The Youth Executive Board of the Palo Alto Area Red Cross Chapter has continued its impact on the community by organizing the second annual Leadership Development Training at Castilleja School this weekend.

The leadership training consists of two days of workshops for Red Cross youth volunteers. Five high schools were represented at the training: Mountain View, Los Altos, Gunn, Castilleja, and Palo Alto.

“The goals of the program are to provide youth with the essential leadership training so that they have a better understanding of our local Red Cross chapter and have the skills and resources to continue to be a leader in the community,” said Anna Gail Caunca, youth services director at the PAARC.

The Youth Executive Board of the PAARC began organizing the event in June 2007, working to get guest speakers to fill the two-day event.

Guest speakers included Margot Harrigan, director of volunteer resources at the Palo Alto Area Chapter and Becky Beacom, a health educator from Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Other presenters were members of the Youth Executive Board and successful volunteers at the PAARC.

Participants were lectured, and then grouped together for activities. Lecture topics included public speaking, things to be aware of when giving a presentation, team building, planning events, effective communication, and volunteer motivation.

The event went very smoothly. There were about 25 participants attending, all of whom volunteer at PAARC.

Kunal Natu, a senior at Mountain View High School, and an officer at the Red Cross thought that the workshops were very helpful.

“I learned a lot about public speaking, like ways to make sure that you grab audience attention, and make sure that you are speaking loudly. It’s better prepared me for other leadership positions,” Natu said.

The goal is to make the program similar to the annual Leadership Development Camp, held by the Bay Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, which is based in San Francisco. The camp is hosted at a college campus, lasts for four days, and is open to the general public.

“As with all new programs, we continue to evaluate, make improvements, or any changes we see fit. This year is designed specifically for youth involved in the Red Cross with our hopes to have more participants attend,” Caunca said, “Our goal is to eventually open up to any interested youth (middle school to college aged) and have them attend in the near future. But we are still starting out.”

Yvonne Lin, Paly junior, and chair of media relations committee on the Youth Executive Board hopes that participants might not be limited to volunteers as early as next year if funding allows.

“I think that people in the community would come to the training. It teaches leadership; the skills can be used both in the Red Cross and in the community,” Lin said, “I cannot see a reason for people to not attend because the workshops teach skills needed later in life no matter what you do,”

For information about volunteer opportunities visit the PAARC homepage at http://www.paarc.org/openrosters/view_homepage.asp?orgkey=1393