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Hong Kong Red Cross Youth Engagement Policy

Download : Youth Engagement Policy Booklet
Download : Youth Engagement Policy Text Version

 

Background

Youth participation has been advocated by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) which emphasizes an invaluable position of young people in building stronger National Societies. As an indispensable part of the International Movement, Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) is committed to adopting a range of strategies for increased youth participation.

HKRC Five-year Strategic Plan 2017-2022 entails leading and mobilizing of the actions and voices for humanity in the community, with the participation of the young generation which is the potent force for our bright future.

The Youth Engagement Policy becomes effective from December 2018 and will be reviewed in 2022.

 

Purpose

Echoing with the Youth Engagement Strategy of IFRC and the strategic direction of HKRC, the purposes of this Policy are to:

  1. Set the standard in working with and for young people and engage more young people in the humanitarian journey, by learning and leading;
  2. Empower youth as agents of change and enable the environment for more inclusion to voices of youth;
  3. Articulate an approach that encourages young people to voice out ideas and initiate actions in response to the HKRC development, ranging from service, strategy and action.
  4. Establish development path for youth in HKRC, to foster leadership continuation
  5. Establish young image of HKRC
Youth volunteers join in ISLP projects in Ethiopia

 

Definition

The terms of "youth" and "young people" in HKRC cover people in the age range of 12 to 35 years old. [1]

"Youth" is a heterogeneous group with diverse backgrounds, expertise, skill sets, and needs, which requires appropriate human development approaches for meaningful engagement.

The term "youth engagement" refers to youth-led action and youth development. It speaks to an active and meaningful participation of youth and inclusion of their voice in the humanitarian work across governance, management, programs and service delivery.

 

Valuing the multiple roles of young people

We value youth in Hong Kong community and Red Cross movement, 3 interconnecting and fluid pathways of engagement are recognized as below:

Youth as Leaders

  1. Young people, including members, volunteers, and staff members, taking a lead as agents of change in different capacities and duration are considered young leaders, who foster community resilience.
  2. The vehicle for transforming institutional cultures that directly and positively impacts operational capacity to deliver the humanitarian mission
  3. Keeper and transmitter of institutional memory for the purpose of transfer of knowledge through intergenerational dialogues.

Youth as Volunteers

  1. Young people who dedicate their time to contribute to their communities and are not motivated in any manner by desire for gain, are considered young volunteers.
  2. Key drivers in humanitarian actions and development.
  3. Contributors to prevent and alleviate human suffering and promote and protect human dignity and peace.

Youth as Beneficiaries

  1. Young beneficiaries refer to adolescents and young adults, as well as the members of the affected community, participate in, benefit from, and/or are empowered by HKRC programs and services.
  2. They are not passive receivers of aid. On the contrary, young beneficiaries are involved in the planning, design, delivery, and review of HKRC programs and services affecting them.
  3. HKRC supports young beneficiaries of each age category with opportunities to advance their personal and professional development, so they can achieve their aspirations and give back to their communities.
Youth members join in our leadership training joyfully
 
Levels of engagement

In order to facilitate youth engagement and development, levels of engagement enable youth to design their humanitarian journey according to their capacities and experience. They might make different attempts as illustrated below:

Participating
Active and meaningful participation in variety of humanitarian works including levels of services and program delivery, is aiming at striving positive changes and different meaningful experiences.

Organizing
Through shared decision-making and youth-initiated projects, staff members and youth develop short-term collaboration and long-term partnership. Youth can unleash their talent and potential during the organizing process.

Leading
To show youth leadership, programs, projects, and activities are collaborated with youth to address their identified humanitarian needs of the community.

Strategizing
In the form of official capacity as well as think tank, youth are able to determine and plan the corporate’s direction and strategy. A mechanism may need to be established for collecting youth voices and opinions.
 

Youth members join in our leadership training joyfully

Engagement strategy

The engagement strategy proposes directions for HKRC corporate as well as different departments for essential actions for youth engagement, as follows:

Youth Education

  1. Education is about the universal access of individuals to knowledge, resources and opportunities
  2. Within HKRC, adolescents and young adults are offered opportunities to acquire the knowledge, competencies needed to lead a healthy, safe and fulfilling life
  3. In HKRC, all educational and training opportunities with and for young people are to be underpinned by the Fundamental Principles and humanitarian values and are to be provided in formal, non-formal and informal settings
  4. The priority of youth education is value education for future and long-term retention and intention

Youth Empowerment

  1. Empowerment is the behavioral change of individual and it builds on education
  2. Within HKRC, the empowerment of adolescents and young adults results in their healthier and safer choices, as well as in well-informed decision-making that impacts themselves and others
  3. In HKRC, all activities and programs with and for youth should entail the concept or principle of empowerment
  4. HKRC entrusts youth, young people are offered opportunities to participate in and influence the decision making.

Enabling Environments for Youth

  1. Creation of enabling environments is to enable action taking and positive changes possible
  2. Within HKRC, educated and empowered adolescents and young adults will have safe and secure spaces, equitable resource and support to become agents of positive change
  3. In HKRC, institutional culture, processes, structures, policies, and regulations will be evidenced-based, informed by intergenerational dialogue, and enable youth actions throughout the HKRC

Implementation Strategy and Recommended Actions: Appendix 2.1

Youth volunteers organise first aid service drill for better preparations
 
Resources and input

To facilitate meaningful youth engagement, HKRC and its governance will provide support for youth in the means of establishing appropriate structure and offering human and other resources, to support the development of both youth and HKRC.

HKRC is committed to encouraging diverse youth participation especially in leadership and representation.

Possible Ways of Resources and Input for YE: Appendix 2.2

 

Indicator and evaluation

We avoid pursuing the numerical achievement of indicators but hope to create meaningful participation for young people, expected outcomes as follows:
More inclusive of youth voices
Development of young people as agents of change and supporter of HKRC.

 

Measurable Indicators
  1. Number and Percentage of youth in the agency (comparing with the total number of stakeholders : covered members, volunteers and staff)
  2. Number of committee members or youth representatives who are at the age of 35 or below
  3. Number of HKRC Strategy-related service hours provided by young volunteers
  4. Number of youth has been classified into the different levels of engagement ( Percentage; over the total number of the volunteer in HKRC)
  5. Number of training and educational opportunities provided to youth
  6. Changes in knowledge and attitude of youth after engagement (Surveys will be conducted in different periods)
  7. Changes in attitude of stakeholders (including governance and senior management) towards youth engagement (Surveys will be conducted in different periods)
Youth professional contribute themselves in overseas missions
 
Impact of the policy

In line with the HKRC strategy, the impact of the successful implementation of this policy is expected as follows:

Strengthening interface between senior leadership and youth and fostering leadership continuation
Engage youth in early age can equip them with mindset and knowledge under Red Cross context and offer sufficient time to get them prepared to work with senior leadership. Youth perspective should be included for better succession for the agency. (Purpose 2/ Measurable Indicator 2) (Senior leadership means governance and senior management）

Enhancing community connection and giving back to the community
Through increased youth engagement, the agency can ensure youth engage and support their peers in the community, maintaining relevance and responsiveness of HKRC services to the community needs. Youth serves as agents of change among peers and young population. (Purpose 3/ Measurable Indicator 3-4)

Establishing young image of HKRC
With widespread youth engagement, HKRC can establish a young reputation that impresses every member of the public. Empowered youth can contribute stimulating ideas in decision-making, enhancing the respect for diversity and creativity. (Purpose 2/ Measurable Indicator 1-2, & Image Survey)

Stimulating innovation
Empowered youth can present innovative ideas and tactics, stimulating innovation in agency. (Purpose 2/ Image Survey)

Facilitating personal development for youth
Training and educational opportunities are offered to youth for strengthening their personal competence and enhancing their commitment to the International Movement. (Purpose 3/ Measurable Indicator 5-6)

 

[1] IFRC youth policy defines "youth" and "young people" cover all people in the age range of 5 to 30 years, which includes children (5-11 years old), adolescents (12 to 17 years old), young adults (18 to 30 years old). HKRC defines the covered age range from 12 to 35 as below, because:
1.In line with the situation in Hong Kong and the public's perception of youth, refer to the Hong Kong education system, the minimum age for the policy is 12 years old.
2.The maximum age is 35 years old as youth education has been extended, young people need 5-10 years to explore their inner self and strive for personal growth.