Organizational experience of the youth volunteer movement in St. Petersburg Red Cross

Abstract

A study of the place of youth volunteer activities in the structure of modern health care was performed, St. Petersburg Youth Red Cross (YRC) taken as an example. A comparative medico-social portrait of a today’s young volunteer based on the results of a sociological survey was carried out. Respondents’ experience in the field of blood donation was studied. An analysis of the main motives for volunteering and ways to attract volunteers was also performed. An organizational model of building the youth volunteer movement was developed; the effectiveness of this experience was assessed. Since 2006 St. Petersburg YRC is the center of young volunteers recruiting and training to work in RC’s currently implemented programs. In addition, YRC provides youth leaders with a platform for planning and implementation of wide-profile voluntary initiatives: assistance to orphanages, hospitals, charitable organization by organizing concerts and events, international cooperation with volunteers from other countries, support of RC activities. The main way of further Russian RC and other public charitable organizations development is large-scale involvement of young people in voluntary activities. Polls show a significant level of their readiness for such cooperation. An organizational model developed in our study, and the experience of St. Petersburg YRC volunteer movement proved their effectiveness. Thus a number of awareness-raising, prevention programs with young people as a target group are being carried out. Refs 6. Tables 4.