A potted history of the Red Cross – and Presenting the process and nature of volunteering for British Red Cross.
I am proud to say that I have just become a new volunteer at the British Red Cross (BRC) at the Emergency Response unit. Here I will shed some light at the process of recruitment and training for the BRC for all who might be interested in joining that wonderful organization.
First of all, a little bit of history of the International Red Cross.
The birth of the Red Cross starts with the battle at Solferino, in Northern Italy, in June1859. During the violent fight between the then Kingdom of Sardinia and her allied Italian and French troops (under Napoleon III) and the Imperial Austrian army, resulting in Italian national unification. A young Swiss business man, Henri Dunant, happen to be in nearby village called Castiglione. He was deeply moved by what he saw: thousands of dead and wounded soldiers and no one who would care for the injured. Dunant decided to take an action and set up an improvised relief for them with the help of the local population. Shortly after (in 1862) he wrote a book called “ A Memory of Solferino” and called for the need of establishing an international body which would care for the wounded in armed conflicts.
Henri Dunant in his book:
"Would it not be possible, in time of peace and quiet, to form relief societies for the purpose of having care given to the wounded in wartime by zealous, devoted and thoroughly qualified volunteers?"
The publication of the book led to the establishment of both the International Committee of the Red Cross, the internationally federated International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and the nationally constituted (one only per country, which must be recognised by the respective country’s government) Red Cross and Red Crescent societies - with all these organisations being legally independent from each other - and eventually the Geneva Conventions.
Dunant’s idea was backed up by four Geneva citizens: general Dufour, doctors Appia and Maunoir and lawyer and administrator Moynier (with whom Dunant had a difficult though on this issue productive relationship). In 1863 the five created what later became the “International Committee of the Red Cross” (ICRC).
Dunant’s proposal to form relief societies led to the establishment of the Red Cross in Geneva. His proposal to formulated international principles underpinned by an international convention led to the 1864 Geneva Convention, the first codified international treaty that covered the sick and wounded soldiers in the battlefield.
In 1864, a conference adopted the first Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field". Representatives of 12 states and kingdoms (though not the UK at that time) signed the convention.
In 1868 a first, unsuccessful, attempt was made to expand the 1864 convention. With the 'Additional Articles relating to the Condition of the Wounded in War' an attempt was undertaken to clarify some rules of the 1864 convention and to extend them to maritime warfare. The Articles were signed but never ratified by all parties. The protection of the victims of maritime warfare would later be realized by the third Hague Convention of 1899 and the tenth Hague Convention of 1907.
In 1906 thirty-five states attended a conference convened by the Swiss government, resulting in that year in the adoption of the "Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armies in the Field", which improved and supplemented, for the first time, the 1864 convention.
A 1929 conference yielded two conventions that were signed in 1929. One, the "Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armies in the Field", was the third version to replace the original convention of 1864. The other was adopted after experiences in WWI had shown the deficiencies in the protection of prisoners of war under the two Hague Conventions, so the "Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War" supplemented them.
Inspired by humanitarian and pacifistic sentiments following WWII and the outrage towards war crimes, a series of conferences were held in 1949 reaffirming, expanding and updating the prior Geneva and Hague Conventions, yielding four distinct conventions:
The Geneva Conventions thus comprise four conventions (treaties), and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for humanitarian treatment in war. The singular term Geneva Convention usually denotes the agreements of 1949, negotiated in the aftermath of WWII (1939-45), which updated the terms of the two 1929 treaties, and added two new conventions. The Geneva Conventions extensively defined the basic rights of wartime prisoners (both military and civilian personnel); established protections for the wounded and sick; and established protections for the civilians in and around a war-zone. The treaties of 1949 were ratified, in whole or with some reservations, by 196 countries. Furthermore, the Geneva Convention also defines the rights and protections afforded to non-combatants (describing civilians who are not taking a direct part in hostilities; persons – such as combat medics and military chaplains – who are members of but are protected because of their specific duties; combatants who are placed “hors de combat”, that is to mean persons who are incapable of performing their ability to wage war, such as fighter pilots or aircrews parachuting from their disabled aircraft, as well as the sick, wounded, detained, or otherwise disabled and neutral nationals (including military personnel) who are fighting for one of the belligerents involved in an armed conflict). Because the Geneva Conventions are about people in war, the articles do not address warfare proper – the use of weapons of war – which is the subject of the Hague Conventions.
This short story can prove that one man – supported by others and with a momentum that grows over time and propels by citizens and governments - can bring a positive change. Thus, no matter the circumstances, we also can be a positive change by “refusing to ignore people in crisis”.
In 1901, Henri Dunant became the joint first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (together with Frederic Passy). The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the oldest organisation within the Movement, and one of the most widely recognized organizations in the world, having won three Nobel Peace Prizes – in 1917, 1944 and 1963.
The Red Cross and Red Crescent (in Muslim majority countries) national societies – such as the British Red Cross - are based mainly on voluntary service, and therefore it values its volunteers providing many opportunities to progress and grow. Below you can find a bit more information about the way from sending the application to starting your volunteering adventure.
Stage 1 – Application Process
The current volunteering opportunities can be found on the Red Cross careers website: https://jobs.redcross.org.uk/tlive1_webrecruitment/wrd/run/etrec105gf.open?wvid=772610007l There you need to choose, from the options available, for what and where you’d like to volunteer (in what niche, and what town). There are lots of options such as: emergency response, first aid, refugee support or befriending, just to name a few. You then need to fill in the application and provide the references and wait for the response.
Stage 2 – Interview
After successful application, you will be invited for an interview at the local Red Cross centre. You will be ask a number of questions (make sure you know a bit of what BRC does and how your skills and experience could contribute them) and provided with the outline of your future responsibilities. If you are successful at this stage and you have provided satisfying references and passed the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks (previously called DBS checks, you’ll be asked to attend a 3 day foundation course.
Stage 3 – Foundation Course
Foundation course is a 3-day long interactive teaching where you will learn range of things applicable to your role. You will learn about the principles of the British Red Cross, their actions, and you’ll get trained in basic first aid and how to look for others and provide emotional support. You will also cover topics related to emergencies and how they affect the population and how you can help. By the end of the course you will be issues a certificate which will be your passport to starting your job as a Red Cross volunteer. The foundation course can take place in different locations (I did mine in Sheffield); if you will have to travel and stay overnight in a different town, everything will be arranged for you so there’s no need to worry about travel or accommodation.
As an emergency response volunteer you will find yourself offering practical and emotional support for those affected by disaster. This might involve providing shelter, facilities or assisting with looking for temporary accommodation. You will also be working alongside other voluntary organisations and local services. The role itself can be emotionally demanding. However, you will be in constant connection with your manager with whom you will be able to discuss absolutely anything. There is a range of different opportunities within the British Red Cross where you will be able to present and further develop your existing skills.
I highly recommend volunteering with the Red Cross to anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in emergency response or humanitarian sectors. Although the recruitment process might seem a bit long, you will hugely benefit from the experience: you will meet lots of people from different walks of life; you will be offered opportunities to progress and gain valuable experience which you can proudly show on your CV.
Bibliography:
Dunant, H. (2016) Born in Battle (Illustrated): The Origins of the Red Cross, A Memory of Solferino. Jr Publishing.
Bennett, A. (2005) Geneva Convention: The Idden Origins of the Red Cross. The Histroy Press.
Evangelista, M. and Tannenwald, N. (2017) Do the Geneva Conventions Matter?. New York City, New York, United States: Oxford University Press
Joy, S., Hendry, L. and Nzegwu, F. (2011) Quality Volunteering at the British Red Cross. Available at: http://www.redcross.org.uk/Get-involved/Volunteer/Thinking-of-volunteering/~/media/BritishRedCross/Documents/Get%20involved/Volunteering/Research%20report%20quality%20volunteering%20at%20the%20British%20Red%20Cross.pdf
Angelina Gudzio
MSc Disaster Management & Sustainable Development
Eds. Richard Kotter
First of all, a little bit of history of the International Red Cross.
The birth of the Red Cross starts with the battle at Solferino, in Northern Italy, in June1859. During the violent fight between the then Kingdom of Sardinia and her allied Italian and French troops (under Napoleon III) and the Imperial Austrian army, resulting in Italian national unification. A young Swiss business man, Henri Dunant, happen to be in nearby village called Castiglione. He was deeply moved by what he saw: thousands of dead and wounded soldiers and no one who would care for the injured. Dunant decided to take an action and set up an improvised relief for them with the help of the local population. Shortly after (in 1862) he wrote a book called “ A Memory of Solferino” and called for the need of establishing an international body which would care for the wounded in armed conflicts.
Henri Dunant in his book:
"Would it not be possible, in time of peace and quiet, to form relief societies for the purpose of having care given to the wounded in wartime by zealous, devoted and thoroughly qualified volunteers?"
The publication of the book led to the establishment of both the International Committee of the Red Cross, the internationally federated International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and the nationally constituted (one only per country, which must be recognised by the respective country’s government) Red Cross and Red Crescent societies - with all these organisations being legally independent from each other - and eventually the Geneva Conventions.
Dunant’s idea was backed up by four Geneva citizens: general Dufour, doctors Appia and Maunoir and lawyer and administrator Moynier (with whom Dunant had a difficult though on this issue productive relationship). In 1863 the five created what later became the “International Committee of the Red Cross” (ICRC).
Dunant’s proposal to form relief societies led to the establishment of the Red Cross in Geneva. His proposal to formulated international principles underpinned by an international convention led to the 1864 Geneva Convention, the first codified international treaty that covered the sick and wounded soldiers in the battlefield.
In 1864, a conference adopted the first Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field". Representatives of 12 states and kingdoms (though not the UK at that time) signed the convention.
In 1868 a first, unsuccessful, attempt was made to expand the 1864 convention. With the 'Additional Articles relating to the Condition of the Wounded in War' an attempt was undertaken to clarify some rules of the 1864 convention and to extend them to maritime warfare. The Articles were signed but never ratified by all parties. The protection of the victims of maritime warfare would later be realized by the third Hague Convention of 1899 and the tenth Hague Convention of 1907.
In 1906 thirty-five states attended a conference convened by the Swiss government, resulting in that year in the adoption of the "Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armies in the Field", which improved and supplemented, for the first time, the 1864 convention.
A 1929 conference yielded two conventions that were signed in 1929. One, the "Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armies in the Field", was the third version to replace the original convention of 1864. The other was adopted after experiences in WWI had shown the deficiencies in the protection of prisoners of war under the two Hague Conventions, so the "Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War" supplemented them.
Inspired by humanitarian and pacifistic sentiments following WWII and the outrage towards war crimes, a series of conferences were held in 1949 reaffirming, expanding and updating the prior Geneva and Hague Conventions, yielding four distinct conventions:
- The First Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field" - the fourth update of the original 1864 convention and replacing the 1929 convention on the same issue.
- The Second Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea" - replacing the Hague Convention (X) of 1907. This was the first Geneva Convention on the protection of the victims of maritime warfare and mirrored the structure and provisions of the First Geneva Convention.
- The Third Geneva Convention "relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War" - replacing the 1929 Geneva Convention dealing with prisoners of war.
- In addition to these three conventions, the conference also added a new elaborate Fourth Geneva Convention "relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War". This was the first Geneva Convention not dealing with combatants but rather the protection of civilians as its subject matter. The 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions had already contained some provisions on the protection of civilians and occupied territory. Article 154 specifically provides that the Fourth Geneva Convention is supplementary to these provisions in the Hague Conventions.
The Geneva Conventions thus comprise four conventions (treaties), and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for humanitarian treatment in war. The singular term Geneva Convention usually denotes the agreements of 1949, negotiated in the aftermath of WWII (1939-45), which updated the terms of the two 1929 treaties, and added two new conventions. The Geneva Conventions extensively defined the basic rights of wartime prisoners (both military and civilian personnel); established protections for the wounded and sick; and established protections for the civilians in and around a war-zone. The treaties of 1949 were ratified, in whole or with some reservations, by 196 countries. Furthermore, the Geneva Convention also defines the rights and protections afforded to non-combatants (describing civilians who are not taking a direct part in hostilities; persons – such as combat medics and military chaplains – who are members of but are protected because of their specific duties; combatants who are placed “hors de combat”, that is to mean persons who are incapable of performing their ability to wage war, such as fighter pilots or aircrews parachuting from their disabled aircraft, as well as the sick, wounded, detained, or otherwise disabled and neutral nationals (including military personnel) who are fighting for one of the belligerents involved in an armed conflict). Because the Geneva Conventions are about people in war, the articles do not address warfare proper – the use of weapons of war – which is the subject of the Hague Conventions.
This short story can prove that one man – supported by others and with a momentum that grows over time and propels by citizens and governments - can bring a positive change. Thus, no matter the circumstances, we also can be a positive change by “refusing to ignore people in crisis”.
In 1901, Henri Dunant became the joint first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (together with Frederic Passy). The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the oldest organisation within the Movement, and one of the most widely recognized organizations in the world, having won three Nobel Peace Prizes – in 1917, 1944 and 1963.
The Red Cross and Red Crescent (in Muslim majority countries) national societies – such as the British Red Cross - are based mainly on voluntary service, and therefore it values its volunteers providing many opportunities to progress and grow. Below you can find a bit more information about the way from sending the application to starting your volunteering adventure.
Stage 1 – Application Process
The current volunteering opportunities can be found on the Red Cross careers website: https://jobs.redcross.org.uk/tlive1_webrecruitment/wrd/run/etrec105gf.open?wvid=772610007l There you need to choose, from the options available, for what and where you’d like to volunteer (in what niche, and what town). There are lots of options such as: emergency response, first aid, refugee support or befriending, just to name a few. You then need to fill in the application and provide the references and wait for the response.
Stage 2 – Interview
After successful application, you will be invited for an interview at the local Red Cross centre. You will be ask a number of questions (make sure you know a bit of what BRC does and how your skills and experience could contribute them) and provided with the outline of your future responsibilities. If you are successful at this stage and you have provided satisfying references and passed the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks (previously called DBS checks, you’ll be asked to attend a 3 day foundation course.
Stage 3 – Foundation Course
Foundation course is a 3-day long interactive teaching where you will learn range of things applicable to your role. You will learn about the principles of the British Red Cross, their actions, and you’ll get trained in basic first aid and how to look for others and provide emotional support. You will also cover topics related to emergencies and how they affect the population and how you can help. By the end of the course you will be issues a certificate which will be your passport to starting your job as a Red Cross volunteer. The foundation course can take place in different locations (I did mine in Sheffield); if you will have to travel and stay overnight in a different town, everything will be arranged for you so there’s no need to worry about travel or accommodation.
As an emergency response volunteer you will find yourself offering practical and emotional support for those affected by disaster. This might involve providing shelter, facilities or assisting with looking for temporary accommodation. You will also be working alongside other voluntary organisations and local services. The role itself can be emotionally demanding. However, you will be in constant connection with your manager with whom you will be able to discuss absolutely anything. There is a range of different opportunities within the British Red Cross where you will be able to present and further develop your existing skills.
I highly recommend volunteering with the Red Cross to anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in emergency response or humanitarian sectors. Although the recruitment process might seem a bit long, you will hugely benefit from the experience: you will meet lots of people from different walks of life; you will be offered opportunities to progress and gain valuable experience which you can proudly show on your CV.
Bibliography:
Dunant, H. (2016) Born in Battle (Illustrated): The Origins of the Red Cross, A Memory of Solferino. Jr Publishing.
Bennett, A. (2005) Geneva Convention: The Idden Origins of the Red Cross. The Histroy Press.
Evangelista, M. and Tannenwald, N. (2017) Do the Geneva Conventions Matter?. New York City, New York, United States: Oxford University Press
Joy, S., Hendry, L. and Nzegwu, F. (2011) Quality Volunteering at the British Red Cross. Available at: http://www.redcross.org.uk/Get-involved/Volunteer/Thinking-of-volunteering/~/media/BritishRedCross/Documents/Get%20involved/Volunteering/Research%20report%20quality%20volunteering%20at%20the%20British%20Red%20Cross.pdf
Angelina Gudzio
MSc Disaster Management & Sustainable Development
Eds. Richard Kotter