RCY SingleFile.s

7/23/2019 RCY SingleFile.s

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Pricilla Seah



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Andy Yeo



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Contents

A note from Secretary General,

Singapore Red Cross

A note from Director,

Singapore Red Cross Youth

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43

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The Journey So Far

Community Involvement

International Involvement

Enriching Our Youth

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations



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I congratulate the Red CrossYouth (RCY) as it celebrates 60years of service to humanity.

The Red Cross is the world’slargest humanitarianorganisation providingassistance to the world’s most

vulnerable regardless of race,religion or belief. The RCY ispart of this noble internationalmovement that is guidedby the seven fundamentalprinciples of the Red Crossand Red Crescent Movement– Humanity, Impartiality,Neutrality, Independence,Voluntary Service, Unity andUniversality – upheld by our

Founder, Mr Henri Dunant.

RCY has come a long waysince it was first establishedas the Junior Red Cross backin 1952. Over the last 60 years,the RCY has grown fromstrength to strength.

I am glad that the RCY, through

its dedication to the missionof protecting human lifeand dignity, relieving humansuffering and respondingto emergencies, continuesto provide an enriching andfulfilling learning experiencefor our students in schools.Link, Cadet and Chaptermembers engage in the

wide array of activities andservices of the Singapore RedCross. This helps to shape thecharacter of our Youth andingrain in them values criticalfor engendering a caring andgracious society in Singapore.It also enhances their personal

effectiveness and outlookof life.

Through RCY programmesand activities, youths learnabout compassion, passion,perseverance, resilience,discipline, teamwork,leadership, integrity,tactfulness, graciousness,interpersonal skills and

respect for other people’s race,opinion, language and culture.We hope that these will inturn help them to becomegood citizens, leaders in thecommunity and even becomethe future pillars of our society.

Indeed, over the years wehave seen RCY alumni who

have become compassionateand responsible citizens ofour society. Our RCY alumniare a source of inspiration forthe present RCY members tofollow in their footsteps.

As it is, each RCY membercan already be an agentof positive influence in

A Note fromMr Benjamin William,Secretary General,

Singapore Red Cross



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their homes, schools andcommunity. Every RCYmember is an ambassadorof the Red Cross who weempower to make a differencein our community through hisor her volunteerism. In time tocome, they themselves canbe exemplary role modelsfor future generations ofRCY members.

Moving forward, a key directionthat we have embarked onis to link the activities of theRCY closely to the communityservices of the SRC, both inSingapore and beyond. It willbring each RCY member inclose quarters with the variouscommunities that we serve and

to understand the plight andneeds of the most vulnerableamongst us. We hope that RCYmembers will progress withus, first as Links, moving onto be Cadets, gaining furthermomentum as Chaptermembers, and than steppingup to be adult volunteers.Our curriculum, training andactivities will therefore be

revised to facilitate progressin this lifelong journey.

I believe that the RCYMovement can lookforward to an exciting andrewarding future of servingthe community. I urge RCYmembers to continue tovolunteer with the Red Crosswhen they are well intoadulthood. And then, to passon the legacy; encouragingtheir children and their futuregenerations to join the RedCross cause. Together, wecan mobilise the power ofhumanity in our mission toserve humanity and save lives.



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I am honoured to be the

Director of the Red CrossYouth (RCY) as it celebratesits Diamond Jubilee. Weare able to celebrate our60th anniversary due to thehard work and efforts of allmembers past and present.I am especially indebted to allthe past Directors of RCY; toparaphrase Isaac Newton, RCYis only able to reach higher and

further because we stand onthe shoulders of these giants.

When cadets were recruitedfor the very first Red CrossYouth unit – or the Junior RedCross, as it was then called– in 1952, Singapore was stilla British colony. Many thingshave changed in 60 years,but the one thing that has

remained constant throughall this time is that we are stillserving humanity.

Our history is a rich onefull of inspiring stories. Wehave helped out as nursingauxiliaries, we have befriendedthe Vietnamese boat people,and we have helped to

dispense medication at theold Red Cross clinic. Overtime our role has developedto keep up with Singapore’schanging needs, and we arenow directly involved in criticalprogrammes such as blood

A Note fromMr Ling Khoon Chow,Director, Red Cross Youth



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donation advocacy, first aidcoverage and InternationalHumanitarian Law, all ofwhich are unique to the RedCross Movement.

We are keenly aware that it isa challenge to stay relevantand continue to attract youngmembers in order to maintainthe strength and attractivenessof a uniformed group in

the schools. This is why wehave embarked on a moreconsultative and engagingapproach in reviewing andevolving our curriculum,focusing more on characterand leadership development,and management skills.These soft skills will standour youths in good steadwhen they venture out into

the working world.

It is important to inculcatethe right values in the young,to ensure that they matureto become men and womenof integrity. In a multi-racial,multi-religious society likeSingapore, it is importantthat we evolve a society that

is not only tolerant, but alsocommunity-minded, with eachperson willing to go the extramile for the good of society.We believe that experientiallearning will allow our youthto constantly bear the valueof community volunteering inmind till adulthood.

We achieved a significant

milestone in 2012 as weintegrated the former RedCross Humanitarian Network,comprising Red Crossvolunteers in post-secondaryinstitutions, with the Red CrossYouth uniformed arm. This

brings even more studentstogether under the umbrellaof the Red Cross Youth,allowing us to better servehumanity through synergy ofresources, and exemplifiesthe Red Cross Movement’sprinciple of Universality. Weenvisage a seamless transitionin the volunteering experienceof our youth volunteers asthey progress from Primary

to Secondary and Post-Secondary education,and indeed to adulthood.

As we celebrate 60 years ofRCY, I am reminded that wecould not have come this farwithout the support of allour stakeholders, especiallyour volunteer officers andinstructors in schools, who

are the pillars of support forthe Red Cross Youth. We havemade it this far because wehave a network of committedand passionate volunteerswho believe in what we doand see the importance ofdeveloping the next generationof humanitarian leaders.Together, they nurture our

youths in leadership andcharacter development.

This book is a labour oflove, carefully put togetherby RCY veterans andmembers, and SRC CorporateCommunications andMarketing, to serve as a recordof how far we have come in thepast six decades. Through this

book, we hope to reconnectwith past members, encouragecurrent members to continuetheir good work, and inspirenew members to join ourservice to humanity.



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The Journey So Far

It all started in 1952, just threeshort years after the RedCross was first established in

Singapore as a branch of theBritish Red Cross. The then-Junior Red Cross (JRC) hadhumble beginnings, tracingits start to 48 intrepid cadetsfrom Raffles Girls School whoformed the first unit.

The fledgling JRC was boostedby the support of then-FirstLady, Puan Noor Aishah.

A massive recruitment drivewas undertaken which sawmembership rise to more than2,600 by 1966, doubling to5,250 in 1967 and surpassing10,000 by 1975. The Junior RedCross took on its current nameof Red Cross Youth (RCY) in1972, taking its cue from other

Red Cross and Red Crescentsocieties around the world thatwere also implementing the

change at the time.

Over time, with the increasedchoices in school co-curricularactivities, RCY membershipsteadied to about ¹5,000-strongin 2013. The RCY has constantlychallenged itself to stay relevantby renewing its curriculum andprogrammes. These effortshave paid off, with enrolment

stabilising and even increasingin recent years.

There was another milestonein RCY’s growth in 2012, whenit was integrated with the RedCross Humanitarian Network(RCHN), which comprisedRed Cross volunteers in

post-Secondary institutions.RCHN, first started in 1994,was re-named Red CrossYouth – Chapters; this movebrought together morestudents together under theumbrella of the Red CrossYouth to better serve humanitythrough synergy of resources.

A seamless transition inthe volunteering experienceof youth volunteers fromPrimary to Secondary to post-Secondary education, andindeed to adulthood,was envisaged.

¹Comprising cadets in primaryand secondary schools, volunteerinstructors (alumni who volunteer

to train in schools), youth in post-secondary institutions such as ITE,polytechnics and universities, aswell as adults who remain active inRCY, including retirees who continueto lend their expertise in leadingthe youth.

The Journey So Far



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"Source: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reprinted with permission".



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1952

With the recognition thatyouths can learn aboutimportant values likepassion, compassion andprofessionalism throughJunior Red Cross (JRC)

activities, the Societyconducted talks in severalschools to encourage them toopen a Junior Red Cross unitin their school. Cadet unitsflourished thereafter, when theSRC embarked on a massiverecruitment drive for JRCmembers that year. The driveproved successful as JRC’smembership surged more thantwo-fold from 2,608 in 1966 to5,250 in 1967 and burgeoned to10,135 by 1975.

On 8 April, an article on“Red Cross now has a juniorlink” (with photo) appearedin The Free Press. Forty-eight students of RafflesGirls School, Singapore,were enrolled as the firstmembers of the junior link of

the Singapore Branch of theBritish Red Cross Society. Thecadets, the first of its kind tobe formed in Singapore, wouldteach students Red Cross andsocial welfare work.

"Source: The Singapore Free Press © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reprinted with permission".

The Journey So Far – Milestones



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1953

As the Society is a branch ofthe British Red Cross Society,the junior links and cadets ofthe Society were inspected bythe Countess of Limerick atRaffles Institution at 5 pm on31 January 1953.

1959

Mr S Y Han was appointedas Director of the Junior RedCross (JRC).

1954

1956

1963

The JRC took part in theCombined Rally with theDetachments at the formerRaffles Institution grounds(now Raffles City ShoppingCentre), where His ExcellencyThe Yang Di-Pertuan NegaraTun Yusof Ishak graced the

Centenary Celebration ofour Movement.

"Source: The Singapore Free Press © Singapore PressHoldings Limited. Reprinted with permission".

"Source: The Straits Times © Singapore PressHoldings Limited. Reprinted with permission".




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1966The Red Cross Training &Holiday Camp was officiallyopened at Tanah Merah on8 May 1966 by Inche RahimIshak, former Minister of Statefor Education to provide aplatform for youths to learn,interact and bond.

The campsite was relocated afew times; from Tanah Merahto Changi Creek, to ElizabethDrive and finally to JalanKhairuddin in the present day.

Besides the campsite, theJunior Red Cross would oftenconvene at Raffles Institution,

Singapore Polytechnic or GanEng Seng School for combinedtraining due to their idealformer locations at StamfordRoad, Prince Edward Roador Anson Road respectively– all of them in the CentralBusiness District.




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1967

SRC embarked on a massive

recruitment drive for JRCmembers that year. The driveproved successful as JRC’smembership surged morethan two-fold from 2,608 in1966 to 5,250 in 1967.

1968

Even as JRC cadets graduatedfrom their secondary schools,they were still very keen toparticipate in the activitiesof JRC. To cater to thedemands of this group ofpassionate volunteers, theOpen Unit was formed forout-of-school youth. The firstintake was in 1969.

1970

Mrs J Q Fok was appointedas Director. She held the postuntil 1975.

1972

As the word ‘Junior’ seemedto refer to people in primaryschool, the JRC was renamedthe Red Cross Youth (RCY)to encompass members insecondary schools and tertiary

institutions. Another impetusfor the name change wasthat other Red Cross and RedCrescent societies around theworld had also implementedthe change.



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1975

As at 30 June, 44 cadet units

and 93 link units were formedand the total membership inRCY was 10,135.

1976

Mr Looi Sik Cheong wasappointed as Director of RCY.

1981

Red Cross Officers’ Coursewas conducted for a group ofteacher-trainees at the formerInstitute of Education. This wasthe first time that the SRC hadbeen invited to conduct a RedCross course at an institutionof higher learning.

1982

The late Mr T Mahendran wasappointed as Director of RCY.

To facilitate enrolment,operations and provision offirst aid coverage, the Cadetand Link units were dividedinto four Zones – North, South,East and West to tie in with theschool zoning system.

A liaison officer scheme

for cadet units, which werewithout trained officers, wasinitiated. HQ-based personnelwas attached to them for sixmonths, which was the periodfor teachers to be trained byHQ to be Youth Officers.




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1986

To recognise the long-timecontributions of passionatevolunteers, 79 Youth Officerswere awarded the Long Servicemedals by SRC.

1987

The late Mr Chia Hong Kit wasappointed as Director of RCY.

1988

World Red Cross Day Paradecum Enrolment was heldto commemorate the 125thAnniversary of the Red CrossMovement at the formerRaffles Institution grounds(now Ministry of Education’sTeachers’ Network).

1990

To further motivate cadets

to achieve excellence incommunity service and firstaid, the Incentive BadgeScheme (IBS) for Link / Cadetmembers was implemented.

To fine-tune the zoningsystem and to achieveoperational effectivenessand efficiency, the Cadetand Link units, which werepreviously divided into fourZones, were re-structuredinto eight Districts.



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1992

A series of quarterly UnitLeaders’ meetings waslaunched to provide updatesabout the activities andprogrammes of each unit.

Sixty-eight Youth Officers wereawarded the Long Servicemedals by our Society on 28December at the RCY 40thAnniversary celebrations heldat Furama Hotel.

1993

Mrs Tan Soke Chin was

appointed the Director of RCY.

1994

The Red Cross HumanitarianNetwork (RCHN) – NTUChapter was set up by MrTony Thomas in 1994. As heused to be a volunteer of RedCross in India, he envisionedespousing the work of the RedCross in his university campus.The members made regularvisits to Red Cross Home forthe Disabled, organised smallscale blood donation drivesand participated in Flag Day.

The World Red Cross Day

Celebrations cum EnrolmentCeremony was held for thefirst time at the YishunIndoor Stadium.




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1996

Mrs Shirley Yeo was appointedas Director of RCY.

The RCHN – NUS Chapterwas set up.

1999

The Red Cross cadetsparticipated in the firstNational Heritage Trailorganised by the Ministry ofEducation for all the eightuniformed groups youthmembers.

RCY volunteers and cadetsput up a full-scale musical,

‘The Choice’. A dance drama,‘Rejuvenation’, written andsung by RCY volunteers andcadets, was also performed atSRC’s 50th Anniversary dinnercelebrations.

2000

The Cadet and Link units wererestructured into four Districts– North, South, East and Westto align with the zoning systemof the Ministry of Education.

RCY Excellent Units Awardwas implemented in line withthe Ministry of Education’s

introduction of the SustainedAchievement Awards forUniformed Groups.

1998

The Unit Support Corps wasset up to look into the needsand growth of the schoolmemberships as well asthe deployment of VolunteerInstructors (VI) and VolunteerAdult Leaders (VAL) in theschool units.

In a bid to motivateyouths to serve theless unfortunate in ourcommunity, RCY introducedthe Community ServiceAward to recognise schoolunits for their exemplaryservice in contributing tothe disadvantaged in our

community.

The RCHN – SP Chapterwas set up.



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From 29 June to 13 July, a’Down Memory Lane – 50years of RCY in Singapore‘exhibition was held at the HawPar Auditorium to highlightRCY’s milestones over the fivedecades. A souvenir magazine,a set of 12 posters and acommemorative CD-ROMwere produced to record thehistorical milestones of RCY.

2003

To meet the growing needs of

school units, RCY embarkedon a significant restructuring.Focus Committees wereformed to replace thedepartments to enable moreyouth leaders to take onleadership roles. The first combined Cadets’Recognition Day was held onthe 5 July 2003 at the CHIJ, St.

Theresa’s Convent to recognisethe active service andcontributions of the graduatinglinks and cadets.

2001

Mr Lau Hock Soon wasappointed as Director of RCY.

The RCY Incentive BadgeScheme was revamped andlaunched in 2001.

The RCHN – SMU Chapterwas set up.

2002RCY celebrated its 50thAnniversary with a Paradeat the Tampines OutdoorStadium, graced by then-Permanent Secretary forEducation, Mr Chiang Chie Foo.

A logo competition was heldin conjunction with RCY’s 50thanniversary. The winning entry,which featured a design thatwas relevant with the times,was adopted as the newRCY logo.

The Director’s Award wasintroduced to recognisecadets for their outstandingperformance and exemplary

service beyond their call ofduty. The launch was held on27 July 2002.




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2007

To commemorate RCY’s 55thyear anniversary, a strategic

review themed ‘ we Dream,we Dare, we Do!’ was held.The review engaged cadets,teacher officers and VolunteerInstructors in focus groupdiscussions. The discussionsculminated in a retreat inBintan involving volunteersand teachers.

2008

Mr Ling Khoon Chow wasappointed Director of RCY. Achange of command paradewas held at Raffles Institution.

2009

The ‘Youth Officers, YourOpportunities’ programmewas established to provide

a platform for teachers andofficers to bond throughactivities. The first programmewas held at a tea reception ofSingapore Recreation Club.

The Strategic ReviewDevelopment Committee(SRDC) was formed in 2007by Mr Lau Hock Soon, then-Director of RCY, and MrStephen Quick, then-AssistantDirector (Strategic Planning),to review past achievements,assess challenges and re-strategise the directionof RCY to stay relevant ina changing environment.Various tasks forces wereformed to address issues onraising awareness of RCYactivities, enhancing its imageto the public and relevantstakeholders, arrestingthe declining enrolment inschools, improving deploymentand recognition of Volunteer

Instructors (VIs) and enhancingthe policy-based processesof teachers and VIs withinRCY. All these were done inconsultation with the teachersand Volunteer Instructors.



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2013

On 25 January 2013, theRCY’s 60th AnniversaryDinner was held at Ban HengPavilion Restaurant. Ms SimAnn, Senior ParliamentarySecretary for Communicationsand Information, as well asEducation, was the Guest-of-Honour at the dinner. Atotal of 450 guests – past and

present Directors, volunteers,teacher-officers, staff andfriends – attended the dinner.This signature event hadsuccessfully and appropriatelyended off the year-longseries of Diamond Jubileecelebrations for RCY.

2014A commemorative bookentitled "Celebrating the RedCross Spirit", which re-tracedthe milestones of RCY, waslaunched, in conjunction withSRC's 65th Anniversary.

At the inaugural SingaporeRed Cross Awards Ceremony,President Tony Tan Keng Yam,Patron of the Singapore Red

Cross, presented the first SRCPresident’s Youth Awards toTan Peng Sheng, Jo Jun Yeupand Ezra Cheyne Sereneo.They were carefully chosenfrom over a hundred nomineesbased on wide-ranging criteriathat included leadershipqualities, global perspectives,excellence in academics andservice to RCY.



The Red Cross Youth (RCY) hasalways been strongly involvedin humanitarian work in the

local community, adheringto and exemplifying the RedCross Society’s universalvalues of Humanity andVoluntary Service, and theRCY’s own motto of “ServeOne Another”.

From the very first days ofits existence, the RCY hasorganised its cadets to help

the vulnerable. In 1954,for example, members ofthe then-Junior Red Crossmade toys and other gifts forhundreds of sick children inhospitals for Christmas.Regular programmes were

also institutionalised over theyears, with cadets servingas nursing auxiliaries the

now-defunct Thomson RoadHospital (later Toa PayohHospital) and the then-OutramRoad General Hospital (nowSingapore General Hospital)in the late 1960s.

The following two decades sawRCY cadets doing progressivelymore for the community, andpatients in Singapore hospitals

by establishing the RedCross Library as well as theGeneral Welfare Service andthe Hospital Nursing Serviceprogrammes. The RCY alsoregularly visited and interactedwith the Vietnamese boat

Community Involvementpeople at the Hawkins RoadRefugee Camp from thelate 1970s.

With the increasingprofessionalisation ofhealthcare in Singapore, thenecessity of such servicesdiminished; the serviceswere thus slowly phased outover time. The Hawkins RoadRefugee Camp, too, waseventually shut down and withthat the RCY cadets ceased

their visits as well.

The RCY evolved withchanging times and developednew initiatives that cater tothe emerging needs ofa dynamic society. Youths in

Community Involvement

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RCY spearheaded programmessuch as Project Red CrossLove, which benefitted manyelderly living in low incomefamilies, and Project R.I.C.E.,where rice is collected fromwell-wishers to be given todisadvantaged families.

Today, RCY members alsoorganise blood drives,participate in CommunityFirstAid programmes andFoodAid programmes tobenefit the vulnerable in ourmidst. Each RCY memberis an ambassador of theRed Cross who is empowered

to make a difference in ourcommunity through his orher volunteerism. They areagents of positive influencein their homes, schoolsand community.

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"Source: The Straits Times© Singapore Press Holdings

Limited. Reprinted with

permission".



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Community Involvement – Milestones

1969

JRC initiated the HospitalNursing Service to aid nursesat the Thomson Road Hospital(later renamed the Toa PayohGeneral Hospital) and OutramRoad General Hospital (thepresent-day Singapore GeneralHospital). A total of 316cadets volunteered as nursingauxiliaries for this service.The morning school cadetsserved in the afternoon andthe afternoon school cadetsserved in the morning.

1971

To supplement the shortage ofambulance drivers, the PublicDuty Department in the JRCwas formed to provide trainingfor members with valid drivinglicences to familiarise themwith the ambulance servicesand outdoor duties.

Established to bring joy to

beneficiaries, elderly and thedisabled and to showcase themusical inclinations of theyouth, the Chinese Orchestramade numerous publicperformances in 1973. In1975, the Orchestra also gaveperformances over TV / radio.

1975

RCY established a HospitalLibrary Service at AlexandraHospital and the SingaporeGeneral Hospital (formerlyknown as Outram RoadHospital) in 1975 to encouragepatients to better utilise theirtime by reading. This servicewas manned by the RCYcadets of Cedar Girls’Secondary School.

1979

Several RCY units visitedthe Vietnamese RefugeeCamp at Hawkins Road to

distribute food, toiletries,clothes and toys, andorganise programmes for theVietnamese refugees whowere transiting in Singapore.



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1982

To encourage the spirit ofcompassion amongst youths,the General Welfare Service(GWS) was initiated for cadetsto sign up for a series of

welfare projects over a three-month period.

The Hospital NursingService (HNS) had 195cadet volunteers attachedto Singapore GeneralHospital. A Home NursingCourse was conducted byRCY volunteer nurses for

50 of these cadets to equipthem with the skillsto help the nurses.

When the officer in charge ofthe Hospital Library Serviceleft, there was a hiatus in theservice. Mr Tang Chun Tuckrevived the Hospital Library

Service (HLS) to serve thegovernment hospitals.

1983

“Youth-in-Service” projectwas initiated and carried outsuccessfully. This soon becamea part of annual calendar.

1986

Many RCY volunteers rendered

first aid and psycho-socialsupport day after day at thescene of the Hotel NewWorld collapse.

1987

Caring and Sharing Experience(CASE) was initiated to enable

cadets from various schoolsto embark on welfare projects.The welfare projects includebringing the residents toplaces of interest, organisingfunctions and performingfor residents.



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1997

Project Red Cross Love wasinitiated to serve the destituteelderly living in one-roomHDB flats at Kampong Glam.Its Member of Parliament, MrLoh Meng See, officiated at thelunch party.

2004

Red Cross Youth – NTUChapter launched its signatureevent, Vibrant Blood, a publicblood drive to collect blood,raise awareness of blooddonation amongst youthsand recruit and retainblood donors.

2006

Red Cross Youth leaders gaveimpetus to yet another drive -by contributing their pints ofblood as well.

Donating blood can, indeed, bea part of our lifestyle.

2008

Red Cross Youth – NTUChapter organised theinaugural campus fund raisingconcert ‘Illuminate’ in 2008,

which raised over $10,000 forthe residents of RCHD.

Community Involvement – Milestones



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2009

A Youth Ambassador (Blood)Programme was conceived

as an outreach programmeto raise awareness of blooddonation amongst youththrough education andinteractive activities likeroadshows. This programmealso strives to motivateyouths to donate blood oncethey turn 16. A ‘Training ofTrainers (ToT) Workshop washeld to train the trainers of

the Youth Ambassador (Blood)Programme. These trainerswould, in turn, conduct trainingfor their members.

2011

Official launch of YouthAmbassador (Blood)Programme The Youth Ambassador(Blood) Programme wasofficially launched to raiseawareness of blood donationamongst youth through

education and interactiveactivities like roadshows.This programme also strivesto motivate youths to donateblood once they turn 16.

2012More than 800 RCY membersreached out to 600 seniors onwellness through a specialcarnival and bonding lunch atCHIJ (Toa Payoh) SecondarySchool, in conjunction with itsEnrolment Ceremony. Theyspent the day befriendingthe elderly, bringing themto various games stations,sharing meals, and distributinggoodie bags of daily necessitiesto the seniors.

2013

Hundreds of studentvolunteers collected a total of111,813 kg of rice through saleof vouchers as well as door-to-door collection for ProjectR.I.C.E 2013, themed ‘Love inEvery Grain’. Project R.I.C.Eis part of the Singapore RedCross’ FoodAid programme,which serves to help the lower-income, elderly, disabled andpeople living on their own.

In 2011, Red Cross Youth –NTU Chapter organised the‘Enamour’ fundraising concertwhich raised over $9,000 for

the Red Cross Home forthe Disabled.



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One unique aspect of the RedCross Youth (RCY) amongst

uniformed groups and Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs)in Singapore is that it is partof the largest humanitariannetwork in the world, theInternational Red Cross andRed Crescent Movement.This not only means that RCYmembers have counterparts

all around the world, but alsothat RCY members often get

to interact and have culturalexchanges with these foreigncounterparts.

Another upshot of thisinternational facet of the RCYis that members often goabroad, where there are morevulnerable people, to serve

humanity. For example, youthsin RCY participate in Overseas

Humanitarian Projects (OHPs)where they make trips toimpoverished or vulnerablecommunities in other countriesand embark on projects todevelop the communities’physical infrastructure as wellas soft skills for their young.




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1961

Junior Red Cross delegatesparticipated in the firstMalaysia Junior Red CrossCamp in Kuala Lumpur toexchange ideas, explore thebest practices and promoteinteraction amongst the youthsof the two countries.

1970

1969Puan Noor Aishah, wife of latePresident Yusof Bin Ishakgracing the RCY’s Arts & CraftsExhibition in Red Cross House

International Involvement – Milestones

"Source: The Straits Times

© Singapore Press Holdings

Limited. Reprinted withpermission".



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1973

Through the InternationalExchange Programme, RCYsent gift parcels containingpaintings, handicrafts,

albums, dolls and stampsto 105 National Societies.

1981

SRC hosted the ASEANYouth Camp at Changi Creekto promote cross-culturalinteraction, encourage theexchange of ideas andfoster bonding.



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1985

SRC hosted the Asia-PacificRCY Camp on the 26 – 29 Juneat the Changi Creek Campsitewhich was graced by PrincessMaha Chakri Sirindhorn,Executive Vice-President ofThai Red Cross. A total of 31foreign delegates from ninecountries and 36 local cadetsparticipated in the camp.

1989

SRC hosted the Asia-PacificYouth Camp held at CampChristine with a total 64participants locally and

internationally. Senior Ministerof State for Education, the lateDr Tay Eng Soon, graced theOpening Ceremony.

1995

RCY cadets emerged as thechampion for the Asia PacificRegional First Aid Competitionheld in Hong Kong from 27 Julyto 2 August 1995.

1994

In August, youth membersfrom the Osaka Chapter of theJapanese Red Cross Societyvisited SRC, embarking on asix-year bilateral relationshipbetween the two organisations.

International Involvement – Milestones



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1997

SRC hosted the Asia-PacificYouth Gathering themed

‘Youth in Community Service’at NUS Temasek Hall from31 May to 8 June 1997. Atotal of 59 foreign delegatesfrom 13 countries and 110local cadets participated inthe event. Then-Ministerfor Education and SecondMinister for Defence RADMTeo Chee Hean officiated atthe Opening Ceremony.

1998

In March, the HumanitarianAid for Indonesia Appeal waslaunched in response to thecurrent economic crisis inIndonesia. Youth members andleaders packed and distributed

the food parcels and medicalsupplies to more than 50,000families in Indonesia duringthe different phases.

The students from Red CrossYouth – Chapters from NationalUniversity of Singapore,Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity and SingaporePolytechnic embarkedon the first InternationalSpecial Project, Well of Hope‘Operation Saonum’ in NewHatpang, North Laos.

2000

In August, 18 youth membersfrom the Iwate Chapter ofthe Japanese Red CrossSociety visited SRC to learnmore about the society and tointeract with the members.This delegation was led by theChapter’s Director-General.

In August, RCY membersfrom the Incheon ProvincialChapter of the Republic ofKorea Red Cross Societyvisited Singapore, initiatingyet another new bilateralrelationship.

Three RCY members, alongwith an adult volunteer,were sent to represent theSingapore Red Cross at theRegional First Aid Competition.Mdm Tan Wee King was alsosent as a judge in the samecompetition.



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2009

Mr Ling Khoon Chow, Directorof RCY, together with two otherRCY officers, represented SRCin the Red Cross Movement’s150th Anniversary celebrationsin Solferino, Italy.

2011

Red Cross Youth – NTUChapter raised over $36,000for the victims of the JapanEarthquake via OperationMoving Hearts.

2012

Two Overseas HumanitarianProjects (OHP) werecompleted. The RCY – NUS

Chapter sent a team toCambodia in May, whilethe RCY – NTU Chaptersent a team to Myanmar inDecember. Both teams builtinfrastructure for remotevillages and conducted classesfor the villagers.

2013A 10-member RCY team madea working trip to MalaysianRed Crescent’s Johor BahruChapter on 21 & 22 December.The team visited the Chapter’sHeadquarters, discussed ablood and organ donationcampaign, and participatedin a Christmas event for

terminally-ill children. Theseactivities may spurred morecollaboration between RCYand Malaysian Red Crescent’sJohor Bahru Chapter in thecoming years.

Youth Officers embarked ona fruitful Learning Journeyto Hanoi, Vietnam, wherethey visited the Red Cross

Headquaters there and visitedHomes for the disadvantaged.



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Enriching Our Youth



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As a Co-Curricular Activity

(CCA) in many schools andeducational institutions,the Red Cross Youth (RCY)is focused on growing theyoung men and women in itsranks, especially in terms ofcharacter development. Tothis end, the RCY conductsmany courses, camps andactivities to help its youthswiden their knowledge of the

global Red Cross Red Crescentmovement, as well as instil asense of discipline and developcamaraderie among thesebudding humanitarian leaders.

The RCY leadership has

introduced new initiativessuch as the incorporationof Exploring HumanitarianLaw (EHL) into the cadets’curriculum. EHL introducescadets to InternationalHumanitarian Law, alsoknown as the laws of war,and allows them to betterunderstand and be a part ofthe advocacy of human

dignity and human rights.

EHL lets RCY members learnmore about IHL at age-appropriate levels, furtheringthe reach of domain knowledgeamongst the next generation ofhumanitarian leaders.

Enriching Our Youth



36

1967A Training Department wasformed to equip people withknowledge of Red Cross andfirst aid. At that time, firstaid training was primarilyconducted by volunteers, forvolunteers. Courses includedJunior First Aid, ElementaryFirst Aid, Advanced First Aidand Proficiency First Aid.

Organised by the Raffles

Institution Cadet Unit, theFourth Inter-Unit Quizheld on 9 June assessedcadets on their knowledgeof the Red Cross, first aidand humanitarian law. Itwas a tough tussle as sixparticipating units competedfor the coveted Dr A.W.S.Thevathason Challenge Trophy.

Enriching Our Youth – Milestones

1968

First Aid and foot-drillcompetitions were initiated toraise the first aid proficiencyand instil discipline in thecadets respectively.



37

1973

As part of the World Red CrossDay Celebrations, a combinedconcert (with Voluntary AidDetachment) was held at theformer National Theatre on

11 May.

1969

Junior Red Cross celebrated

World Red Cross Day, inconjunction with the 150thAnniversary of the founding ofSingapore.

Puan Noor Aishah, graced theart & handicraft exhibition atRed Cross House.

1980

To provide learning andexposure opportunitiesfor youth, 30 RCY cadetsparticipated in the SingaporeScouts’ 70th Anniversary

Jamboree, a five-day outdoorcamp, in Sarimbun inDecember.

1981

To promote the work of the

Red Cross in schools, RCYproduced some Red Crossmaterials and teaching aidsfor officers and teachers inschools. This included a set ofGeneva Conventions, healthposters, a dossier of Red Crossinformation and literature aswell as a cassette tape of RedCross songs.

To ensure uniformity in thecasualty evacuation process,the Public Duty Departmentconducted a training camp inDecember to standardise theRCY’s Casualty Evacuationsyllabus.




38

1981

The Link Carnival held atthe former WonderlandAmusement Park (presentday Kallang) drew more than3,000 members and officersfrom 76 units. The carnivalprovided opportunities foryouths to learn about Red

Cross and first aid throughfun and enjoyable activities.

The Link Film Showattended by more than1,250 link members andofficers provided anotherform of activity to engagethe youths.




39

1985

CPR training was providedto members to enable themto save lives in times ofemergencies. This added anew dimension to the rangeof Red Cross programmes.

Revived in 1985, the annualInter-Unit Quiz was renamedthe Infoquiz. The quizassessed cadets on theirknowledge of the Red Cross,first aid and internationalhumanitarian law.

1984

Civil Defence Programmewas introduced to sharethe role of the civil defence

in fire-fighting, rescue andemergency ambulanceservices and to equip youthswith the knowledge of fireprevention and safety.

1988

To develop the spirit ofcamaraderie, RCY membersparticipated in the National

Camp held from 10 to 13August for the first time. ThePeople’s Association YouthMovement and a total ofeight uniformed groups andparticipated in the camp.

1989

The Red Cross KnowledgeInstructional course wasintroduced to the cadets.Topics covered includedinteresting ways to teach theGeneva Conventions and theInternational HumanitarianLaw to engage the students.



40

1991

The Biennial Infoquiz forLink units was held toassess cadets on theirknowledge of the Red Cross,

first aid and InternationalHumanitarian Law.

Held in Singapore, the Youth& Health Workshop wasconducted to equip youthswith some knowledge onmanaging one’s health. Thiswas jointly organised by then-League of Red Cross and Red

Crescent Societies and theWorld Health Organisation.

1993

The Cadet Affairs Departmentinitiated an AIDS / HIVworkshop, jointly organisedby the Ministry of Health andAction for AIDS, on 5 June.

The Open Unit was the proudchampion of the NationalDay Campfire Competitionorganised by NACTI. The OpenUnit took the opportunity toperform skits and sing songsrelated to the Red Cross atthe competition.

1992

’RCY and Health Week’ waslaunched on 2 May to promotegood health amongst RCYyouths; getting adequatesleep and drinking sufficientwater. Then-Minister of Statefor Education, Dr Ker Sin Tze

graced the launch. The Healthpromotion badge scheme wasimplemented to assess theknowledge of cadets on healthrelated matters. 2003

A two-day, one-night campfor two districts was firstorganised in 2003. In 2004,it progressed to a combinedcamp for four districts. Thecamp became a day eventin 2005 and was renamedLinkamania.




41

2004

The Volunteers’ InstructorProgramme and Unit Leaders’Programme were introducedas part of the training anddevelopment curriculumin shaping the leaders oftomorrow. The Unit Officers’Programme (formerly the RedCross Officers’ Course) served

to equip teachers with theessential management skillsto nurture and guide theseRCY Members. Teachers whopassed the programme werepromoted to the rank ofYouth Officers.

2010

‘Exploring HumanitarianLaw’ was incorporated as acurriculum for RCY cadetsin secondary schools. Thiscurriculum enables studentsto learn to respect humanlives and dignity and inculcatequalities like humanity,impartiality, neutrality,independence, voluntary

service, unity and universality,which are fundamental traitsto the character buildingof the students. A ‘Trainthe Trainers’ Workshop onExploring HumanitarianLaw was conducted by theInternational Federation of theRed Cross staff for RCY YouthOfficers, Volunteer Officers andVolunteer Instructors.

The Incentive BadgeScheme for Links wasrevised with the followingchanges, comprising two maincomponents – proficiency andenrichment. The enrichmentbadges include: EnvironmentEducation, Health Education,International Friendship,Performing Arts and SportsEducation. To attain theIncentive badges, Links haveto undergo and pass twolevels of challenges,i.e. Foundation (F1).

For the first time, Link

members were also issuedReport Cards for the primarypurpose of tracking the badgesthey have attained. Throughthe use of the Report Card,Link members are now morecognisant of the different typesof badges available in IBS.Moreover, they are able toexercise responsibility in termsof the enrichment badges they

would like to attain.



43

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations

Written by

Volunteers

- Mrs Annie Gay

- Ms Doreen Tan

- Mr Tang Chun Tuck

Assisted by

Staff of SRC

• Corporate Communication & Marketing

- Ms Eileen Cher - Ms Chloe Tan - Mr Dominic Leong - Ms Sondra Foo

• Volunteer & Youth Development

- Ms Angeline Yong - Ms Tilynn Low Chu Xiang - Ms Ng Hui Chun

Courtesy of

• National Archives of Singapore

• MediaCorp Pte Ltd

- Channel NewsAsia - 93.8 Live

• Singapore Press Holdings Ltd

- The Straits Times - Lianhe Zaobao - The New Paper

Supported by

AIDS

ASEAN

AVDCASE

CCAs

CD-ROM

CPR

EHL

EUA

GWS

HIV

HLS

HNS

IBSIHL

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Association of South-East Asian Nations

Adult Volunteers DivisionCare And Sharing Experience

Co-Curricular Activities

Compact Disc – Read-Only Memory

Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation

Exploring Humanitarian Law

Excellent Unit Award

General Welfare Service

Human Immuno-deficiency Virus

Hospital Library Service

Hospital Nursing Service

Incentive Badge SchemeInternational Humanitarian Law

Junior Red Cross

Nanyang Technological University

National University of SingaporeOverseas Humanitarian Projects

Red Cross Home for Disabled

Red Cross Humanitarian Network

Red Cross Youth

South-East Asia(n)

Singapore Management University

Singapore Polytechnic

Singapore Red Cross

Strategic Review Development Committee

Volunteer Adult Leader

Volunteer Instructor

JRC

NTU

NUSOHPs

RCHD

RCHN

RCY

SEA

SMU

SP

SRC

SRDC

VAL

VI



About Red Cross Youth, Singapore

About Singapore Red Cross

The Red Cross Youth wasestablished in 1952 as theJunior Red Cross, beforebeing renamed in 1972. Ouractivities centre on communityservice and aim to instil thevalues of compassion, passion,discipline, perseverance andresilience in our members.

The RCY has a total of 43Links Units (primary schools),43 Cadet Units (secondaryschools) and 11 Chapters(post-secondary institutionse.g. Institutes of TechnicalEducation (ITEs), JuniorColleges, Polytechnics andUniversities) with over 5,000

members. Members aredirectly involved in blooddonation advocacy andproviding first aid coverage.Moving forward the RCY willtake the lead in educatingour peers and families onInternational HumanitarianLaw through our activities.

The Singapore Red Cross isa homegrown humanitarianorganization, dedicated torelieving human suffering,protecting lives and dignity andresponding to emergenciessince 1949. We serve thevulnerable through our blooddonor recruitment programme,

home and day activity centrefor the disabled, transport aid,food aid, and community firstaid, and we build capacity andresilience through our trainingacademy, and volunteer andyouth development. Beyondour shores, we mobilise andtranslate contributions from

the donor community to reliefand recovery, rehabilitation andreconstruction efforts, with theaim of helping communitiesaffected by disasters. For moreinformation, please seewww.redcross.org.sg

RCY SingleFile.s

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