ICP Welcomes New Volunteers

By Nina Raffio

Recently, the Greater New York Red Cross held an orientation for new Individual and Community Preparedness (ICP) Department volunteers. The volunteers heard an overview of ICP's role at the Red Cross and learned about Red Cross outreach programs and opportunities.

The orientation also included interactive mock-presentations and skits. Volunteers paired up and practiced the "Be Red Cross Ready" preparedness presentation, doing "teach-backs" to familiarize themselves with the material. They also learned how to staff tabling events by acting out different scenarios/skits. Some volunteers performed their skits in Spanish, which brought a new dynamic to the group.

The ICP department is excited to work with its new volunteers. It thanks them for attending the orientation and for bringing great energy to the event. Volunteers comprise 95 percent of the Red Cross workforce, and their importance cannot be emphasized enough.

"ICP, as well as Red Cross as a whole, thanks these volunteers for taking the time to interview and attend orientation," said Shawn Walton, an ICP staff member who also attended Thursday's event, "We thank them for continuing to help carry out the department's mission and organization's goal to alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies, both in New York and nationally."

Red Cross volunteers practice a Be Red Cross Ready presentation in a teach-back exercise.

Volunteers learn how to staff tabling events by taking turns and performing skits.