Volunteering in the Norwegian Red Cross

1. Volunteering in the Norwegian Red Cross Ingrid Naustdal Unni Sølberg

2. About Volunteers and members • Ca. 170 000 members • Ca. 30 000 active volunteers • 311 local branches • 19 districts • The Norwegian Red Cross is the most reliabe human organisation in Norway according to the Norwegian population • People in Norway gave 75 mill.euro to the Tsunami disaster. 60 of the 75mill.euro was given to the RC.

3. 19districtoffices Staff / structure Secretary General SG Office(with staff) Strategic leadership Markets andNettworking Communicationand values Organisationalsupport Knowledge-sharing andVolunteering dvt. Preparednes andInternationalactivities Operational leadership

4. Delivered services • Visitor service – 6000 volunteers • The prison visitor service – 450 visitors in 30 prisons • Networking for former drug addicts -180 volunteers in 2005 , imprisoned, mental suffering people • Refugee guide • Refugee guide for children who is under age (18) • Activities in refugee receptions • Stop the violence programme • Non-violent communication programme for parents and youth • Night patrols • First aid • Management training/volunteer management

5. Delivered services • National helpline for children and youth – 150 000calls in 2004 • Childrens red Cross – activity groups for children between 6-13 years, 92 goups in January 2005 • Holliday for everybody and camps • Homework support for children and youth • Actvities for children in the crisis centre • Activities for children in the refugee receptions • Support group for children with mental sick parents • Create network for drug addict’s children • Activities for youth (13-30 years): Youth on the run, training camps against violence and racism, active choice, IHL for youth, international youth activities

6. The volunteering in Norway - in plain figures • More than 50 % of the population are doing volunteering work in one of the non-profit organisations • Volunteering work is worth about 150.000 unpaid man-labour year • Volunteering work is worth about 40 thousand millons kr ( 5 thousand millions euro) per year

7. What do we know about volunteeringin Norway Several reports tell us that these statements make the difference for the beneficirias: • They are volunteers - not professionals • They send in trust and reliability • They have a genuin interest in helping other people – they care

8. What do we know about volunteering • The meaning for the society: • important citizens because of the work they are doing • important as democratic participants, they are use to act in democratic organisations • They create social fellowship, new friends • Contribute to encrease the trust to the society, shows that the society is coming up with activities to those who needs them • An arena of knowlegesharing and learning, about the refugees, the earlier drug addicts, about poverty etc. Haakon Lorentzen, researcher

9. What do we know about volunteering in Norway • The meaning of the volunteering for the volunteers: • Three of four norwegians want to spend time doing volunteer work if they were asked. • The main motive: To be something for someone, doing something useful • But they ask: ”What’s in it for me?” • Want to combine creating personal and professional networking • Want to make new friends • Want to get tasks and jobs that they can put into their CV

10. What do we know about volunteering • The volunteers to-day: • Shopping around to find something interesting or something which suit their skills and interests • Don’t stay in the same organisation from the cradle to the grave • Variation - Want to be in many different projects • 2-hours volunteer • Less byreaucracy – more time to volunteering work • Good reception, training and follow-up, and a culture that gives prosperity and well-being

11. What is the role for the Red Cross in our society? Welfare state Market Red Cross Other NGO’s

12. The Red Cross’ role to-day : • To be the bloodhound in the welfare state • To be a supplement to the services in the welfare state • To have the skill to discover and catch new needs in the society and run pilot projects. • Go into partnership with other organisations an authoriteies to create win-win-situations.

13. A more united NorCross – agreements HQ and districts in order to support the local branches

14. Agreement President/GS – District … to succeed in the efforts to achieve an unified profile of the Red Cross in Norway … and to strengthen the support to the districts own priorities and objectives… Plan: • Sign an agreement between HQ and each district to build a framework for common effort and goals.

15. Agreement Plan of Action (District) Agreement President/ SG and District

16. Purpose . . . . • The agreements should clarify. . . . • The role and the responsibilities of the District Director to reach the objectives of the organisation • The role and responsibilities of the elected District Leader to set goals and strategies for the work of the board • National Board and HQ`s role and responsibilities • Reporting procedures from the districts to the National Board and Secretary General

17. Elaboration . . . . • . . . A common process for a joint strategy. . . • District Work Shops 2004: • Annual Report 2003 • Analysing the current situation (spring 2004) • Analysing the financial situation (summer 2004) • The Districts Plan of Action

18. Five focus areas Humanitarian forum Disaster preparedness Network Activities for children Refugee Guides

19. Vestfold Red Cross – Agreement part 1 - 2005 GOAL Humanitarian Forum 6 • Number of open meetings with humanitarian issues: • Total number of participants: 300 HQ: Arrangement service, think tank and financial support. • Number of local branches represented in the DP council of • local governments : • Number of updated emergency plans: 10 Disaster preparedness 10 HQ: Standard emergency plans with fund-raising campaign included. Possible financial support to the concept of EPS. • Number of municipalities co-operating with the Red Cross: • Number of users: 20 Networks 2 HQ: Manual. Clarify the co-operation with the authorities. Financial and technical support to establish a resource centre. Total number of activities for children: Activities for children 12 • Children's Red Cross: 6 • Reception centre: 1 • Homework assistance: 3 • Women’s refuge: 1 • Holidays for • everyone / • camps: 1 HQ: Prepare equipment/material and technical support to establish the service of SAM to new districts. Refugee Guides 350.000 • Financial support from local governments in NOK: • Number of agreements with local governments: 5 • Number of contacts: 70 HQ: Ideas for other areas on multicultural activities, also EMA

20. Humanitarian forum A humanitarian forum is an open meeting were humanitarian issues are discussed. Open to the public and for members of the Red Cross. Tool kit: J:/felles/humanitært forum 2004 2005 Number of meetings pr. year 24 96 Number of particitants --- 2645 Goal

21. Disaster preparedness The Norwegian Red Cross succeed as an disaster preparedness organisation when all branches can contribute in the local authorities’ rescue-and preparedness work. In order to obtain this goal we must have good emergency plans, and the local branches must be represented in the disaster preparedness councils of local governments. Tool kit: Handbook, film, brochures 2004/03 2005 Number of branches repr. in local DP councils 102 182 Updated disaster plans in local branches 123 212 Goal

22. Network: Networking groups: We want to help people who need to establish new networks following substance abuse, psychiatric treatment or imprisonment We shall not treat users, but help them take part in the everyday life – and to help then make their own networks. Tool kit:: Handbook, film & folders 2004 2005 Number of municipalities co-operating with RC 10 26 Number of users 70 281 Goal

23. Activities for children These activities are included in this focus area: The children's Red Cross – Every child can participate.. Four main activities: first aid, Red Cross values, international understanding and outdoor life. Homework help – volunteers help students with their homework. Holiday activities. Acticities for children in asylum seekers homes Activities for children who stay in shelters with their mother. Toolkits: 2004 2005 Number of activities for children 118221 Goal

24. Refugee guides • Refugee guide is good activity for many refugees in Norway to day, but responsibilities for financing and further operation is not clear in many projects. • Criteria for long-term agreements with local authorities on operating the Refugee guide project is:  • Refugee guide is a permanent activity for refugees who shall live in the municipality. • The agreement ought to be for a period of 3 years • The local branch shall be involved in the work. Tool kit: : Handbook 2004 2005 Support from local governments per year NOK 4,7 millNOK. 6,6 mill Nr of agreements with local governments65109 Number of contacts 12791514 Goal

25. Follow-up . . . . • . . . A common responsibility for evaluation and development. . . • Improving report routines • Every 2. month (in coordination with meetings in the National Board) • Actuation and aberration from the agreement. • Comparisons to central statistics • Annual • SG has a follow-up-meeting with the districts ongoing • General reports • Web based tool

26. Norwegian Red Cross networking • According to the norwegian strategy particular attention should be given to people who need to establish new networks. • Target groups to-day: • Former drug addicts • People who have recently been imprisoned • People who have been through psychiatric treatment

27. New Networks for former drug addicts • Aim • Red Cross contribute in the reintegration to the society and to establish new social networks. • We are offering volunteers and volunteering • The trouble is not to be sober, but to remain sober!

28. New Networks for former drug addicts • Startet two need assessments among the target group about: • What are your most important needs connected with social competance and social network?

29. New Networks for former drug addicts • The findings in the need assessments: • Feel differnt from other people in the local society ”It’s like coming from the moon” • Have fear of seeking out arenas and situations were they can get that stupid feeling • They want to get to know ordinary people with ordinary lifes. • They need help to relearn the daily language, the social codes in the society and aquire competance in social skills.

30. New Networks for former drug addicts • Organisasjon: • Started up 3 Pilot Projects in the cities in 2003 • Evaluation of the Pilot Projects in December 2004 • Working out agreements with private and public stake holders. Goal: Defining roles and resonsibilities • April 2005: 10 districts are running the program, 16 municipales are involved, 180 volunteers, 140 persons benefit by the program

31. New Networks for former drug addicts • The contributions of the volunteers: • To be a human beeing • To be a volunteer, not a therapist • Help the beneficiary to establish new networks • To focus on activities which take place in the public rooms • To overcome the anxiety for the “normal life” by learning the formal and informal codes for social life • Help to overcome the daily life

32. New Networks for former drug addicts • The activities: • One-to-one-contact:shopping, use the subway, go to parent meetings, cinema, paying bills, order a taxi, laundering, making supper etc • Group activities: Do activities together with other people, go to a course, a football-match • Activities which involve the whole family: The volunteer is a friend of the family, to be involved in activities for the whole family, conversations, bringing a child to the football-training • A place to meet: A cafe where beneficiaries and volunteers can meet, learning things as baking, chess, how to vote in the election etc.

33. New Networks for former drug addicts • Recruiting the beneficiaries: • The beneficiaries have to get the Red Cross offer before they leave the institution • Agreement and cooperation with both private institutions and public authorities are decisive • Both Red Cross, the institustion and public authorities are involved when a beneficiary is connected to the program

34. New Networks for former drug addicts • Recruiting the volunteers: • The beneficiary give his face and express his needs on posters, folders and comes to information meetings • Concrete description of the expectation • The task is clear and limited • Short time between recruiting and doing the activity

35. New Networks for former drug addicts • Quality assuranceof the volunteers: • Selection: Interview about motivation, work, interests, references • Training: Create safety and understanding in the role of being a volunteer for this target group • Create understanding for the beneficiaries and their needs • Clarify the role of the Red Cross • Method: Blended learning of information, education, discussions. • A working-book and a guidence for the teacher has been worked out. • Guidence and follow-up: • Individual guidence • Knowledgesharing and special subjects

36. New Networks for former drug addicts • Organising the network: • Local assessment • Staff member in the district does the organizing • Establish the contact with the institution and the public authority • Finding the beneficaries • Finding the volunteers • A starting conversation between the beneficary and the volunteer • Agreement between the beneficary and the volunteer is signed.