Singapore Red Cross Youth

The Singapore Red Cross Youth (RCY) is a Uniformed Group for Primary School and Secondary School students. It has a membership of about 1500 Links (Primary School Students) and about 2500 Cadets (Secondary School Students) . There are currently 41 Link Units, 43 Cadet Units and 10 Chapter Units. A non-uniformed wing – RCY Chapters & Youth Members are inclusive of the RCY.
History.
The Red Cross Youth was formed in 1952, with Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) having its first cadet unit. The Red Cross runs school-based youth programmes and is a Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) recognised by the Ministry of Education as an avenue for Character and Citizenship Education in Singapore schools. The Red Cross Youth has two programmes – one for the Primary School children (Link Programme) and another for Secondary School youths (Cadet Programme). The organisation of youth activities under this approach has produced good results with both the Link units and Cadet Units, enthusiastically pursuing a series of activities ranging from social/recreational to community programmes.
Red Cross Youth Chapters (RCYC or RCY Chapters), previously known as the Red Cross Humanitarian Network (RCHN) was incorporated into Red Cross Youth from 1 July 2011.
Structure.
The Singapore Red Cross Youth comes under the command of Singapore Red Cross Society with the following appointments:
The Singapore Red Cross Youth Steering Committee is also organised in a National Headquarters level with the following appointments:
Incentive Badges Scheme.
The objective of the Incentive Badge Scheme is to encourage Link and Cadet members to take an interest in subjects outside their normal academic curriculum and to widen their interests by carrying out these activities during training. Such activities may also be organised by their respective Zones. Certain activities are also organised by Red Cross Headquarters.
The different badges are as follows:
Annual Events.
Red Cross Youth hosts a variety of major events, performances, competitions and programmes. The events are as follows:
Rank Structure.
Appointment Ranks.
1These are Appointment Ranks appointed by The Singapore Red Cross Society Council.
Appointment Ranks & Staff Officers (Secretariat).
2These are Appointment Ranks appointed by The Red Cross Youth Steering Committee.
Divisional Officers.
3These are often Senior Officers who are no longer holding appointments in office or conferred an Honorary Officer role, e.g. former ADs, Coordinating ADs, Senior ADs, DDs and/or Director.
Youth Officers & Zone Volunteer Officers.
4Granted to Teacher-Officers who have completed the Unit Officers' Programme (UOP).
5Granted to Teacher-Officers In Command, or Volunteer Officers who have exhibited competent leadership. This is the highest possible rank an Officer can be promoted to.
Volunteer Instructors & Volunteer Officers.
6Granted to Volunteer Instructors who have passed the Volunteer Instructors' Programme (VIP).
7Granted to Volunteer Instructors, aged 21 and above in the year of promotion, who have completed the Volunteer Officers' Programme (VOP).
Cadet Members.
8Ranks that ceased to be issued.
9This is the highest possible rank a RCY Cadet can be promoted to.
Volunteer Instructors (VI).
Volunteer Instructors (VIs) are usually graduated cadets of various RCY units who wish to continue rendering service to the organisation, at the school and/or headquarter level. Volunteer Instructors are required to undergo the Volunteer Instructors' Programme (VIP) organised by Red Cross Youth Headquarters. Trainees will undergo training to equip them with knowledge and skills to be an instructor in Red Cross Youth. All Instructors are required to obtain the Standard First Aid Certificate. When trainees successfully pass out from VIP, they will be appointed the rank of Assistant Cadet Officer.
Duties of a VI includes:
Awards & Recognition.
Lanyards.
Lanyard are awarded to cadets with outstanding performance in terms of leadership and/or skills in the following programmes/events. Lanyards are usually worn on the left shoulder as shown above. However, if a cadet attains more than one lanyard, he/she can only wear one.
Long Service Awards.
Long Service Medals & Ribbons are awarded to Red Cross Youth Volunteers as an appreciation for their active contributions in Singapore Red Cross Youth.
Medals are worn on the left side of the uniform, in accordance with the order of precedence. Full-sized medals are worn with the Red Cross Full Uniform. The medals are worn centrally on the left side of the uniform showing the obverse face. The base of the medals should be just above the pocket button. If more than one medal is worn, they are shown full-faced and suspended side by side in precedence order with the highest award placed first from the right (nearer to the heart) of the wearer. If more than 4 medals are worn, the highest award is shown full-faced while the others are overlapped.
Ribbons are worn without the orders, decorations and medals. They are worn immediately above the left chest pocket flap. The latest rewarded ribbon is worn on the wearer’s right (nearer to the heart) and in the top row when more than one row is worn. Ribbons are worn to a maximum of three in a row. Ribbons in excess of this number are to be worn centrally above the completed row.
The UnI Channel.
To allow the cadets to stay connect with Red Cross Youth and interact with other cadets. In 2009, Red Cross Youth publicity team launched a Facebook group and blog, both named The UnI Channel. The blog provides regular updates on Red Cross-related issues such as works of ICRC and IFRC to provide cadets with additional information pertaining to the work of the Red Cross. Besides factual information about the Red Cross, the blog would also discuss problems regarding unit management, teamwork and youth-related issues. Moderators would also put up photos of recent RCY events that have occurred (like the ones mentioned above). The blog has achieved high readership since its launch in 2009, , it has over 623,000 views.
The UnI Channel also include a UnI Youtube Channel and a Facebook account which contains photographs of various events that happen within the Red Cross Youth Spectrum. More recently, they launched Twitter and Instagram accounts to update readers on the Red Cross Red Crescent scene, both locally and internationally. The UnI Channel was further improved and currently in use - rcyouth.com. This serves as a platform for all stakeholders to view and download RCY training materials and relevant information for reference.
School Units.
Schools are categorised into 4 zones. Below are the zones and their respective schools.