Interested in participating in an international event? Have a cause to share about? Want to make new friends? The inaugural Peer to Peer (P2P) Youth Symposium 2015 might be the right platform for you!

Centering round the theme ‘The Global Cause, Our Local Relevance’, the P2P Youth Symposium 2015 aims to create a platform for youths to experience the ‘Red Cross Volunteering Spirit’ and share their volunteering experiences with local and international Red Cross members. It will focus on the sharing of best practices and causes that lead to sustainable action, in line with Singapore Red Cross Society’s core humanitarian services such as Food Aid, Transport Aid and Community First Aid.

What is so special?  We are using new media collaborative tools such as mobile phone communication, linoit and instavideo to make end of day deliverables that can be further discussed for community service plans thereafter. A direct service opportunity is also provided the following day to put words into action for new volunteers to have a feel of innately of helping others and we will link possible plans to future funding for direct services to be carried out as part of Singapore Red Cross' bigger master plan of Community Led Action for Resilience towards addressing the needs of the vulnerable in the community, in particular, the elderly.

This Symposium also directly supports the commitments made by National Societies at the recent Red Cross Asia Pacific Youth Summit (Oct 2014) in Beijing and supports and introduces our International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent’s (IFRC) Global Youth Engagement Strategy - Y.E.S. Putting big jargon to sustainable key deliverables and engaging youth, adult delegates and speakers from 14 countries with the addition of our South East Asian Youth Leaders network counterparts, this symposium focuses on the key trusts towards Youth Volunteerism both locally and internationally.

SPEAKERS:

This year, we are proud to host a number of speakers who will be touching key relevance topics:

Guest Speaker on Social Inclusion: Ms Sashi , Special Olympics Asia Pacific

Guest Speaker on Social Inclusion: Ms Brina, Special Olympics Asia Pacific

Keynote on Innovating the Proven : The Young Humanitarian of Tomorrow                        Mr Alex Louis, Secretary General of the United Nation Association of Singapore 

Plenary on Speaking out Loud: Humanitarian Diplomacy by Youth:                                             Mr Martin Faller, Head of Operations International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent - Asia Pacific

Plenary on Doing it Right: Youths in Humanity : Ms Kelisiana Thynne, International Committee of Red Cross          

Plenary on Positive Influence: Youths as Agents of Behavioural Change:  Ms Kum Ju Ho,  International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent, Bangkok Office

Breakout expert speaker on Youth Engagement and leadership in Humanitarian service (Youth):  Mr Amos Kow, Coordinating Assistant Director, Red Cross Youth, Singapore Red Cross Society

Breakout expert speaker on  Engagement and leadership in Humanitarian service (Organisation): Ms Angeline Yong, Head of Membership & Volunteer Development , Singapore Red Cross Society

Breakout expert speaker on Peer Educator (Youths as Agents of Behavioral Change):    Ms Kum Ju Ho , International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent, Bangkok Office

Breakout expert Speaker on Community Service : Mr Eugene Seow, Touch Community

Breakout expert Speaker on Disaster Management: Ms Alice Ho Program Coordinator, Hong Kong Red Cross

Breakout expert Speaker on Innovations in Humanity: Mr Sahari Ani, Director of Services and Red Cross Youth, Singapore Red Cross Society

Discussion Expert speaker on Cross Border Collaboration: Mr Sahari Ani, Director of Services and Red Cross Youth, Singapore Red Cross Society

Discussion Expert speaker on Youth Leadership & Innovation: Mr Amos Kow, Coordinating Assistant Director, Red Cross Youth, Singapore Red Cross Society 

Discussion Expert on Social Inclusion: Ms Kum Ju Ho , International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent, Bangkok Office

Topics for Breakout Discussion

Topic 1: Community Service

Empowering the community to be the key stakeholders in addressing the need of their community will ensure sustainability of such endeavours and the same time it strengthens the resilience of the community.

In order to sustain the effectiveness and relevance of such programmes requires practitioners and implementers to continue to incorporate innovative ideas into proven methodologies and best practices from both local and international.

This breakout session/discussion aims to provide the platform for youth share experience and best practices and explore various innovative ways to better involve youths in providing sustainable direct service action and find methods to better engage them in the community programmes.

Topic 2: Disaster Management

When a disaster strikes, the community will be the first responders in the aid of those affected in providing life saving and immediate relief efforts, and continue to be the key stakeholder in early and medium-term recovery work as well as long-term rebuilding projects.

In many communities, youth form a significant proportion of the community. With proper training, youth can and will be a useful resources in these effort. Providing first aid and healthcare care, relief distribution, and psychosocial support are some of the many roles the youth can undertake.

Red Cross Movement and other many other Civil Societies  are  involved in the wide spectrum of management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies, that also include preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters.

 This topic of discussion would cover aspects such as the ways to empower youths to contribute better in the genre of disaster management as well as develop methods to spread the awareness of the importance of the same.

Topic 3: Youth Engagement and leadership in Humanitarian

Youth can take a lead in their capacity as youth member of the society as an effective volunteers/leaders and catalysts of change. Youth leadership is not exclusively about the title and position, it entails and refers to specific abilities or unique qualities of young people to inspire and influence positive change in others by their own action. 

Through the varied choices of volunteer roles and training opportunities, our youth can be nurture to become leaders with a difference in serving humanity. As member of Global Network - RCRC Movement, our Youth will be part of the global youth network of humanitarian advocators and practitioners. Some of the activities include  Humanitarian Diplomacy, Disaster Management, Community Services, Social Inclusiveness etc.

Topic 4: Social Inclusiveness

One of the Red Cross Fundamental Principles is "Unity", of which respect for diversity is an underlying humanitarian value, National Societies welcome all individuals and enable their active participation in Red Cross Red Crescent work. Persons of all profiles can participate in activities and decision-making bodies. Nothing is to create barriers to this and proactive measures need to be taken to enhance the diversity so that it is a truly inclusive organization, representing all population groups and the diversity of the society. Every individual has a unique opportunity to lead by example, being sensitive to the needs of others, regardless of whether they are part of ‘mainstream’ society or a minority, and to be leaders in the promotion of inclusion of excluded groups.

The breakout session on this topic will allow participants to share ideas on how inclusion can be advocated, personal experiences in relation to the topic and how confidence can be given to the group with diasbilities to achieve their personal best such that they feel valued and respected in their communities.

Topic 5:  Innovations in Humanity

One of the key aspects bringing together youths today is social media. This brings in the need to look at innovative engagement where Youth can play a central role and optimising the use of technology such as social and other interactive media to create an active sharing, up to date and infomative platform. The innovations using social media as well as other mediums will be discussed as part of this breakout topic. This would involve ideas for development of platforms to better engage the youths as volunteers as well as donors and to further come up with ways to empower youths to champion initiatives to support the humanitarian both during peace time and disaster.

To further optimise existing proven programmes through using not only social media but also other appropriate technological resources and creative approaches are other innovative contribution that the youth can undertake.

Topic 6. Peer Educator

Peer education is an approach and can take place wherever you and your peers are together (e.g. in universities, at homes, during workshops, on the street, or more generally, in any place). It is not, and should not be limited to the concept that it is only happening in organized workshops or formal educational activities.

Peer education is a particularly powerful tool because very often peers are more likely to listen to one another. As young people, you have a great influence on your peers (e.g. what activities to do, what behaviour to adopt).  Youth of Agent for Behavioural Changes (YABC) uses that power in a positive way by offering up different perspectives, creating safe spaces where young people can openly and honestly think about their views on issues such as how, we perceive diversity or how our excluding behaviour can represent our fears or lack of information, understand them and initiate inner change that involves a perspective of non- violence, mutual understanding and respect. When you are positive role models, your peers may be highly motivated to follow your actions.

The breakout session allows participants to internalize and share their ideas on the impact and importance of peer educating and how it can be applied to youths and their peers to encourage participation, maintain focus on task, manage the decision making process, create and sustain a learning envirnonment that is safe, open, flexible and welcoming. Personal experiences may also be shared during this session.