The Red Cross is an organization specific for its “network” and human resources represented in the existence and functioning of city and municipal Red Cross branches across the country, volunteers and employees, ready to adequately respond to the needs of the social community as well as the Red Cross’ beneficiaries.
          In the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement the Youth programme, foreseeing work with children and young people dates back to 1925. Young people are an integral part of our National Society, organising themselves into Youth Field Units and Youth clubs within their respective municipal and city Red Cross branches. The youth programme includes work with children up to 15 and young people up to 27 years of age.
           The above-mentioned programme is interlinked with all other programmes in the Red Cross, since young people are both our organisation’s target group and those who advocate and carry out various Red Cross activities. Red Cross pays special attention to youth volunteer training. To ensure that young people from different Red Cross organizations have approximately the same knowledge and, being the organisation’s human resources, also have similar skills, the organization is striving towards a standardization of youth volunteer training. During 2002 and 2003 we designed a Unified Youth Training System.
          The Unified Training System is a Red Cross volunteer orientated training. To date, such training refers only to the training of Red Cross Youth, striving to include in the seminars also Red Cross volunteers over the age of 27 . The Unified Training System is based on active participation of seminar attendees, and group work. Such working approach concerning volunteers ensures that the Red Cross has motivated and capable human resources who are able to respond to the needs of our beneficiaries and social community timely and adequately.
           The Red Cross is willing to co-operate and maintain partnerships with governmental and non-governmental organizations, in accordance with its mission and fundamental principles. Here the role of youth is of an invaluable significance. The Red Cross is implementing various programme activities and campaigns in primary and secondary schools by engaging trained youth volunteers. Activities implemented in schools are first aid training and the realistic display of injuries as well as first aid competitions. For the above mentioned age group there are also quiz programmes and competitions known as “What do you know about the Red Cross” and “What do you know about health”..
        It is necessary to intensify cooperation with universities so that a large number of students, who are already trained Red Cross volunteers, can organize and implement certain Red Cross activities primarily targeting the student population, but could also implement those campaigns and actions of a greater social impact, such as involvement in voluntary blood donation. The Red Cross has a good cooperation with medical institutions, Social Welfare Centres, Serbian Auto-Moto association ( Car-Motorcycle association), local government, various ministries (depending on the activities carried out), Police (MUP-Ministry of Interior) Children Rights Centre IAN and other non-governmental organizations.
           The Strategy of our National Society 2002-2005 has defined Health and Care in the community as one of its programme priorities. Therefore, the Red Cross is consistent in organizing many educational activities for children and young people concerning health related issues. The Prevention of addictive diseases and HIV/AIDS is an area covered by almost all of our Red Cross branches, thankfully to our many volunteers who are medical workers as well as to our youth trained in HIV/AIDS. Seminars on HIV/AIDS , including a great number of young people from our country but also the participation of those from other National Societies, are organized by the Red Cross branch Sombor. Concerning the mentioned subject the Red Cross of Serbia is organizing training at the republican level, establishing a republican team of trainers in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention. The training of trainers is considered to be the best way of prevention as far as young people as a target group are concerned. Apart from young trainers and medical workers, the Red Cross of Serbia is also engaging HIV/AIDS affected people to take part in the seminars. At those seminars lots of attention is paid to the social aspect of the mentioned subject especially to the discrimination of people suffering from AIDS or those infected with HIV as well as their family members. The Red Cross also organizes campaigns such as “Dirty hands diseases” and “Keep a lovely smile” as well as others aiming to develop hygienic habits with children. It is our aim to have these educational activities carried out mainly by trained youth volunteers.
           Red Cross Youth Volunteers have the opportunity to be actively involved in various Red Cross programmes – socio-humanitarian programmes ( psycho-social support, home care…), disaster preparedness and disaster response, health promotion activities( first aid, prevention of addictive diseases, HIV/AIDS…). All Red Cross activities and all training and education delivered by our organization emphasize the promotion of humanitarian values – tolerance, understanding, respecting dignity and cultural identity.
          The Red Cross is organising many campaigns to mark different occasions with the participation of youth volunteers (Day to fight HIV/AIDS, World Child’s Day, “ World Hunger Day…) Young people are engaged in many other campaigns, too (“Race for a happier childhood”, “ A friend to a friend”, “For sunnier autumn of life”, “ One parcel, lots of love”…).
           With its projects presented to the potential local and international donors, the Red Cross is trying to raise funds for the implementation of various activities, especially those being implemented with the involvement of children and young people and those aiming to adequately address beneficiary needs. Trained Red Cross youth volunteers are also engaged in the project design and fund raising. One of such projects is “Learning for humanity” which implementation is going to be supported by Norwegian Red Cross.