Youth in Disaster Services

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Youth in Disaster Services

• presented by
• Pat West and Sandy Tesch

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Welcome!

• Introductions

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Session Overview

• History of youth in Disaster Services
• What youth can do
• Youth in Disaster Services Manual
• Roles and expectations
• Best practices
• Discussion and questions

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Activity
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History

• 1884 -- the Little Six fundraised for floods in
  Ohio and Mississippi
• 1917 -- Woodrow Wilson established the Junior Red
  Cross to help war effort
• Today -- almost one-third of American Red Cross
  volunteers are under age 25

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What Youth Offer

• Youth
• Work well with a diverse range of clients
• Have more flexible schedules
• Know languages other than English
• Are fun, outgoing, friendly, and helpful!

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Disaster Services

• Disaster Action Teams (DAT)
• Respond to local emergencies, usually fires
• Help those displaced by incident
• Money for immediate needs food, clothing,
  shelter
• Other assistance
• Assess damage to home or apartment

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Disaster Services

• Disaster Services Human Resources (DSHR) System
• Database of volunteers who respond to big
  national-level disasters
• Open to ages 18 and up

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Disaster Services

• If you are 16 or 17, you can enter the DSHR
  system as a Local Only volunteer
• On your 18th birthday, your status can be
  switched to National
• Take care of the paperwork now!

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What Youth Can Do

• Serve on Disaster Action Teams
• Join the DSHR system
• Work in a shelter
• Staff a service center
• Answer phones in a call center
• Serve meals
• Organize warehouse distribution

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What Youth Cannot Do

• You can do everything!

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Youth in Disaster Services Manual

• Recently updated!
• Outlines how to integrate youth into Disaster
  Services
• Who can manage youth
• Common hesitations to involving youth
• Show this to your chapter staff!

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Common Hesitations

• Liability
• One youth (under 18) should never be alone with
  one adult (18 and over)
• Two youth and one adult is okay
• Two adults and one youth is okay
• Youth Waiver Form
• Labor laws

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Youth in Disaster Services Manual
Manuals Youth In Disaster Services (scroll
down)
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Roles and Responsibilities
Youth Volunteer Disaster Director Youth Advisor
Be there! Report any problems or concerns Contribute your time and skills Work together to solve problems Ensure youth are trained properly Provide resources Mentor youth Supervise and oversee youth volunteers Address liability concerns
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Debate!
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Best Practice DIAL Hotline

• Martin County Chapter in Stuart, FL
• Youth service as call center operators during
  hurricane season
• Provide information to residents before, during,
  and after storms
• Trainings held twice a year

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Best Practice Youth Disaster College

• Arlington County Chapter in Arlington, VA
• Weekend training for youth and young adult
  volunteers in Disaster Services
• Participants received all the training they
  needed in a faster, more youth-friendly format

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What Else?

• Planning
• Preparedness
• Community Disaster Education
• Fundraising

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Next Steps
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Brainstorm!!!!
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Questions?
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Contact Us

• Pat West
• Chair, National Youth Council
• WestPat_at_usa.redcross.org
• Sandy Tesch
• Past Chair, National Youth Council
• TeschS_at_usa.redcross.org