Youth

In the analysis of the years 2013 to 2015 for the youth section, 19 countries participated: Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, United States of America, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

For the 2016 survey, the results of the following 24 countries were tabulated: Costa Rica, Cuba, Barbados, Ecuador, El Salvador, Antigua and Barbuda, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Bolivia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Brazil, Republic Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Chile, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, Colombia, Guyana.

In 2017, the countries that participated in the survey were: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the United States, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.

Participation during the year 2018 increased, since it counted with the collaboration of 25 National Societies. The participants were the following: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, United States of America, Grenada, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay and Venezuela.

In the same way as in the previous section, for the first time OSB participated, such as Anguilla, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands. As they aren’t National Societies of the region, their responses will be considered in separate sections.

As in the volunteer’s section, there is an increase in the number of National Societies that participated in the survey, so the comparison of data will be done both in number of National Societies and as a percentage, as indicated in each question. It’s important to emphasize also that not all the NS taken into account for analysis answered all the questions, so it’s possible that some have a smaller number of answers.

General information of the National Youth Directorate and the National Society

Youth Coordination

Since 2015 a question was included for National Societies on whether they had a youth officer at the national level. From 2015 to 2017, 100% of the National Societies responded that they have a youth manager or focal point.

For the year 2018 and to this same question, 80% of the National Societies answered that they had a youth manager or focal point, in turn 16% answered not having that manager and 4% didn’t answer this question. In the case of the participating OSBs, 2 responded that they have that person in charge and 1 answered haven’t this element

Youth on the board of directors

Between 2013 and 2015, there was a decrease in the number of National Societies that reported having staff of Youth on the board of directors or executive committee of their National Society. By 2015, it went from a 68% representation to a 58%, with respect to 2013. In 2016 there was an improvement, this because 75% of the National Societies did have someone from youth on the board of directors or executive committee. Similarly, in 2017 12 of the 16 National Societies that participated in the survey responded that they had someone from the youth board, which represents 75%, however it’s important to clarify that this year participated a smaller number of countries in the instrument. Likewise, for the year 2018 there was a percentage decrease in comparison with previous years, since only 52% of the National Societies affirmed that they had someone from Youth in the board of directors, this means that 13 of the 25 participants do have this position, 40% doesn’t have this position and 8% didn’t answer this question. In the case of the OSB that carried out the survey, 100% answered that they don’t have representation of Youth in the board of directors or executive committee of their National Society.
Do you have someone from youth on the board / executive committee?

YABC Initiative

The National Societies were asked if their staff or volunteers had received training in the “Youth as Agents of Behavioural Change (YABC)”. In 2015 there was a decrease in the number of National Societies that affirmed that they had received training of the YABC program, but by 2016 this number returns to a total of 16 National Societies, however in percentage, by 2016 its almost 34% of the NS that didn’t receive any training, since they include results from other countries not present in the surveys for the period 2013-2015. For 2017, 63% of the National Societies that participated in the survey said that they had received training, and in 2018, 60% of the National Societies affirmed have received or participated in trainings, either to staff members or volunteers. Similarly, 100% of the participating OSBs responded that they didn’t received no training.
Has anyone from the NS participated in a YABC training?
In addition, in the 2016 instrument, a question was included about whether activities based on this initiative (YABC) have been replicated at the branch level after the training. In 2016, 12 of the 15 National Societies responded affirmatively. For 2017, 8 of the 10 National Societies responded that they had replicated these activities in their subsidiaries. Likewise, during 2018, 7 of the 15 National Societies affirmed that they had received training and that they had replicated these activities at the branch level.

Youth in resource mobilization

Regarding the issue of taking the youth section into account for the mobilization of resources, it had the highest point in 2016, since it went from 12 National Societies in 2013 to 17 National Societies that did take into consideration the young people to raise funds both nationally and locally. For 2017, the number of NS that claim haven’t included the youth as part of the mobilization of resources activities is greater than the figure presented in 2016, which represents a significant deterioration considering that participation in this year was less than 2016. For the 2018, there was a slight improvement this because 16 of the participating National Societies answered that they do take into consideration the young people to raise funds both nationally and locally, and in the same way, it decreased the number of countries that didn’t take young people into account in these processes. In what corresponds to the participation of the OSB, 100% affirmed that they involve the youth in the mobilization of resources.
Does youth participate in resource mobilization activities?

Exchanges between pairs

2014 is the year in which there are more “peer-to-peer” or horizontal exchanges per year, with 14 National Societies participating in a total of 19. For 2016, there were also 14 NS that participated in a horizontal exchange. However, in percentage terms only 58% of National Societies had this type of peer exchange. During 2018 and as in 2017, only 9 of the participating National Societies affirmed having made “peer-to-peer” or horizontal exchanges with other National Societies during the last year. However, it should be taken into account that 14 National Societies didn’t participate in these types of exchange, which represents 56% of the participating Companies in that year, this indicates that fewer countries are participating in this type of process. In addition, in what corresponds to the OSB, 100% affirmed that they haven’t participated in this type of processes with other National Societies during the last year.
Has youth had "peer-to-peer" or horizontal exchanges with other National Societies?

Guidelines and policies of National Societies

Youth in the strategic plan

In this section a progress was made. It went from 5 National Societies that didn’t include youth in their strategic plan in the first year of study, to include all National Societies in 2017. By 2018, changes were made again, because 20 of the 25 NS participants responded that they include youth in their strategic plan, in turn 4 National Societies didn’t answer this question. In the case of the OSB, 2 of the 3 participants answered that this topic was included and only one doesn’t take into consideration the youth within its strategic plans.
Is youth included in the strategic plan?

Youth Engagement strategy

Regarding the issue of a youth engagement strategy or a strategic plan for the involvement of young people, there was a steady increase among National Societies that did include this strategy between the years 2015-2017. Of the 16 National Societies that participated for the year 2017, 12 affirmed that they have a plan to involve young people in the programs and projects, which represents 75% of the participating countries for that year. Although the number of countries is greater in 2016, because in that year there was a greater participation of National Societies in the instrument, in percentage levels of participation the 2017 is higher. For the year 2018, there was a decrease since only 56% of participating NS affirmed whether they have a plan to involve young people in programs and projects, while 40% responded that they don’t have such involvement initiatives for young. Likewise, the OSBs 100% denied having these strategies.
Does your National Society have a youth engagement strategy or a strategic plan for youth engagement?

Recruitment of young volunteers from marginalized groups

Since 2015, a question about whether National Societies had specific strategies to recruit young volunteers belonging to vulnerable groups was included. In 2016, this figure increased considerably, from 44% in 2015 to 67% of the NS which had specific strategies for this specific group. For the year 2017, of the 16 countries that participated in the survey, 9 had a specific strategy for the recruitment of young people from vulnerable groups, while 7 countries didn’t have a specific plan regarding this issue. In response to this question, in 2018, 52% of the National Societies responded that they had these specific recruitment strategies, which means that 13 of 25 participants have such recruitment tactics. Therefore, 44% of the participants don’t have such strategies and 4% didn’t answer this question. In the case of the OSB, 100% of the participants answered that they don’t have a strategy of this type.
Are there specific approaches to recruit young volunteers from marginalized groups?

Opportunities for Youth

Training courses

Regarding the opportunities offered to youth by National Society, since 2015 a question was included about whether National Societies provide training courses for the development of youth leadership. By 2016, 75% of the NS had training in this area, compared to 47% in 2015. In 2017, of the 15 National Societies that answered the question, 11 affirmed to train their youth in leadership issues. With respect to these training courses, in 2018, 17 National Societies responded that they provide training to their youth in leadership issues. In turn, 6 participants indicated that this type of training isn’t include in their National Societies. And in the case of the OSBs that participated in the survey, 2 don’t have this type of training and only one carry out regular training on this topic.
Does the National Society offer specific training courses for young leaders?

Website / social network for young people

From the instrument used in 2015, a question was added in the survey about whether the National Societies had a website or social network for their young people. By 2015, 16 (84%) of the 19 National Societies did have a social network or website. During 2016, 19 (80%) of the 24 National Societies had some of the aforementioned platforms. In 2017, there are 9 (60%) of the 15 National Societies that have a platform. As in past years, there has been a decrease in the number of National Societies that have a website or social network for their young people, this because in 2018, only 11 (44%) of 25 participating NS said that they had some website o social network for their young people, this data is significant because 2018 was the year with the highest participation of National Societies. This is one of the questions in which there has been a setback from the first year in which it was included in the instrument until 2018. Also, it should be taken into account that some of the NS didn’t answer this question. In the same way, this is reflected in the participating OSBs, because 100% don’t have any website o social network for their young people. The platforms that are most used by the National Societies remains the same platform of the National Society or Facebook.
Does the National Society have an official website / social network for young people?