.
C. Ramesh Kumar -YRC Co-ordinator. Mechanical -H.O.D
 
The Red Cross, established in 1863 in Geneva, by Jeen Henry Dunant, is an International Organisation meant for humanitatian services. Its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland with many affiliated National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
It is a non-religious, non-political and non-sectarian International body. Regardless of either frontiers or race, the Red Cross remains a voluntary organization and also an independent one having considerable welfare activities to its credit. It is the biggest relief organization in the world with two hundred million members and tens of thousands of employees.

Though, at the beginning, it aimed at taking care of the people affected by war, in due course, its area of operation was extended to the prevention as well as relief of human suffering during natural havocs and at other times.

The Youth Red Cross (YRD) is the most important constituent of its mother organization, Indian Red Cross. It is a group movement organized for students in Colleges and Technical institutions.

A qualified lecturer is recognized as the leader and he is called the Programme Officer. The students are trained and encouraged to manage the affairs of the group and elect their own office-bearers.

 
 
 
The YRC movement is based on the following three principles :-
i)
 Protection of health and life.
ii)
 Service to the sick and suffering.
iii)
 Promotion of national and international friendship, to develop the mental and moral capacities of the youth.
 
 
i)
 Youth Red Cross Units will be attached to the Colleges. Both male and female students can join YRC.
ii)
One YRC Unit could consist of student volunteers guided by one YRC Programme Officer who will be a faculty member depending upon the students strength willing to become YRC volunteers, any number of YRC units could be started in the colleges.
iii)
The YRC Programme Officer is expected to motivate the student youth to understand the values and philosophy of YRC. The overall functions of YRC Programme Officer are to help the students to plan, implement and evaluate the activities of YRC under his/her charge and give proper guidance and directions to the student volunteers.
iv)
 Principal, Dean of the college will monitor and support the activities of the YRC units in the college.
v)
To co-ordinate the YRC activities at the University level, one YRC Co-ordinate, will be nominated by the Vice-Chancellor, Anna University.
 
 

The YRC Programme Officer in College will be nominated by the Principal, Dean of the College. YRC Programme Officer initiates the work of organizing a YRC Unit by talking to the students about YRC in general, mentioning the work done by other similar groups in Colleges, both in India and other countries, and then suggesting the advantage of having such a group in their own college and endeavours to create in them a genuine enthusiasm, so that work might begin with confidence and interest.

The student members then elect from among themselves their Office-bearers i.e. Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary and draw up their programme bearing in mind the main objectives of YRC.

 
 


YRC units in colleges need to be registered with the Indian Red Cross Society Tamilnadu Branch (IRCS, TNB) by paying annual registration fee of Rs.20/- per college as per the Government order.

As per the G.O. No.342 dt.13.07.99 & G.O. No.251 dt.03.07.2000, the Engineering Colleges in Tamilnadu shall collect from all the students YRC membership subscription of Rs.5 per student per annum along with the tuition fees. Out of this amount of Rs.5/- an amount of Rs.2 is to be sent to the IRCS, TNB and Rs.3 is to be retained by the respective colleges for the YRC activities. Registration of membership in YRC shall be done immediately after first year admission is over as per the proforma given in Annexure I.

 
 

Though YRC membership subscription will be collected from all the students in all four years, (first year to fourth year) only first year students will have compulsory participation in YRC programmes.

Therefore each unit of 100 volunteers of first year shall be supported by the retained amount of Rs.1200 from 400 students (all the four years at the rate of Rs.3/- per volunteer).

This amount of Rs.1200/- per 100 volunteers could be used for conducting programmes and carrying out activities under YRC.

 
 
1.Refreshments                  : Rs.800
2. Stationary / Photographs : Rs.200
3. Contingency                   : Rs.200
                              Total Rs.1,200/-
 
 


IRCS, TNB provides badges with Red Cross symbol for the use of YRC members and YRC Programme Officers on payment.
 
 


To enable the YRC Unit to function effectively the faculty members who are in charge of YRC Units as Programme Officers will be trained to promote the YRC work on right lines. (Origin of Red Cross / Junior Red Cross and Youth Red Cross, Disaster Relief, Health, First-Aid, Road Safety, Fire fighting, Social Service etc.,) Orientation Training Programmes will be periodically conducted as follows.
 
i)
 District Level
 
One-Day Orientation Programme for YRC Volunteers.
ii)
 University Level
 
Three-Day Orientation training Programme for YRC Volunteers.
One-Day Seminar for YRC Programme Officers.
iii)
 State Level
 
Four-Day Training cum Study camp for YRC Volunteers / Programme Officers.
iv)
 Inter State
 
Five-Day Training cum Study Camp for YRC Volunteers / Programme Officers.
 



JEAN HENRY DUNANT, known as the father of the RED CROSS, was born on May 8, 1828, in Geneva, Switzerland. This day of every year will be observed as the World Red Cross Day, by all colleges when special programmes would be organized suiting local needs and priorities.
 
 


Voluntary and statutory welfare agencies such as community centers, correctional agencies, hospitals, residential institute for children, women, and the aged and institutions for the disabled are settings that provide a wide scope of choice of service opportunities to YRC volunteers.

YRC volunteers can be placed with these agencies in terms of their interests and choice. Interaction with voluntary welfare agencies will help students in understanding social problems better.

 
 


The following is the list of Records and Registers to be maintained by each YRC unit.
Enrolment Register of Volunteers
Cash Register
Stock Register (Consumable & Non-Consumable)
Attendance Register for Volunteers
Register of Progress Reports
Register of Project Reports
Register for Tree Plantation
Register for blood grouping
Minutes Book (College Advisory Committee)
Record giving information on availability of material (YRC RESCUE SQUAD)
Personal Work Diary (Programme Officer)
Visitor's Book.
 
Progress Reports Half yearly progress reports detailing the works done along with photographs shall be submitted to the YRC Coordinator, Anna University, chennai-600025. For the period ending September 2005 and March 2006 in the proforma given in Annexure II.
 
 


Anna University has set up a YRC Advisory Committee at University Level to advise on the planning and development of programmes under the Chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor.
 
 


It is advised that each college shall have a College Level Advisory Committee consisting of
Principal Chairman
Some staff members with social work
  Background Member(s)
Representatives of the Development
  Department do
Representatives from welfare agencies do
YRC student leaders do
YRC Programme Officers dos
The overall function of the YRC Advisory Committee at the College Level is to advise on the various activities of the YRC unit based on the felt needs of the students and the community. It should meet regularly, at least four times during the year.
 
 


Each college shall engage the first year students for at least 80 hours in a year during week ends of which each student shall secure a minimum attendance of 75%.
 
 


The programmes should be, as far as possible, based on the objectives of YRC. Action Plan for the year 2005-2006 is given as a guideline in Annexure III.