Volunteer Donate

Strategy 2020: Goal 1

Build an inclusive, diverse and active humanitarian movement based on voluntary service.

Volunteer Minnie Vo, staff member Sean Williams and volunteer Lina Jimenez celebrate World Red Cross Day 2016 in Brisbane

Volunteer Minnie Vo, staff member Sean Williams and volunteer Lina Jimenez celebrate World Red Cross Day 2016 in Brisbane. Photo: Australian Red Cross/Susan Cullinan

Outcomes

2.5 million people, reflecting the diversity of our community, take voluntary humanitarian action with Australian Red Cross to help others

We want to double the number of people who are actively engaged with us, to at least 2.5 million. Our supporters include volunteers, social media users, blood donors, members and staff. We are keen that they reflect the diversity of the Australian population. Their humanitarian action will assist and empower the most vulnerable people and communities. They might use digital tools to check on isolated older people, or volunteer at a disaster evacuation centre, or contribute to humanitarian education, or develop their own ways to help.

50% (of 2.5 million) are self organising and leveraging Australian Red Cross knowledge, expertise and evidence to advocate for and help others

We recognise that people have the freedom and ability to organise themselves to solve humanitarian problems. At the same time, they can increase their impact by leveraging the resources and expertise of Australian Red Cross. We want to add value to the humanitarian actions that people freely undertake on local, regional, national and global issues. We want at least half of our supporters to use our tools and resources, expertise, brand and networks to organise themselves to take action and advocate to help people and communities. This outcome brings the concept of ‘people helping people’ to life.

Australians trust and respect Australian Red Cross

This builds on one of our core strengths; that the Australian public has great levels of trust and respect for Red Cross in our sector. Trustworthiness is judged the most important attribute for organisations within our sector according to our annual brand tracker; with Red Cross consistently outperforming our peers on both trust and respect measures. This target ensures we focus on maintaining our sector-leading position.

Questions

All over the world, the ways that people take action for something they believe in are radically changing. Every year new technologies, platforms and tools are evolving which give people the power to bring change to their world, to help those in need.

At Red Cross we believe that no one knows local needs better than the local people who are right there on the ground. We want to help everyday people take action to help their local communities, and equip them with our knowledge and resources.

Through collaboration and cooperation we can solve humanitarian problems and rally around specific local, national and global issues – ultimately making the world a better place.

We will be piloting new models and approaches to encourage our people to self organise on our behalf. Watch this space so you can get involved.

No, you don’t. We don’t want to pigeonhole people into categories – members, staff, volunteers, donors – because we are all Red Cross supporters. It doesn’t matter how we show that support; we are all vital to the future of Red Cross and humanitarian action in Australia.

Our world is changing faster than ever before and to be a volunteer can mean many different things. In the 21st century there are so many ways people can be part of something they believe in.

They might choose to visit lonely older people every week, or greet people at the door of a disaster evacuation centre, or hand out Red Cross flyers at a shopping centre, or give a little from their pay cheque each week.

Each and every one of these people are humanitarians, and they are all doing something to help make the world a better place. That’s what matters, not the labels.

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