Engagement

The Volunteer Involvement Framework

12 Measuring Engagement

Canadian Red Cross and Ladder of Youth Voice

14 Methods

18 Focus Group Summary

Triple Venn Diagram

Dotmacracy Word Cloud

BC Written Survey Analysis

41 Recommendations

46 Closing thoughts

47 Bibliography

48 Appendix

MISSION

The Canadian Red Cross mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and around the world.

VISION

The Canadian Red Cross is the leading humanitarian organization through which people voluntarily demonstrate their caring for others in need.

FUNDAMENTALPRINCIPLES

HumanityImpartialityNeutralityIndependenceVoluntary ServiceUnityUniversality

TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXECUTIVE SUMMARYThrough six focus groups and an electronic survey, Ideas in Motion created inclusive and safe space for British Columbia-Yukon youth to share insights from their experience and involvement with the Red Cross, on barriers preventing complete engagement, and on improvements on how to better engage youth. These ideas shaped a series of recommendations for youth initiatives and engagement opportunities for the Red Cross in British Columbia-Yukon.

Through six focus groups and teleconferences in four regions, 32 youth were engaged in dialogue. Youth reported that the most common motivation for their involvement in the Red Cross is skill development and training to develop personal and professional experience, and to utilize their existing skills to make a difference. Youth desire skills in leadership, facilitation, public-speaking, fund development, marketing, organizational planning, and media training through both online and in-person workshops, experiential learning, and guest speakers. Youth want to be imbedded at all levels and aspects of the organization, and have their skills and knowledge recognized and utilized. Youth want to see inter-departmental collaboration and training between different programs, and youth want more decision-making opportunities and ownership over the programs they are involved with.

Seventy-fi ve youth from all corners of BC-Yukon responded to the online survey. Common barriers to youth engagement were time, lack of opportunities, lack of awareness of opportunities, barriers between staff and volunteers, organizational challenges, supervisor intimidation, and some youth felt undervalued. Opportunities that youth wish were available include employment, Humanitarian Issues, access to international

opportunities, more connection with the rest of the organization, volunteer-headed projects, youth in governance, and networking opportunities.

These recommendations include:

• A series of workshops and courses for personnel to gain new skills and increase their knowledge and capacity

• A youth engagement planning process for each program, carried out by a committee of staff and volunteers throughout BC-Yukon, utilizing the tools presented in the Ideas in Motion report

• A working group with the goal of developing a training workshop and/or materials for all personnel on how to work with volunteers, with special considerations around youth

• An online community consisting of e-profi les to assist youth with networking, support, and collaboration

The Ideas in Motion project marks the beginning of a process towards true youth engagement. We urge the organization to continue to invest in youth in order to mobilize their power as a major strategic asset.

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INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONThe Canadian Red Cross has designated Youth Engagement as a key priority through the introduction of the National Youth Engagement Strategy (2008) and the Western Canada Youth Engagement Framework (2012). Through these strategies, the Red Cross aims to create meaningful engagement, leadership skill development, and opportunities for action for youth. Youth should be supported to infl uence decision-making, be distributed throughout all levels of the organization, and contribute and undertake projects and initiatives.

At the JAMBARA Indonesian Youth Camp in July 2011, Katelyn Jmaeff - the lead author of this report - was inspired after learning about the many creative youth initiatives being carried out in distinct National Societies. Upon her return she shared a list of recommendations for potential Canadian Red Cross projects. These recommendations did not move forward. In April 2012 after several discussions with various staff and volunteers, Katelyn decided it was best to start a dialogue with other Red Cross youth. Through creating inclusive and equal space youth would be able to share feedback about their experiences within the Red Cross, voice

their ideas, and build upon those ideas to improve how the Red Cross engages youth.

In order to examine and improve the state of youth engagement in British Columbia, the Ideas in Motion team carried out youth-driven community participatory research during the summer of 2012 by bringing together the voices of youth throughout British Columbia and Yukon. Using a combination of focus groups and an electronic survey, youth between the ages of 15 and 30 were engaged in a dialogue on what works well in youth engagement, what can be better, and how we can achieve that. Current and recently involved youth personnel shared their insights, which shaped a series of recommendations.

This comprehensive report includes a literature review on youth engagement and volunteer resources, focus group and survey highlights, and a series of recommendations to improve youth engagement across BC-Yukon. This report is a collaborative effort to inspire and inform personnel to create change within the organizational culture. This report is open to be read by all British Columbia-Yukon personnel.

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ENGAGING YOUTHENGAGING YOUTH

With the creation of the National Youth Engagement Strategy in 2008 and the recent release of the Western Canada Youth Engagement Framework, the Canadian Red Cross has clearly defi ned its desire and commitment to engage youth. While these documents illustrate the primary goals and objectives for the Canadian Red Cross with respect to youth engagement, they fail to answer one central question – why do we

want to engage youth?

While engaging youth clearly helps increase inclusivity, the benefi ts do not end there – there are substantial tangible benefi ts in having youth involved as integral and essential members of an organization. Professor Shepherd Zeldin of the University of Wisconsin-Madison led a research team in investigating the effect of youth in decision-making roles on adults and organizations (Zeldin et al, 2000). The team studied 15 organizations from across the United States, investigating the effects of youth involvement on adult staff and volunteers, the organization as a whole, and on the youth themselves.

ORGANIZATIONAL OUTCOMESZeldin et al identifi ed six major organizational outcomes that resulted from involving youth:

1. The principles and practices of youth

involvement became embedded within

the organizational culture.

2. Most organizations found that young

people help clarify and bring focus to

the organization’s mission, and some

The Canadian Red Cross Youth Engagement Framework for Western Canada commits to the creation of opportunities for meaningful participation for youth personnel to develop as global citizens and humanitarian leaders, while being supported to inform and infl uence policy and decision-making, contribute to solutions, and undertake projects and initiatives of the Society.– Western Canada Youth Engagement Framework, 2012

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organizations made this a formal role of youth.

3. The adults and the organizations as

a whole became more connected and

responsive to youth in the community. This investment and energy led to programming improvements.

4. Organizations placed a greater value on

inclusivity and representation. They came to see that their programming benefi ts when multiple and diverse community voices are included in decision-making processes.

5. Having youth as decision-makers helped convince foundations and other

funding agencies that the organization

was serious about promoting youth

development.

6. Including youth in decision-making led organizations to reach out to the

community in more diverse ways (e.g. community advocacy, policy-making, and service.)

Beyond these six outcomes, the report titled Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians: Highlights from the 2007 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, describes that “Those [youth] who reported...belonging to a youth group, volunteering, or having parents who volunteered were more likely than others to report making charitable donations. Individuals with such early life experiences also tend to make much larger charitable donations as adults” (Hall et al, 2009). The same report also illustrated that volunteering early in life was a good predictor for volunteering later in life, and that Canadians between the ages of 15 and 24 are more likely to volunteer than any other age group (Hall et al, 2009).

Sources: Zeldin, Hall et al

ORGANIZATIONAL ENVIRONMENTZeldin et al also identifi ed six conditions that were most likely to facilitate positive outcomes in the organization:

1. The top decision-making body in the

organization needs to be committed

to youth governance and youth-adult

partnerships, and must change their

ways of operating accordingly. The data are clear: If a governance body is focused on vision and learning, there is room for young people to make substantial contributions. If it is more traditionally focused on rule making and management, then it is less likely that young people will have a signifi cant infl uence on the board.

2. Organizational change is facilitated

by an adult visionary leader, one with institutional power and authority, to strongly advocate for youth decision-making. Without this leadership, traditional management structures and stereotypic views about young people are too powerful to overcome.

3. While an adult most often leads the initial change processes, the movement takes

on greater power and infl uence as young

people begin to organize and demand

increasing participation in governance.

4. Adult views about young people are diffi cult to change, and this is true even for adults in governance positions. Change

occurs when the organization offers

three types of experiences to adults.

a. Adults perceived a good reason to

work with youth. The governance work had to be purposefully oriented towards meaningful outcomes. Adult attitudes did not change when the decision-making was perceived as symbolic or tokenistic.

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b. Adult attitude change occurs most

readily when young people perform

well in the boardroom, or in other places that adults regard as adults’ turf. It is important for adults to witness youth succeeding in the nuts and bolts of organizational improvement.

c. Adults change their views of

young people when they have the

opportunity to observe youth engaged

in community action that had real

payoffs for community residents.

5. Organizational change occurs most rapidly when adults perceive the young people as effective decision-makers. For this reason, the young people who were

nominated to take on key governance

roles were selected carefully, just as the

adults were. Most of the organizations had created a kind of scaffolding for youth to work their way up through the organization, engaging in a variety of leadership-building and decision-making opportunities.

6. According to developmental research, organizations begin the change process by fi rst involving older youth in governance roles. Age matters. A fourteen-year-old differs signifi cantly from an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old across multiple

domains (cognitive, physical, societal, psychological, economic, and legal). The organizations in this study recognize this difference. While decision-makers ranged in age from twelve to twenty-three, the majority fell between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one. The mean age of those whom the organizations chose to be their spokespersons for this study was eighteen years. It seems that

the organization, in their desire to ensure

the early success of youth governance,

have decided to begin with older youth

and to eventually integrate younger

adolescents into governance.

Several of the conditions outlined by Zeldin et al are already present to some degree in the Canadian Red Cross. Some other national societies have taken more concrete steps to create environments that are conducive to positive outcomes. Some national societies, such as New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland, have designated youth positions on their National Board of Directors. If the Canadian Red Cross wants to advance youth engagement, it needs to recognize experience with youth engagement as an expertise in its own right.

Sources: Zeldin, Hall et al

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KEY IDEAS OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENTIn addition to the conditions previously outlined, The Forum for Youth Investment recommends a series of “key ideas” that are central to expanding youth engagement in an organization (Pittman, Martin and Williams, 2007). The following list has been adapted from Pittman et al’s original and extensive list of recommendations:

● Be clear about why you are engaging

young people in the fi rst place

● Be intentional about asking young people to get involved

● Youth need designated, accessible work

space, access to basic offi ce resources and facilitated opportunities to engage in community change work

● Organizations should provide personal

supports and develop their coping skills as well as their professional skills

● Youth/adult teams are made up of individuals that share a common purpose, goals and strategies

● All youth and adult team members are

held accountable

● Expand the range of concrete

opportunities for meaningful youth participation

● Give young people authentic decision-

making power

● Young people should be engaged as

leaders across the organization itself

Sources: Pittman et al

ORGANIZATIONAL ENVIRONMENTThe Youth Engagement Strategy is a fantastic start to increasing youth involvement with the Canadian Red Cross. However, true youth

engagement will not materialize simply because we want it to – concrete actions needs to be taken to successfully establish a strong and lasting youth presence at all levels of the Canadian Red Cross.

At an organizational level, there are many factors to consider when working towards youth engagement. The following organizational checklist was created by the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network and Volunteer Canada, and has been adapted by the report authors to fi t the Canadian Red Cross context (Volunteer Canada, 2001).

We are fl exible – we offer youth choices

and options

○ Offer fl exible schedules ○ Work that can be completed after

school or on weekends ○ Keep in mind that youth have busy

schedules

We ensure youth have a sense of purpose

– we offer them an opportunity to

contribute to a cause they believe in

○ Explain why a particular task or work is important

○ Convey how their involvement makes a difference

We offer youth information and training

– we support them by offering them the

tools they need to do their job

○ Be clear about their role ○ Offer learning and training

opportunities ○ Make offi ce space accessible and

inviting

We offer youth benefi ts – we let them

know what’s in it for them

○ Explain what skills youth can develop through their work

We offer youth incentives – we present

them with gifts, references, opportunities

and rewards to recognize their efforts

○ Youth are often looking to gain work

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experience and job references

We offer youth a variety of opportunities

to get involved – we break away from

tradition and routine

○ Involve youth in work that interests them

○ Involve youth in work that suits their skill set

We don’t get too caught up in systems

and structures – we try and minimize the

red tape

○ Youth are often looking for an informal and productive approach

Sources: Volunteer Canada

ALLY CHECKLIST

Many adults have institutional power that is not accessible to young people. With this power comes access and connections to a fuller range of human, community, and fi nancial resources. Adults bring these resources to young people and the collective governance body.

– Zeldin et al, 2010

Many of the recommendations and ideas discussed in this report involve large-scale activities or projects. True youth engagement

does not require a start date or a project

plan – it starts the moment individual

staff and volunteers begin to critically and

honestly analyze their perceptions of – and

interactions with – youth in the organization. The following ally checklist is a compilation and adaptation from several sources that outlined how adults can help further the organizational goals of youth engagement through their personal interactions with youth.

I don’t talk down to young people – I assume that young people can offer valuable contributions

I use youth friendly and accessible language – and I make sure others do too

I never lecture young people about their behaviour, attitudes, input or other perceptions I may have of them. Instead, I treat young people as equal partners, each with valuable contributions to make to the organization

I pay attention to the amount of “space” I take up when giving ideas in conversations with youth: how often and how long do I speak?

I believe that youth are valuable to the organization

I am aware of my own power and privileges

as an adult in the organization

I model inclusive leadership – I recognize the barriers that exist for youth around me and do my best to eliminate those barriers

I volunteer as a mentor to a young person

I regularly acknowledge the ability of

youth to improve projects, programs, and the organization

I focus on the voices, strengths, talents, actions and achievements of young people in the organization

I support young peoples development – as meaningful participants, valued leaders, and equal partners

I include youth in decision-making

I do not assume that youth only know

about ‘youth issues’

Sources: PeerNet BC, Youth Development Network, Free Child Project, National Kids as Self-Advocates

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I know this focuses on youth but ironically the adult population of Red Cross is very similar to the youth population with regards to the questions asked in this survey.

– Survey respondent

While working effectively with youth requires some specifi c considerations, the use of

good volunteer engagement practices is

equally applicable to youth and non-youth. Volunteers represent a unique asset of the non-profi t sector and effective engagement of youth volunteers can greatly expand the capacity of our organization.

In order to maximize the satisfaction of volunteers and the benefi ts that they can bring to the organization, researchers have proposed that organizations adopt

an integrated human resource planning

approach when looking for ways to engage volunteers. This involves fi rst recognizing the fact that “the word ‘volunteer’ connotes a

pay scale, not a function” (Rehnborg, 2009).

By fi rst removing the arbitrary distinction between the paid and non-paid personnel of the same work force, the organization is then able to remove discrimination and to engage people at their full potential.

There are no tasks volunteers cannot do... The fact is that a person may do any job, and perform equally to those with a salary, on a volunteer basis – provided an organization’s leadership is open to such limitless possibilities.

– SJ Rehnborg

SJ Rehnborg of the RGK Center for Philanthropy & Community Service proposes the following key principles for successful

volunteer engagement:

● Volunteers be identifi ed as key players on an agency’s organizational chart

● Staff must have training in order to be able to work effectively with volunteers

● Any implementation of engagement

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ENGAGING VOLUNTEERSENGAGING VOLUNTEERS

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initiatives need to have a committee of

staff and stakeholders to assist with planning and implementation

● Have volunteer roles available for a

variety of time commitment levels and

skill levels

● Begin with the organization’s strategic objectives

● It must be a specifi c person’s responsibility to move plans into action

● Budget must be committed

This integrated approach to volunteer engagement promotes satisfaction and retention by matching individuals with positions according to their skills, interests, and goals, while providing the organization with personnel who are not entirely dependent on a limited number of staff.

Sectioning off volunteers’ work from other functions of the organization may make for a streamlined appearance in an organizational chart; however, it limits the scope of a non-profi t’s ability to leverage signifi cant community resources. By contrast, diverse, multilayered volunteer engagement experiences – built on the abilities and interests of the volunteer, as they align with the overriding mission and goals of the non-profi t organization – can address a host of discrete purposes within an organization.

– Rehnborg

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MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENTTo help organizations achieve the meaningful engagement that Rehnborg described, Volunteer Canada created the Canadian Code

of Volunteer Involvement (2012). This series of 12 standards help guide organizations with specifi c criteria for developing and retaining

the best team. The following is a condensed version of the full list and highlights the elements that are most applicable to the Canadian Red Cross context.

● Human Resources ○ The defi nition of ‘team’ should

not be limited to those within the organization who are paid. Involved and informed volunteers who feel part of the organization are far more likely to continue contributing their valuable time and skills.

Individuals are engaged according to their abilities, skills, and talents as part of a ‘one workforce’ approach, whether they are paid or unpaid

Staff are given training and support to engage and work effectively with volunteers

Input from volunteers is welcomed and solicited for the organization’s planning and evaluation

Volunteers are encouraged to develop within the organization

Volunteers are included as equal members of the team

● Policies and Procedures ○ The organization’s planning process

incorporates volunteer involvement

● Volunteer Administration ○ Regardless of whether they are paid

staff members or volunteers, managers of volunteer resources should have the necessary skills, experience, and support to do the job well

The organization has a clearly

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designated individual(s) with appropriate qualifi cations responsible for volunteer involvement

Professional development opportunities are provided on a regular basis

The performance of the designated person is reviewed regularly and includes feedback from both staff and volunteers

● Volunteer Roles ○ Volunteer roles should be linked to the

organization’s mission Volunteer roles contribute to

the mission or purpose of the organization and involve volunteers in meaningful ways that refl ect the skills, interests, needs, and background of the individual

Volunteers and staff are consulted when developing new roles

● Recruitment ○ Various techniques are used to recruit

volunteers including making use of current technology-based and social media tools

● Support and supervision ○ Volunteers are given and encouraged

to use mechanisms for providing input to the organization

● Records Management ○ With appropriate agreement,

testimonials about volunteer involvement are shared within the organization to promote volunteer involvement

● Technology ○ Information for recruitment, intake,

communication, and support is made available through online technology, pending capacity and resources

Sources: Volunteer Canada

THE VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT FRAMEWORKEngaging any personnel is a signifi cant investment. In order to ensure a substantial return on this investment an organization needs to ensure that volunteers are meaningfully engaged and interested in remaining with the organization. Rehnborg proposes that the pre-requisites to engaging volunteers are to recognize the reasons

behind why they volunteer and their level of

time commitment.

In An Executive Director’s Guide to Maximizing Volunteer Engagement (2009), Rehnborg describes that most people either volunteer because they wish to be affi liated

with an organization and/or its cause, or they do so because they are interested in

the specifi c type of work that is available. In addition, volunteers either prefer short

term engagements, or regular ongoing

commitments.

Rehnborg proposes that organizations can use the above understanding to create a variety of positions to fi t people with diverse goals and availabilities through her Volunteer Involvement Framework. Having a variety of meaningful volunteer positions and interested volunteers is only the fi rst step – matching the right individuals to the right

positions is just as crucial. The Framework also uses this understanding to help ensure the best fi t.

Sources: Rehnborg

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The Volunteer Involvement Framework™

Overview of Types of VolunteersCONNECTION TO SERVICE

Affi liation Focus Skill Focus

TIM

E O

F S

ER

VIC

E

Short-term

Episodic

Examples of Service:

● Corporate days of service with work teams ● Weekend house-build by a local service club ● Park clean-up event or trail maintenance ● Work crew for annual event

Traits of Volunteers:

● Strong sense of connection to the cause, work group, club, or organization.

● Generally expects a well-organized event (materials and instructions immediately available to perform task, etc.).

● May be using the service opportunity to investigate a particular organization.

● May be part of a service group or meeting service requirements of a school, workplace, or club.

● May have unrealistic/ naive expectations about the ability to impact clients or long-term work of the organization.

● May prefer to identify with their service club or company rather than the nonprofi t being served.


● A one-time audit of an organization’s fi nances by a professional accountant

● A sports club teaching a youth group a particular skill and hosting youth for an event

● A person opening his/her home for a fundraiser

● A student completing a degree requirement

Traits of Volunteer:

● Seeks a service opportunity tailored specifi cally to engage the volunteer’s unique skill, talent, or resources.

● May be any age, although slightly more likely to be adults with higher levels of skills/education..

● Likely expects mutuality, i.e., a peer-to-peer relationship within the organization (accountant to treasurer; event host to ED; etc.)

● May seek to negotiate timing of service. ● Appreciates recognition that is tailored to the

unique demands of the position. ● May prefer to think of self not as a “volunteer” but

an intern, pro bono consultant, etc.

Long-termOngoing


● Youth mentor ● Troop leader ● Sunday School teacher ● Environmental sustainability advocate ● Hospice visitor ● Park host or docent ● Thrift store manager ● Auxiliary member or trustee


● Committed to the group or organization and the cause or mission it represents.

● Often willing to perform any type of work for the cause, from stuffi ng envelopes to highly sophisticated service delivery.

● May need specialized training to prepare for the service opportunity (e.g., literacy tutoring, etc.)

● May feel a special affi nity to the organization because of past benefi t, family connection, or other personal allegiance.

● May be any age, although age may segment type of cause most likely championed.

● May be ideologically motivated (religious, political, environ¬mental, etc.) to champion a cause or issue.

● Appreciates regular recognition, both formal and informal.

● Often uses personal pronouns to talk about organization (me, we, us, our)

● In addition to strong motivations for service, may well be a key donor


● Pro bono legal counsel ● No-cost medical service by a physician, EMT,

nurse, counselor, etc. ● Volunteer fi re fi ghting ● Loaned executive

● Board member


● Similar to the quadrant to the left in commitment. ● Generally prefers to contribute through skills and

training they bring to the cause or organization. ● May elect to contribute talents through specialized

service or may contribute their time through policy and leadership roles such as board governance, visioning, etc.

● Often expects volunteer management that refl ects the cultural norms of the given specialty or skill.

● Often combines their talent with dedication to the cause, although the talent brought to the cause may supersede an allegiance to the mission.

● May have historical ties to the organization or cause and/or may have a family member (or self) who has benefi ted from the services of organization.

● Expects staff support, assistance with resources necessary to the job, and recognition for work performed.

Source: Rehnborg et al

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MEASURING ENGAGEMENTMEASURING ENGAGEMENTA variety of tools have been developed for the express purpose of measuring youth engagement. One of the more widely cited and utilized resource is the Ladder of Youth Voice, originally developed by UNICEF sociologist Roger Hart (Fletcher, 2008). This tool is widely used by other organizations to measure their existing youth engagement and to chart their progress as they implement engagement initiatives. The authors of this report relied on this tool in the focus groups and survey to gauge the general strengths and weaknesses of youth engagement in the Canadian Red Cross.

● Rung 8: Young people and adults share

decision-making

○ Youth are fully integrated into the work of the organization, and the degree of their leadership varies appropriately with individual merits, the specifi c scenario, and the need of the organization

○ Youth have full equity with adults ○ All are recognized for their impact and

ownership of the outcomes

● Rung 7: Young people lead and initiate

action

○ Young person-driven activities do not include adults in positions of authority – they are there to support youth in passive roles

○ Youth operate in a vacuous situation where the impact of their larger community isn’t recognized by them

○ Young-person driven activities may not be seen with the validity of co-led activities

● Rung 6: Adult-initiated, shared decisions

with young people

○ Youth are at the decision-making table

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when invited and are equal to other members who may be non-youth

○ There isn’t recognition for the specifi c developmental needs or representation opportunities for youth

● Rung 5: Young people consulted and

informed

○ Youth are consulted for input on plans that decision-makers have put together

○ Youth only have the authority that adults grant them, and are subject to adult approval

● Rung 4: Young people assigned and

informed

○ Youth have the opportunity to present thoughts as suggestions only – the decision-maker has the fi nal say on whether or not it is used

○ Adults do not have to let youth impact their decisions

● Rung 3: Young people tokenized

○ Youth are asked for input as a gesture of tokenism, but their ideas are not duly considered

○ Young people are used inconsequentially by adults to reinforce the perception that youth are involved

● Rung 2: Young people are decoration

○ Youth are invited to discussions, but are only there to “decorate” the activity and are not asked for input

○ The presence of youth is treated as all that is necessary without reinforcing active involvement

● Rung 1: Young people are manipulated

○ Youth have no voice in the organization – youth are told what to do without consultation

○ Adults manipulate youth to further their own agendas

It should be noted that the bottom three rungs of the ladder represent non-participation. Additionally, different individuals working in the same organization – or even on the same project – may fi nd themselves at different positions on the ladder.

The top two rungs of the ladder share several similarities and are often confused with one another. The primary distinction between the 7th and 8th rungs is that while youth have

decision-making power and the resources to

carry out their own initiatives at the 7th rung,

they are essentially acting autonomously

from the larger organization, and are not

truly integrated with adults or the larger

organization at a decision-making level.

Sources:

Roger Hart

Adam Fletcher, The Freechild Project

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To ensure that the project is fi rmly grounded in existing organizational frameworks, the authors began the Ideas in Motion process by reviewing the National Youth Engagement Strategy (2008), Western Canada Youth Engagement Framework (2012), Federation Youth Policy (2011), and the Federation Volunteering Policy (2011).

In order to ensure that the research process is evidence-based and is built upon existing best practices, the authors then conducted a literature review on youth engagement and volunteer resources, which has been summarized in the previous section. This allowed the team to develop relevant research questions and indicators for the focus groups and survey.

FOCUS GROUPSIdeas in Motion dialogues engaged 32 youth through six different focus groups and teleconference in four regions. Youth were engaged in dialogue in an open and equal space to determine what is working in our youth programming, what can be improved, and how we can achieve that. The three main aims of the focus groups were:

● To create an open and safe space for youth to share their ideas and feelings towards their volunteer experience, including barriers and improvements

● To provide an aveune for resigned youth volunteers to share why they left the organization

● Create mechanisms to advance the youth engagement agenda

Three focus groups were held in the Lower Mainland Region, while one focus group was held in Prince George and Victoria. Each focus group was an interactive three hour dialogue. Dialogues in Kelowna was divided into fi ve individual interviews.

The “Ideas Café,” adapted from the World Café methodology, was held during the fi rst half of the focus group. It centers around the philosophy of “creating a living network of collaborative dialogue around questions that matter in service of the real work.” Facilitators at various tables posed open-ended discussion questions such as, “what does engagement mean to you?” “How can the Red Cross be the best youth engaging organization in Canada?” “What are the best ways to recognize youth for their

METHODSMETHODS

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accomplishments?” If you are not currently involved with the Red Cross, what are some of the reasons behind you leaving the organization?” Within each café there were three cross-pollinations, where participants exchange tables periodically to enrich the conversation by transporting new ideas and building on those ideas. Notes were taken by note-takers and participants were encouraged to write, scribble, and doodle on blank fl ip-charts lying on their tables. All notes were transcribed into one document from that respective date.

The second half of the focus group comprises two activities. The fi rst was Dotmocrocy, where the following questions were each shown on a fl ipchart:

● What type of roles do you want as a volunteer? (e.g. facilitation, research)

● What type of opportunities do you desire? What type of activities...?

● What skills would you like more opportunities to develop through your involvement?

● What training could help you develop these skills?

● What opportunities not currently available in the CRCS do you wish was available to you?

In the fi rst round, for three minutes at each fl ip chart, small groups visited and brainstormed responses. In the second round the same groups visited each fl ip-chart once more, and after seeing the combined contribution from all of the groups, each participant included a check mark beside the idea(s) they liked best.

In the last activity facilitators asked participants to brainstorm barriers to their full engagement and suggest improvements for opportunities for action, leadership skill development and meaningful engagement.

BC-YUKON YOUTH SURVEYTo capture the input of as many youth as possible, the authors created a web-based survey open to all youth in BC-Yukon between the ages of 15 and 30. The aims of the survey are:

● To serve as a baseline measure of youth engagement close to the time of adoption of the Western Canada Youth Engagement Framework

● To obtain a snapshot on youth volunteer demographics

● To estimate the perceived strength of youth voice

● To identify challenges and opportunities

● To obtain quantitative data as a supplement to the primarily qualitative focus group data

The researchers created a 55-item anonymous survey hosted on Google Docs. To advertise the survey to youth volunteers, the authors compiled a list of programs that currently engaged volunteers and approached program coordinators to obtain contact information of volunteers between the ages of 15 and 30. A Raiser’s Edge search was also conducted to generate a list of volunteers residing in BC with known birth dates yielding ages between 15 and 30. Volunteers marked “resigned” or with end-dates prior to January 1st 2011 were excluded. After cross-referencing with lists provided by program coordinators to remove duplicate entries, volunteers were invited via email to participate in the survey. Program coordinators were also requested to remind volunteers to complete the survey. As an incentive to complete the survey, participants were offered an opportunity to enter a draw for a restaurant gift card. In total, we contacted 370 email addresses known to be BC-Yukon youth, plus 242 addresses from HELP which may contain non-youth.

15

PARTICIPANTS AT FOCUS GROUPS BY REGION

Northern BC (5)

Southern Interior (5)

Lower Mainland (18)

Coastal (4)

16

(Continued from page 20)

A total of 85 responses were received, with 75 responses being from BC-Yukon volunteers between the ages 15 and 30. This yields an estimated response rate of 15.6%. The procedure used to estimate response rate is included in the appendix.

This estimate is likely an underestimate because of the following factors:

● Volunteer list provided by HELP contained an unknown number of non-youth volunteers.

● It is unknown how many email addresses are current. Even if the address did not result in a bounced email, it may no longer be the primary account monitored by the user.

● It is unknown how many volunteers marked “active” are in fact active. Volunteers who are marked active but have not volunteered for extended periods

of time may not see the survey as relevant to them.

Two additional factors may have affected response rate:

● A satisfaction survey was previously distributed in February 2012.

● Summer vacation may decrease regular access to email

DEMOGRAPHICS AT A GLANCE

● Average age: 23.2

● Gender ○ Female 73.3% ○ Male 26.7%

● Regions ○ Northern 11% ○ S. Interior 5% ○ Coastal 13% ○ LMR 71%

● Avg. length of involvement: 2.7 years

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Ambassador

Raiser's Edge

Regional Council

Intro to the Movement

Public Affairs

Reception

SmartStart

Family Support

RespectED

Detention Monitoring

Restoring Family Links

First Contact

Fund Development

HELP

Disaster Management

HIPromo

Survey Respondents by Program

17

Ideas in Motion dialogues engaged 33 youth through six different focus groups in four regions. At the focus groups, youth were engaged in dialogue in an open and equal space in order to determine what is working in our Red Cross youth programming, what can be improved, and how we can achieve that. This summary will discuss the largest themes and ideas that emerged from across the province. These include why youth volunteer for the Red Cross, common barriers to volunteering that are currently unaddressed, and needs to improve their experience at the Red Cross.

Youth volunteers are involved in the

Canadian Red Cross for a number of different

reasons. Most commonly youth want to develop skills and receive training for career

development. Skills desired by youth include leadership, facilitation and public speaking, media-training, planning and professional skills. Youth felt both online and in-person workshops, experiential learning, and guest speakers would help them develop these skills and prepare youth to fulfi ll non-youth specifi c roles. See the Dotmocracy section for the full list of desired skills and training.

Furthermore, the Red Cross movement and its ideals to make a difference have also engaged youth to become volunteers.

Across all focus groups youth generally had very positive feedback about the organization

and their respective program or department. “The staff are awesome,” “I like the support from staff and experienced volunteers,” “there are transferable skills and applicable skills” “leadership and supervisors are open-minded allowing room to develop space to be creative,” and “relatable, approachable to current events.”

Volunteers had a range of different experiences, as some are heard and others felt they have no voice. Many youth felt the organization is too staff-centric. Voluntary Service, a fundamental principal of the Red Cross movement, it is not always perceived as being valued by staff. “Two locked doors physically separate staff and volunteers” in the Lower Mainland offi ce. “There is not enough trust of volunteers.” Common solutions to this is to give more appropriate training to volunteers in order to be given ownership over their projects and tasks, and

FOCUS GROUP SUMMARYFOCUS GROUP SUMMARY

18

allocate organized offi ce hours for volunteers to drop-in to have informal conversations with their supervisors.

The organization is perceived has being “old” and has not evolved with the times. There is tough competition to engage youth between organizations, such as Me to We. In order to evolve and be relevant to the youth demographic the organization needs to “get young.” Some key points to achieve this were faster uptake of new trends such as social media, to utilize the internet and improve our website, and seek out other avenues where youth can be consulted for input, and to link to mobile phones.

When discussing barriers to engagement, youth frequently suggested the need for an online collaborative space. Youth outlined how an online space would meet several needs; fi rstly, this space would help the organization evolve with the current technology. As young people are already linked into their personal electronics and internet this space would allow volunteers to network and create new creative pathways for volunteering and creative opportunities. Secondly, youth desired a broader connection in the organization. This included inter-departmental connections to other volunteers provincially, nationally and internationally. This space would allow these connections and networking to be achieved.

Furthermore, this space would allow rural volunteers to connect with urban volunteers to advance programs and geographically equalize opportunities. Volunteers and staff can post opportunities online, and share resources and knowledge so that it is accessible to all volunteers from all departments.

Youth want to be in “an organization where there isn’t anywhere on the organizational chart that youth cannot be. Youth can be

embedded at all levels and in all aspects of

the organization.” They want their skills sets and knowledge to be recognized and utilized. Youth have unique skills and backgrounds that can contribute moving the organization forward. Energy and fresh ideas can innovate change.

The culture of the Red Cross is not entirely

open to youth. “Many programs in the RC simply don’t want youth to be involved.” “Youth are phased out or forced to retire; youth may seem opportunity or have an idea but it won’t happen. There is no staff support or funding.” we need to get over our traditional views of youth and create avenues for them to take initiative and implement ideas to create new opportunities. Youth want to be fully engaged “Engagement means being really involved. You are engaged in growing, changing and making the organization better.”

19

Youth want more opportunities for

advancement and more awareness of

opportunities, and they want to ensure these opportunities are accessible to them. “As potentials grow, opportunities don’t.” Volunteers go through extensive training in programs such as HIP and DM, and develop a valuable skill-set and knowledge base; however volunteers can only go so far before the challenging and interesting opportunities end. Unfortunately, we lose highly skilled and valuable volunteers. “I’d like something that leads to greater involvement,” “local involvement that goes on to international involvement.” Moreover, Red Cross needs to “facilitate presentations to encourage youth volunteers to get onto council, zone council and all levels of governance,” in order to achieve proper youth engagement. Youth “only know what they are told” and fi nd it challenging to seek out new opportunities. Suggestions to improve opportunities to advance include more leadership positions, being presented with projects youth have an interest in, travel both domestically and internationally, etc.

Travel was a very popular theme amongst all the focus groups. Youth felt it was important to have prestigious opportunities to work towards. Respondents cited international opportunities such as conferences, exchanges, delegate positions, and internships would be benefi cial to their personal and professional development. Also, domestic travel opportunities such as provincial and cross- Canada projects and conferences were a popular suggestion. Not only does this give volunteers more incentive to put more effort in their locally volunteering, but can be a great way to retain and recruit youth.

Youth want more ways to connect with

other volunteers in the organization. In order to feel connected to the organization youth want to interact and work with other

volunteers at the regional, provincial, national and international level. Mainly they want to connect with other youth volunteers. Networking was a common need. Suggestions to meet this need are through different social activities, conferences, more regular training and through an online collaborative space.

In all regions, especially BC Southern Interior and Northern BC and Yukon, youth felt it was very important to work with other youth. The suggestion of a “youth branch” was repeatedly mentioned in different forms. Projects based on humanitarian and health topics, organized by youth for other youth in the community and local schools were strong desire.

Youth reported a lack of inter-departmental

collaboration. In the Lower Mainland “it is like there are fi ve different organizations working in one building.” Youth feel the silos that divide each department needs to be overcome. “Different departments have different people, and don’t always communicate with each other.” Youth want to connect and work with other departments and programs. “As a volunteer, you don’t know what other programs are doing.” There is a lack of specifi c information about other programs and opportunities and how to actually get involved. At the beginning of each focus group where there were more than one program represented, volunteers would always be intrigued by the other programs and would ask detailed questions about engagement and involvement. There is a defi nite desire to be cross-trained in multiple departments and to be advertised these opportunities.

A lack of transparency is evident, “certain people were selected to do certain tasks such as facilitator training on unclear criteria. Others had never heard of the opportunity, even though they may have had an interest in the area for a long time, or may

20

be more skilled for the task.” Youth want to be presented with detailed opportunities, training, and roles and positions that are available. Furthermore, youth recommended that being cross-trained in more than one program would benefi t the organization. Strong cross-departmental connections will move the organization forward.

Youth felt it is important to recruit more youth into the organization. They had many strong ideas on how to successfully recruit. By recruiting more youth the existing youth can “feel more motivated to volunteer.”

Youth want a greater variety of opportunities

in terms of amount of commitment required. Red Cross youth from different programs have received different levels of training, are interested in different topics, and have different schedules. Therefore, youth “need different opportunities for different people, at different levels of commitment and responsibility.” Moreover, youth felt fl exible volunteering through time-bound projects, weekend and evening volunteering, and opportunities to volunteer from home would benefi t their engagement. “There’s not always a lot of opportunities within the Red Cross unless you’re incredibly qualifi ed.” “Youth may be able to the job well, but they can’t compete with older, more experience individuals, Youth want opportunities to advance in the organization,” Furthermore, youth continuously suggested that there needs to be a greater Red Cross presence on post-secondary and high school campuses. Support and communication for Red Cross clubs would not only increase opportunities, but also achieve brand recognition.

Youth from across the province expressed strong interest in the Humanitarian Issues

Promotion programming. Many volunteers study similar topics in post-secondary programs and/or have traveled abroad, therefore they feel passionate about these

humanitarian causes. Youth from the regions of Coastal, BC Southern Interior, and Northern BC and Yukon feel the lack of HIP presence is a geographic inequality. There is strong interest for HIP working groups, and community and school outreach. See Interest Level for Programs graphs for regional distribution.

Youth want more ownership and

opportunities for input, which needs to actually be incorporated. You want to be consulted and have their input valued, “there is no opportunity for input.” Also, youth want to contribute input past just youth engagement; they are also interested in larger topics such as brand recognition, volunteer resources, and the nature of organization. Ownership was one word that consistently was repeated. Ownership over their programs and projects was an important engagement factor. “I want more opportunities to lead my own programs,”

This section is only a summary of six focus groups; anonymous and non-identifi able focus group notes by region are available upon request. Also, more focus group themes and how the Red Cross can move forward on youth engagement is available in the recommendation section.

21

Staff working with youth can do

Youth can do

What the organization can do

●Staff delegate ‘good

tasks’

● Staff should trust volunteer’s ideas

● More internships

● Gain skills and experience

● “Offi ce hours” for volunteers

● Access to information

● Frequency of events/trainings

● Training opportunities

●Networking

● Youth in senior decision-making

● Youth promoted newsletter

●More youth working groups

● Learn how to fundraise

● Leadership working group(fi nd youth grants, opportunities, & organizesocials)

● Online list of volunteer opportunities

● Wide spectrum of volunteerism

● Awareness of department structure

● Specialization

● Why can’t things be supported more through volunteers

● Social Events

● A “place” to fi nd volunteer opportunities

● Lack of trust of volunteers i.e. everything has to go through staff.

● Cultural shift- training for staff to work with volunteers

● Geographically equalize opportunities

● Red Cross volunteer fair

● Mentorship programs

● Improved communication

● Branch newsletter

● “humanity nights” (like green drinks)

● Retreats to build relationships between and

within staff and volunteers

● Transparency

● do all opportunities need to be pegged to staff

time

● Lack of awareness to opportunities

22

Th

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.

23

SURVEY ANALYSIS: MULTIPLE CHOICESURVEY ANALYSIS: MULTIPLE CHOICELADDER OF YOUTH VOICEOne of the key tools the researchers relied on for the survey was the Ladder of Youth Voice. All survey respondents were asked where they saw themselves on the Ladder of Youth Voice in the context of the Canadian Red Cross.

Rung 1 Youth have no voice in the organization. Youth are told what to do without consultation.

Rung 2 Youth are invited to discussions, but are only there to "decorate" the activity and are not asked for

input.

Rung 3 Youth are asked for input as a gesture of tokenism, but their ideas are not duly considered.

Rung 4 Youth have the opportunity to present thoughts as suggestions only. The decision-maker has the

fi nal say on whether or not it is used.

Rung 5 Youth are consulted for input on plans that decision-makers have put together.

Rung 6 Youth are at the decision-making table and are equal to other members who may be non-youth.

Rung 7 Youth are the driver of activities. Non-youth are present to support the work of youth.

Rung 8 Youth are fully integrated into the work of the organization, and the degree of their leadership

varies appropriately with individual merits, the specifi c scenario, and the need of the organization.

4.0%2.7%

5.3%

33.3%

16.0%13.3%

6.7%

16.0%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Rung 1 Rung 2 Rung 3 Rung 4 Rung 5 Rung 6 Rung 7 Rung 8

Ladder of Youth Voice

24

A selection of key questions from the survey is explored here through the concept of the Ladder of Youth Voice. The questions have been ranked according to their relative position on the ladder; questions that investigated a very basic level of engagement – such as, “I feel that I am making a difference” – are ranked lower than questions that evaluated decision-making power and ownership. In very general terms, the questions that ranked lower on the ladder were answered quite positively, while the questions that elicited more negative responses were generally higher up the ladder, and thus measured more in-depth factors of youth engagement.

I often participate in decision-making

regarding major program decisions

Only 25% of youth respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I often participate in decision-making regarding major program decisions.”

I feel I have ownership over the program that

I am engaged in

Only 52% of youth felt that they had ownership over the program that they were engaged with.

I am satisfi ed with the available opportunities

to advance in the Canadian Red Cross

80% of respondents said that having “opportunities to advance in the organization”

was an important factor for them to feel engaged in the organization, but only 39% of youth agreed with the statement, “I am satisfi ed with the available opportunities to advance in the Canadian Red Cross.”

I am being engaged at my full potential in

terms of the skills and knowledge I have to

offer

Only half of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I am being engaged at my full potential in terms of the skills and knowledge I have to offer.”

My opinions and ideas are heard and valued

73% of respondents feel that their opinions and ideas are heard and valued.

I feel comfortable expressing opinions and

ideas in my position

Over 80% of youth reported feeling comfortable expressing opinions and ideas.

I have freedom in deciding how to carry out

my work and assignments

85% of respondents feel that they have freedom in deciding how to carry out their tasks.

I feel that I am making a difference

87% of respondents feel that they are making a difference.

25

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTIONIn general, survey respondents throughout the province are most interested in Disaster

Management and Humanitarian Issues

Promotion. A very signifi cant portion of respondents from throughout the province have not heard of the SmartStart program, including the Lower Mainland Region, where the program is located. It is especially noteworthy that while Disaster Management

and Health Equipment Loans Program are

the most consistently available programs

throughout the province, other programs

also draw interest in areas where they are

not available.

Please note that due to small sample sizes, data from Coastal, Southern Interior, and Northern Regions should be used to show general sentiments rather than establish fi rm statistical conclusions.

Regardless of geographic location, the majority of respondent are interested in opportunities to participate in teleconference working groups with members from

throughout the province. However, it is interesting to note that the three regions

with lower program diversity all had higher

proportions of respondents who are

interested in teleconference working groups

than the Lower Mainland Region.

87% 85%80%

73%

50%

39%

52%

25%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

% P

osit

ive

Res

pon

ses

Ladder of Youth Voice26

9.4%

23.1%

24.5%

24.5%

35.8%

40.4%

50.9%

63.5%

69.8%

35.8%

30.8%

30.2%

41.5%

24.5%

26.9%

32.1%

30.8%

17.0%

30.8%

26.4%

18.9%

13.2%

19.2%

18.9%

39.6%

20.8%

15.1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

SmartStart

Fund Development

HELP

Family Support


Public Affairs

First Contact

DM

HIPromo

Interest Level in Programs: LMR Respondants

Very interested Somewhat interested Not very interested Not at all interested I have not heard of this program

10%

10%

30%

30%

30%

40%

60%

100%

10%

20%

30%

20%

20%

30%

20%

30%

10%

60%

40%

40%

40%

20%

10.0%

80%

10%

60%

10%

20%

10%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

SmartStart

Fund Development

Family Support

First Contact

HELP

Public Affairs


HIPromo

DM

Interest Level in Programs: Coastal Respondants


12.5%

12.5%

12.5%

25.0%

25.0%

37.5%

37.5%

50.0%

62.5%

25.0%

25.0%

37.5%

50.0%

50.0%

37.5%

50.0%

37.5%

37.5%

12.5%

12.5%

25.0%

25.0%

62.5%

50.0%

37.5%

25.0%

12.5%

12.5%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

SmartStart

First Contact


Family Support

Fund Development

HELP

Public Affairs

HIPromo

DM

Interest Level in Programs: Northern Respondants


27

25%

50%

75%

75%

100%

25%

25%

50%

100%

25%

25%

25%

50%

25%

50%

25%

75%

50%

25%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

SmartStart

First Contact

HELP

Family Support


Fund Development

Public Affairs

HIPromo

DM

Interest Level in Programs: Southern Interior Respondants


Northern BC

Southern Interior

Lower Mainland

Coastal

Disaster Management

HIPromo

Fund Development

Public Affairs


Family Support

HELP

First Contact

SmartStart

86.8%

83%

60%

60%

94.3%

90%

87.5%

100% 100%

100%

100%75%

100%100%

67.3%

87.5%

28

TRAINING & SKILL DEVELOPMENTIn general, survey respondents throughout the province are very satisfi ed with the

amount of training that they receive as well

as the quality of their training. Through written responses reported in the next section, many participants reported interest

in a formal mentorship program despite the high satisfaction reported through multiple choice. This may be due to the interpretation of the multiple choice question as referring to mentorship provided by their supervisor.

24%

43%

54%

53%

48%

34%

17%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Amount of Mentorship

Have Appropriate Training

Training is Valuable

Training & Skill Development

Strongly agree

Agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Not sure/ Not Applicable

57.7%

66.7%

70.0%

75.0%

42.3%

33.3%

30.0%

25.0%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

LMR

SI

Coastal

Northern

Interest in Teleconference Working Groups

Yes

No

29

JOB SATISFACTIONOverall, survey respondents responded very positively to questions measuring satisfaction. This may indicate that most volunteers have very good working relationships with their supervisors.

AGE-BASED DISCRIMINATIONThe authors of the report posed the question “Have you ever experienced age-based discrimination at the Red Cross?” Of the 74

respondents to this question, only 16% of

youth reported having ever experienced

age-based discrimination. However, further analysis revealed a statistically signifi cant

difference of 2.16 years between the average

length of involvement of those youth who

have experienced discrimination and those

who have not.

While the youth who reported experiencing ageism are clearly in the minority, there is a signifi cant association between length of

involvement and experiencing ageism. This may represent the phenomenon where youth who have been involved for shorter lengths of time occupy positions with lower levels of responsibilities and therefore interact with less people. Leadership volunteers and staff may also play an active role in preventing

those who they supervise from being exposed to ageism.

Alternately, this may also represent that as the length of involvement increases, the youth volunteer develops greater ownership of the organization and begin to expect an increased amount of voice as depicted earlier on the Ladder of Youth Voice. They may be actively seeking opportunities for advancement and participation in decision-making and they may be encountering resistance while doing so.

These factors may certainly co-exist and contribute to the same observed phenomenon. Regardless of the precise mechanism, this

observation is cause for concern and action,

as it disproportionately affects the very type

of volunteers that are most valuable to the

organization – those that have invested the most in the organization have likely in turn benefi ted from the most investment from the organization.

15%

15%

20%

23%

25%

25%

31%

32%

35%

41%

41%

45%

65%

60%

45%

48%

52%

39%

52%

44%

19%

16%

15%

16%

13%

11%

17%

11%

19%

20%

11%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Communication from staff and board

Opportunities to Socialize

Valued

Recognized

Adequate Feedback

Communication to perosnnel

Fit with my schedule

Culture open to youth

Tools and Information

Supervisor Support

Job Satisfaction

Strongly agree

Agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Not sure/ Not Applicable

30

2.34

4.50

0

1

2

3

4

5

seYoN

Year

sExperience of Age-based

discrimination vs. years of

involvement

n = 74 p < 0.05

31

SURVEY ANALYSIS: WRITTEN RESPONSESSURVEY ANALYSIS: WRITTEN RESPONSES Youth are not a homogenous group – every youth volunteer will have their own interests, and own skill sets just like all non-youth volunteers do. It would be an over generalization and a detriment to the Red Cross to treat them all the same. While there are commonalities, as this survey will likely demonstrate, asking youth what they are interested in, instead of simply assuming their age will dictate their interests is key.

“

”CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS TO YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

Time

Many youth volunteers are in full time study or

employment. A lack of daytime availabilities poses challenges especially for involvement in programs such as HELP, which has defi ned

hours of operations for depots. As a result, some suggested that weekend opportunities

are more accessible. Some volunteers have reported that they left the organization because of this challenge.

“The offi ce is far from where I live. The truth is that I wouldn’t have been able to take this internship at all if I didn’t have fi nancial support...during this time. If I’d had to pay all of my living expenses, a 16-hour/week internship would NOT have been an option.”

“This was a truly enriching opportunity for me, and it’s led me to other great things. It’s sort of in the nature of this particular position that it requires a lot of time since you become an integral part of a team that has to achieve high standards and meet tight deadlines. Nonetheless, it is unfortunate that this great position is not a viable option for someone who wants to get the experience, but can’t afford to work this many hours for free.”

Lack of opportunities

Many youth reported that they reached a point in their involvement where there are no more opportunities in the fi eld that they

are most interested in. Some reported that after looking into the opportunities in other parts of the organization, they found that the opportunities available are either not interesting to them or require skills that they

do not have. Other youth are concerned about a lack of variety in positions with different amounts of time commitments or level of responsibilities. Some report that they are actively being “phased out” of their program. As some programs have mostly opportunities that are time-bound, volunteers fi nishing one engagement often feel lost. Some respondents who have left the organization identifi ed a lack of opportunities as a reason for their departure.

“After a certain point there is limited opportunity to continue with the organization. There is a clear path from Youth TAP participant to Resource Leader to Co-Chair/Coordinator that many have taken. However, beyond the role of Co-Chair/Coordinator it appears the next feasible time to continue with the Red Cross is after graduation from university when you can work for the organization.”

“In the past year there has been no

32

opportunity for deployment. I understand that my location provides a barrier, however, why recruit a team in ... if we are not going to be used.”

Lack of awareness of opportunities

Some respondents cited concerns around not knowing where to look for new opportunities, and not being informed on the needs of

various programs. Some are also concerned that not everyone has equal access to

information about new opportunities. Some have also identifi ed this lack of awareness as their reason for leaving the organization.

“There is no system with postings that allow me to become involved year round. I have been involved in two large events but after the events were done, my role was also done. I took it upon myself to seek new opportunities and have yet to engage in one fully.”

“I also fi nd those that have made a reputation for themselves or one that has been very involved would be approached and those that haven’t been would drop off into the background thus people will use their time to another organization and cause.”

Barrier between staff and volunteers

“I feel there is a prominent barrier between ‘staff’ and ‘volunteers.’ Physical barriers, such as having several locked doors through which I require an escort makes it seem comparable to that of a jail. I feel the fact

that I am a ‘volunteer’ makes me a second-

class member of the organization.”

“I believe there is slight confl ict between volunteers and hired-certifi ed individuals. Both work for Red Cross, but volunteers

get treated with less respect and

acknowledgment due to limited background in their respective positions. That goes for volunteers, not just youth.”

“I don’t think the organization is utilizing all my skills to my full potential. I think trust

is standing in the way between staff and

volunteers. By giving more autonomy I think a lot of great youth ideas and projects can be implemented.”

Organizational challenges

Some youth have grown frustrated with their perception of bureaucracy within the organization. This can include tedious

intake and training process, confl icting

communication from various levels of the organization, lack of interest in new ideas, and heavy focus on the budget and bottom

lines. Some former volunteers have identifi ed some of the above factors as their reason for departure.

Intimidated

Some volunteers are interested in learning new skills by connecting with more experienced personnel, but are reluctant to approach the individual without more encouragement.

Do not feel valued

“I often feel that my time is not valued. I am a professional and often decline working more to allow me to volunteer at the Red Cross. There have been moments where I have been

addressed in such a condescending manner

where I have considered leaving. I realize individuals cope with stress differently, but I would expect that in an offi ce setting this would not be the case.”

Some additional factors for leaving the organization

● Drawn to more grassroots or less neutral

organizations

● Not enough programs targeting older

youth

● Changes to program structure or direction

● Personal direction

33

OPPORTUNITIES AND SOLUTIONS FOR BETTER YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

Skills and training that youth would like to have

The surveyed youth reported a wide variety of skills that they would like to develop in order to further their capacity to contribute to the organization. Responses are summarized below.

Leadership

● Teamwork and group dynamics ● Confl ict resolution ● Coordination ● Supervision & management

Communication

● Media Relations ● Public Speaking & Presentations ● Facilitation skills ● Writing ● Language ● Cross-cultural communication

First Aid

● First aid training

Personal Development

● Professionalism ● Networking ● Problem solving

● Social Skills ● Confi dence ● Empathy

Organization

● Event planning ● Project management ● Fund Development ● Donor relations ● Grant writing

Service

● Customer Service Skills ● Working with children and youth ● Working with diversity ● Communicating with people with mental

health concerns ● Grief counseling skills ● Job specifi c training

Disaster Management

● Municipal disasters ● Logistics ● Psychosocial skills

Administration

● Offi ce skills ● Accounting ● Computer ● Raiser’s Edge

34

Training

● Workshop & curriculum development

● Teaching

Marketing

● Graphic design

● Marketing & promotional skills

Others

● Red Cross organizational structure and departments

● International Humanitarian Law

● Youth Engagement

● Aboriginal engagement

Opportunities youth wish were available

Employment

Youth are interested in more entry level positions available for younger people

with fresh ideas. This includes more positions available for recent graduates

that have previous experience, as well as opportunities based on experience and not solely education level. The opportunity to develop skills necessary for employment is also valued.

“I would love to have more specifi c skills that would give me an advantage in fi nding employment. Specifi cally for me, I’m interested in the hard skills of gaining experience with computer programs specifi c to the non-profi t industry (possibly raiser’s edge...?) or doing something with more responsibility than I already have.”

Humanitarian issues

Many youth show interest in local, national, and international humanitarian issues, as these are often the reasons why they joined

the organization. They are particularly interested in more issue-based campaigns.

Access and awareness

Many youth lack access to opportunities that they are interested in, as opportunities are

often limited to HELP and DM outside of the

large urban centres. Some youth also wish for more awareness about new opportunities.

“I wish there was a system for current volunteers to look to for postings for volunteer position within other departments. I feel that I only hear of positions within the HIP program but I would like to expand my knowledge and learn and work with other departments as well. Also, there are times when I hear of volunteers who I have worked with who have new leadership positions within the Red Cross, and I never knew that there was a posting for that position. I would love to stay involved with the Red Cross but I fi nd it hard to keep up since I am always emailing my mentor to fi nd out about new positions.”

Access to international opportunities

International opportunities such as deployments and career opportunities are interesting to many youth. Many want for more connection with the International Red Cross Movement.

Involvement in multiple programs

While youth are interested in cross-training, some are either unaware of other

opportunities or deterred by the thought of needing to go through another application

process.

“I think the opportunities offered are great, but I would’ve liked to have had more exposure to them in the programs I’ve been involved with, and would like to hear more about potentially getting involved with other programs.”

35

More connection with the rest of the organization

Some youth are interested in the opportunity to work with other staff and volunteers beyond those in their immediate group. One volunteer reported that when their supervisor

helps connect them with people from other

departments or arrange access to resources

such as WZ listserv, it gives them access to more opportunities. Youth also want to receive training from other departments.

“...more opportunities to learn about other programs and be trained by the Red Cross ‘experts.’ For example, when talking about natural disasters it would be great if someone from Disaster Management who had experienced a disaster was able to talk to youth, or someone from First Contact to talk about refugee issues.”

Other Ideas

● The opportunity for volunteer-headed projects such as youth recruitment strategies, led by youth with the assistance of staff

● Opportunities for youth in governance to ensure that the youth voice is heard

● More programs for older youth

● More networking opportunities with other youth at different levels in the organization

Retaining youth personnel

More opportunities

Many youth volunteers value opportunities

for growth into new and more challenging

roles, as well as the opportunity to take

initiative in projects. Many are also looking for employment opportunities. In order to know that the organization is making space for youth, respondents would like to see both volunteer and staff openings fi lled with

youth. In order to meet the needs of youth, the opportunities need to be from a variety of departments and level of responsibility. Youth are also interested in having access

to opportunities at varying levels of time

commitment, including ones that are short-term or low time commitment. Many youth volunteers would like access to a comprehensive online listing of opportunities that is consistently used.

“By having more opportunities for them to be involved in the programs they are immediately interested in. If HIP had programs focused towards university students I feel as though more youth would remain within the organization instead of being lost to others. We put so much time and effort into programs like symposium/HSB where talented and driven youth become so involved and excited but leave them with a bottleneck when it comes to opportunities to stay with the Red

36

Cross. In terms of “return on investment” this can be so much more effi cient and benefi cial to the organization. When youth who have been with the organization since high school and continue to feel as though there are new and exciting ways to use their skills, talents and passion, this is excellent for both the Red Cross and for the youth themselves. Feeling wanted and appreciated allows people to put in their best effort and produces great results.”

Meaningful opportunities for input

The opportunity to regularly provide input

and participate in program evaluations is appealing to many youth volunteers. In order for this to be successful, participants noted that there must be willingness to seriously

consider incorporating the input, with the possibility of devoting funding to new ideas. Opportunities for input are also viewed by many youth as an important way to show recognition.

“Talk to youth and actually incorporate their ideas into our organization – this means being open to change, not just hoping that their opinions back up existing operational plans.”

Mentorship opportunities

Both youth volunteers and staff look for someone who can help them understand how

the organization works, and to help connect

them with opportunities for growth.

“Volunteers need a ‘go-to’ person who can help them navigate the CRC, and who can connect them to the opportunities that fi t their needs. Someone who can ‘check-in’ with the volunteer every so often to see how things are going, and pass on opportunities as they arise.”

Meaningful work

When giving their time, many youth volunteers want to be engaged in issues that

are relevant to them. There is an expectation that there will be suffi cient quantity of work

for them to do, and that there will be clear

objectives and expectations.

Flexible engagement

Due to work and school, many youth appreciate fl exible volunteer schedules that are conducive to work-life balance.

“I think the Red Cross could be more lenient sometimes on volunteers not being able to attend mandatory meetings. I have sometimes felt like I could not put university project meeting fi rst because I had to meet at the Red Cross at a certain time.”

Skill and personal development

Some youth volunteers are interested in more frequent and advanced training

37

opportunities that help with personal and skill development.

Social interactions

Social activity is an important way for youth to connect. This can include events such as barbecues, where people from a variety of programs working at different levels and network and socialize. This may help build

stronger communities among personnel, and is viewed by some youth as a good method of recognition.

Ensuring a sense of value by the organization

In order to feel valued, many youth need to feel invested in through skills, knowledge,

and ownership.

“By making them feel valued and engaged in issues that are of interest to THEM, rather than trying to slot them in as any other target demographic. Realize that - unlike any other demographic - youth represent the future personnel capacity of the organization. By investing in them now, you’re building a loyal and dedicated pool from which to source leadership volunteers and staff in later years. All research demonstrates that youth are interested in global issues, rather than many of the other CRC programs (medical equipment loans, for instance) - they perceive us as living within a global community and value that community as much if not more than their immediate one, unlike the older generation. Capitalize on that by continuing to emphasize the international work of the Movement in youth programming.”

Re-engage departed personnel

“...have someone who is not the direct supervisor give a call to volunteers who leave or reduce their participation, to ask why they left and offer some assistance. This has worked surprisingly well for the Toronto School Board in getting young people back to school, and it could work for

the CRC too! (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/tdsb-uses-a-personal-touch-to-bring-dropouts-back-to-school/article4219643/)”

Additional ways to retain youth personnel

● Competitive compensation for staff

● During recruitment, ensure that new volunteers are passionate about the opportunity

● Open to multiculturalism

Recognizing youth personnel

Additional opportunities or responsibilities

Many youth are interested in being recognized with more advanced trainings and roles, the opportunity to mentor new volunteers, being asked for input, or speaking opportunities. The opportunity to see different parts of the organization and to network with staff are also appreciated.

“I would like to be acknowledged with the opportunity to move up and further my experience and skills within the organization.”

Supervisor’s acknowledgement

Recognition coming from “above” is important to many youth volunteers. Many appreciate the opportunity to hear about how their

contribution has made a difference, or to be taken out for thank-you lunches. A lack of recognition is noticeable and may lead to a sense of discouragement.

“A personal thank you from my supervisor means a lot, and he does this often. It would be nice to also have a simple word of recognition from someone higher up the chain - they tend not to talk to me at all unless I approach them with a question. I think they know my name now, but I don’t think they remembered it for the fi rst couple months that I was in the

38

offi ce.”

“I am told through my supervisor that they recognize and appreciate my work, but I have never heard it personally from them even though I...exchange pleasantries with them in the lunchroom every so often. For example, a quick word or one-line e-mail of congratulations when I [secured a signifi cant donation – DETAIL REMOVED FOR PRIVACY]. This would be enough recognition for me.”

Awards and Certifi cates

Youth volunteers often appreciate awards and certifi cates that recognize their time, effort, and dedication. These can also be useful parts of their professional portfolios.

More ideas

● Verbal acknowledgment to let people know that they have done a good job

● “If I ever needed a letter of reference I would like to know that someone at the organization would provide me with one.”

● A written record that can be saved in a volunteer’s fi le as a long-term record

● “I don’t feel a particular need for any more recognition... I suppose all I hope for is the opportunity to continue working at

Red Cross.”

● “I like to have feedback as to what I did that was positive and ideas of how to improve.”

● “I enjoy the prize draw that you enter your name in every time you volunteer for a shift.”

● Some volunteers enjoy being recognized with Red Cross apparel or promotional

items

People who may be an asset to the CRCS and how to get them engaged

Universities

Survey respondents identifi ed a number of

programs at post-secondary institutions that the Red Cross may wish to form partnerships with in order to recruit personnel. Some ideas include:

● Emergency planning students at the Justice Institute of BC

● Simon Fraser University’s Communications Program have opportunities for students to earn credits for fi eld placements

● Nursing programs with community semesters

Highlighting the fact that the Red Cross may serve as a good resume building opportunity

and that there are opportunities beyond the

well-known fi rst aid and aquatics programs

may also help attract youth. Setting up campus clubs may also be helpful, and a support system for these clubs is crucial to their success.

Professionals

Survey respondents also recommended engaging young professionals working in the

areas that the Red Cross is looking to become

active in. Other useful skills include graphics

design, marketing, and public affairs.

“Connect with professional or student videographers and photographers to get professional coverage of major events. Our events are often poorly documented making creative promotional material diffi cult to produce.”

High Schools

“Students/youth, since they will be the future. Red Cross is already offering plenty of opportunities for the youth community. Perhaps Red Cross can also visit schools to introduce students to what the organization does and how they can help. The visits we had from fi re-fi ghters, youth workers, etc. in elementary school had certain infl uence on both our education and our personal growth.”

39

Other organizations

Survey respondents recommended that the organization makes connection with other youth organizations. Benefi ts of these connections can include skill sharing

and learning best practices around youth

engagement and retention.

“We really need to work on positioning our organization as a key player in the Canadian NGO industry - we need appear dynamic, relevant, bright. In order to do this... we need to be IN the community - going to events, partnering with companies and organizations, better using twitter, Facebook etc. - and our website REALLY needs an upgrade.”

Cultural and religious communities

Reach out to various cultural communities such as the Aboriginal communities, as well as various faith-based communities.

● Additional ideas ○ Set up events around schools and

anywhere youth are ○ Advertise volunteer opportunities

the way donation opportunities are advertised

40

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONSAny initiatives aimed at engaging youth should have the following characteristics:

● Engage Red Cross youth in the planning and development process

● Include youth in a regular evaluation process

● NOT be exclusive to youth

● Provide youth with opportunities to work with staff and volunteers from other age-groups and departments

● Be evidence-based

Leadership & Skill Development

Increase skill and knowledge development training and create a centralized online course listing and registration system that is open to volunteers and staff of all departments

One need that was repeatedly voiced in the survey and focus groups was more

opportunities for professional development,

training, and skills development. Some respondents desired very specifi c training, while many were eager for any opportunity to expand their understanding and knowledge of Red Cross programs and activities, relevant humanitarian issues, or any variety of useful

skills. To meet this need, the report authors suggest developing a series of workshops

and courses for personnel to gain new skills

and increase their knowledge and capacity.

The authors further recommend that youth

personnel play a major role in the planning

and development of workshops and courses. Survey results provided earlier in this report gives an indication on the skills and training that youth volunteers would like more opportunities to develop. This information, along with the National Youth Engagement

Advisory Committee’s Leadership Skills

Development Working Group Report on existing CRCS training materials and gaps can be used to inform the development of new training.

One element of this concept could involve a regular speaker series open to all members

of the organization. This series could also serve as a forum for youth returning from

international society conferences or training

to share their new knowledge and skills.

While the training described would be instrumental in capacity development for youth volunteers, it would also similarly benefi t non-youth as well as staff members. The authors therefore recommend that

41

such training be open to all personnel, with

a portion of seats reserved for youth. This also serves to increase interactions between

various departments, and to break down any

real or perceived barriers between staff and

volunteers. To improve access for individuals in rural or remote locations, workshops

would be live-streamed to offi ces with video conferencing capabilities across BC and the

Yukon.

To modernize access to training, an online

listing and registration system would allow personnel to view and register for available workshops. This centralized listing would include any new trainings to be developed as well as currently existing training from all departments. This set up can be used to encourage all departments to benefi t

from each other’s expertise. For example, Humanitarian Issues Promotion’s Facilitator Training Course could be very valuable for volunteers and staff in other departments, including Disaster Management. As Humanitarian Issues Promotions volunteers require the training in order to perform their duties, they would receive priority registration to the training. After HIPromo personnel have registered for seats, any available spaces could be fi lled by personnel in other departments. Not only would this provide access to more professional development for individuals from all programs, this could also encourage more interdepartmental

collaboration and communication. The system could include a waitlist function that would help track demand for workshops.

Workshop participation and training completion would be documented on the individual’s personnel fi le to track skill development and knowledge. Additionally, certifi cates could be issued for the individual’s personal records.

Opportunities for Action

Establish a consistently used central database of all volunteer and employment opportunities from all departments

Many youth personnel reported concerns around a lack of awareness of opportunities both within and outside of their program. In order to keep youth informed of all possibilities available to them, the authors of this report recommend the creation of

a central database of all volunteer and

employment opportunities, which would be accessible to all CRCS volunteers in BC and the Yukon.

This database would include a variety of paid and non-paid opportunities including long-term positions, episodic opportunities, teleconference working groups, and electronic volunteering opportunities. To ensure that this system is both pertinent and equitable, a policy should be adopted

to ensure that positions cannot be fi lled

without fi rst posting the opportunity on the central database.

This system would benefi t all programs by offering the most comprehensive selection of

candidates. It would also enhance retention by inspiring volunteers to envision their long-

term involvement with the organization. By knowing that all opportunities are centrally accessible, volunteers are able to trust that selection for positions are done

in a transparent manner, and that their

involvement with the organization is secure.

Meaningful Engagement

Conduct youth engagement planning processes for each program in order to explore new possibilities in engaging youth

Participants of the focus groups and survey have communicated a strong desire for more

opportunities for meaningful input and

42

more ways to use their skills to contribute to the Red Cross. The authors of this report recommend that each program conducts a youth engagement planning process in order to maximize the availability of meaningful

opportunities and to provide a venue for

input.

To ensure that the outcome of the process addresses the needs of youth, the process needs to be conducted by a committee of

staff and youth volunteers throughout BC-

Yukon. The primary objectives of the process are:

● Creating youth volunteer roles in a variety

of levels of the program, with diverse

degrees of responsibilities and skill

levels, and time commitment ranging from short to long term

● Exploring the possibilities of increasing

the availability of e-volunteering

opportunities to improve engagement

across the BC-Yukon geography

● Creating more opportunities to engage

older youth

● Exploring opportunities to incorporate working groups into the program

In order to create truly meaningful engagement and to maximize the benefi t to the organization, this process should be conducted with the understanding that there

are no jobs that youth volunteers cannot do as long as they have the appropriate skills. The planning committee should utilize tools

such as Rehnborg’s “Executive Director’s

Guide to Maximizing Volunteer Engagement”

to reimagine how volunteers can be engaged

in the program by identifying opportunities and creating specifi c roles and positions.

The Best Team

Create a working group with the goal of developing a training workshop and/or materials for all personnel on how to work with volunteers, with special considerations around youth

Some youth expressed concerns around lack of respect, acknowledgment, and trust from staff, which has not only become a barrier to engagement but also prompted some to consider leaving the organization. The authors recommend the creation of a training workshop on how to work with volunteers, with special considerations around working with youth. This workshop would be intended

for all supervisors of volunteers and youth,

including both youth and non-youth.

As the success of any working relationship depends on the successful integration of perspectives from all stakeholders, this training should be developed by a working

group consisting of staff and volunteers from

throughout BC-Yukon, including both youth

43

and non-youth. The group should review any existing materials currently available within the CRCS and Red Cross Movement, as well as consult best practices and evidence from other organizations and literature.

Create an internal online community consisting of e-profi les to facilitate youth networking and collaboration

“I want to volunteer for a Red Cross where volunteers can be connected.” Many youth voiced their interest in collaborating with

people from other departments. An internal online community where youth can create personal profi les with their skills, training,

projects completed, positions, interests,

and area of expertise can help facilitate dialogues and reduced geographical barriers.

Partnership & Networking

Create a working group with the goal exploring possible partnership with other organizations and post-secondary institutions to improve recruitment and share best practices

Focus group participants and survey respondents identifi ed a variety of post-secondary programs that the organization may make meaningful partnerships with. Volunteers may be able to receive academic

credits as well as have additional time to give

if they are able to connect their volunteering

with their school program. In addition, there may be opportunities to explore around skill

sharing with other organizations.

Communication & Infl uence

Include a youth representative on the BC-Yukon Advisory Committee

The Western Canada Youth Engagement Advisory Framework calls for “opportunities for representation in governance, committees, and advisory bodies.” Zeldin et al demonstrated through research the various benefi ts of engaging youth in decision-making. Youth across BC-Yukon

are interested in more opportunities to have meaningful input into the organization. As the organization has already made youth engagement a national priority, decision-

making bodies need to make space for

youth with expertise in youth engagement. The inclusion of youth in all levels of Red Cross governance and advisory structures is a powerful way to ensure the ongoing

advancement of youth engagement in a

manner that is well integrated with the

organization.

SECONDARY RECOMMENDATIONSCreate a provincial working group to explore the possibility of expanding Humanitarian Issues Promotions to a BC-Yukon mandate

Many youth are drawn to the organization because of its work in humanitarian issues. As Humanitarian Issues Promotion is currently limited to the Lower Mainland Region, youth from across the province are expressing interest in having access to the program. The authors of this report recommend the creation of a working group to explore the

expansion of the HIPromo mandate to BC-

Yukon.

To ensure that all stakeholders are represented, this working group should

include staff and volunteers, especially

youth, throughout BC-Yukon. The aims of the working group may include:

● Conducting an environmental scan to understand the needs and opportunities for Humanitarian Issues Promotion in various communities

● Investigating possible addition to the Humanitarian Issues Promotion org chart

and distribution of responsibilities, giving particular consideration to the creation of volunteer roles

● Identifying additional funding sources and means to ensure sustainability

44

Create internal grants for initiatives developed by youth volunteers

A recurring theme in focus groups and the survey was the lack of funding for new

initiatives. Youth working in programs and services often have ideas on how to improve youth engagement in their program, or new services that their program could offer. While budgetary constraints are a reality

for all organizations and therefore funding for multiple new projects is unrealistic, an

annual commitment of $1000 for new youth

initiatives may be an attainable investment.

Youth throughout BC-Yukon would be encouraged to submit proposals to an

annual competition for a $1000 grant, to be adjudicated by a committee of youth and staff at the provincial level. This grant may be used for a single activity or as start up funding for a new service. This funding is not

intended to replace regular investment into

volunteer resources or youth engagement

by programs, but rather as an adjuvant. This process encourages youth to develop realistic project proposals and to take ownership in securing funding. It also serves as a powerful

method for recognition and fosters a culture

of innovation.

Create a welcome package for new youth volunteers

As a new youth volunteer entering a large organization, it can be an intimidating experience. This anxiety may be alleviated with information on how to navigate the

organization from the perspective of youth. The authors recommend the creation of a working group to assemble a welcome package for new youth volunteers to be distributed upon completion of their intake process.

This package may contain information on the previously mentioned online training registration system, opportunities database, as well as e-profi les. It may also contain

information on existing resources such as redcrossyouth.ca, Red Cross social media presences, as well as the National and Western Youth Engagement Advisory Committees.

Hold regular volunteer conferences to bring volunteers together for the purpose of skill development, networking, and recognition

While most volunteers are interested in interacting with their colleagues from other departments, few have the opportunity to do so. Regular volunteer conferences can not only provide an opportunity for training, it also has the potential to enhance the

unity of the organization. It may also serve as an opportunity for input and recognize

achievements.

Note

Throughout both focus groups and survey, participants brought up the concept of a youth-specifi c program or “youth wing.” The authors would like to clarify some underlying motivations for a youth wing, and explain why we have not included such a program in our recommendations. Based on focus group discussions, youth want more participation in decision-making and leadership; youth felt underrepresented at events such as the AGM and award ceremonies; and youth want more opportunities to work with other youth. The authors believe that our recommendations address these concerns, without having to silo youth in a separate program. Due to the intrinsic design of a youth wing, it is only possible to reach the seventh rung of the Ladder of Youth Voice, since such a program will position youth to carry out their own initiatives at arms length of the organization. Additionally, the goals and vision laid out in the Youth Engagement Strategy and the Western Canada Youth Engagement Framework are to engage and integrate youth at all levels of the organization rather than create youth silos.

45

CLOSING THOUGHTSCLOSING THOUGHTSAt the Global Issues Symposium for Youth, Resource Leaders can often be heard saying that “youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are leaders today.” Many youth are eager for additional training and opportunities to increase their capacity to contribute, while others already possess strong skills and are seeking meaningful engagement. The Ideas in Motion dialogue process has shown that youth play major roles throughout BC-Yukon, and have valuable insight that are instrumental to crafting the way forward for the organization.

Through the IFRC Youth Policy, the National Youth Engagement Strategy, and the Western Canada Youth Engagement Framework, the organization has clearly named youth engagement a national priority. This report consolidated key literature with the voice of Red Cross youth personnel into a series of recommendations that would initiate the fi rst steps to realizing the national priority.

The authors of this report encourage personnel throughout BC-Yukon to continue engaging in dialogues on advancing youth engagement. Informal and formal dialogues with youth should be a regular practice. The data generated by the Ideas in Motion process may be useful to program advisory committees for informing new strategies to advance youth engagement. All the Ideas in Motion resources and materials are available, in the appendix, to be used by any personnel in the Canadian Red Cross to improve youth engagement through similar processes in their own province or region.

The Ideas in Motion project marks the beginning of a process towards true youth engagement. We urge the organization to

continue to invest in youth in order to mobilize their power as a major strategic asset.

Once again the authors of this report would like to thank all survey respondents and focus group participants for their contribution.

If you have any questions about this report or would like to request focus group notes please contact:

Katelyn Jmaeff BC Youth Engagement

[email protected]

Kori Cook Western Zone Representative, National Youth Engagement Advisory Committee

[email protected]

James Liu Former Western Zone Representative, National Youth Engagement Advisory Committee

[email protected]

46

BIBLIOGRAPHYCanadian Red Cross Society. (2008). Youth

Engagement Strategy.

Canadian Red Cross Society. (2012). Western Canada Youth Engagement Framework.

Fletcher, A. (2011). Ladder of youth voice. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from http://www.freechild.org/ladder.htm

Fletcher, A. (2008). Adult allies to young people. Retrieved July 23, 2012 from http://www.freechild.org/allies_of_youth.htm

Hall, M., Lasby, D., Ayer, S. & Gibbons, WD. (2009). Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians: Highlights from the 2007 Canada survey of giving, volunteering and participating. Ottawa, ON, Canada: Ministry responsible for Statistics Canada.

Imagine Canada. (2005). Volunteer Value Calculator. Accessed August 20, 2012 from http://volunteercalculator.imaginecanada.ca/

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (2011). Volunteering Policy.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (2011). Youth Policy.

Kids as Self Advocates. (Date unknown). Who is an adult ally? Retrieved July 23, 2012 from http://fvkasa.org/resources/fi les/group-ally.pdf

Ontario Volunteer Centre Network & Volunteer Canada. (2001). Youth: How can we get them involved? Retrieved June 2, 2012, from http://volunteer.ca/fi les/VOICE7.pdf

PeerNetBC. (2012). The Ally Checklist. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from http://www.peernetbc.com/the-ally-checklist

Pittman, K., Martin, S. & Williams, A. (2007). Core principles for engaging young people in community change. Washington, D.C.: The Forum for Youth Investment, Impact Strategies, Inc.

Rehnborg, S.J., Bailey, W.L., Moore, M. & Sinatra, C. (2009) An Executive Director’s Guide to Maximizing Volunteer Engagement. Austin, TX: RGK Center for Philanthropy & Community Service, The LBJ School of Public Affairs University of Texas at Austin.

Volunteer Canada. (2012). The Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement. Retrieved July 26, 2012 from http://volunteer.ca/fi les/ccvi-long-eng-apr19-web-sm.pdf

Youth Development Network. (2010). Quick tips guide for employers – youth interns. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from http://www.ydnetwork.org/YDN%20Publications

Zeldin, S. & Collura, J. (2010). Being Y-AP Savvy: A Primer on creating & sustaining youth-adult partnerships. Ithaca, NY: ACT for Youth Center of Excellence.

Zeldin, S., McDaniel A. K., Topitzes D. & Calvert M. (2000). Youth in decision-making. Madison, WI: Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development.

BIBLIOGRAPHY47

APPENDIXAPPENDIXIFRC Learning Platform

The IFRC has recently launched an online training system that is open to personnel from the Movement as well as the general public. https://ifrc.csod.com/client/ifrc/default.aspx

Estimating Response Rate

From the Short term loans LMR list which includes both youth and non-youth volunteers, there were 102 addresses with ISP domain names @shaw.ca or @telus.net.

Of the 370 addresses known to be youth, there were 4 @telus.net domains and 6 @shaw.ca domains. This is makes up 2.7%.

For the purpose of estimating the response rate, we will assume that 2.7% of the 102 addresses with ISP domain names on the Short term loans LMR list are youth. This would equal 3 addresses.

There are 140 addresses from the Short term loans LMR list that are not either @shaw.ca or @telus.net. This plus the 3 addresses from the estimation above equals 143.

143 plus the 370 addresses known to be youth, minus 32 addresses that resulted in bounces equals 481, which will be the estimated number of youth addresses that the survey was delivered to.

75 responses divided by 481 yields an estimated response rate of 15.6%.

48

This report was made possible through over 350 hours of pro-bono work completed by 2 of the 3 authors who are non-commissioned.

Using Imagine Canada’s Volunteer Value Calculator, the cost of 2 policy & program researchers contributing a total of 350 hours of work is valued at $8,549.80.

Ideas in Motion Report

Documents

Transcript of Ideas in Motion Report