Red Cross Blog

Working with schools and youth Organisations in Wrexham the Red Cross aims to Increase the participation of the young people of Wrexham to support and better understand the needs of young Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers. The Red Cross seeks to help and support young people from differing cultures to live together and respect and understand each other.

In November a group of year 9 students from Clywedog high school volunteered themselves to become British Red Cross Peer Educators/ Befrienders. They received two days of training in which they learnt about the work of the Red Cross home and abroad, as well as learning listening skills, presentation skills and exploring migration issues. Since the training the students have provided one to one support for foreign students on a weekly basis at the Tuesday Lunch time, Peer Support groups. This is held in the EAL classroom and gives students a chance to play games, listen to music and chat whilst getting to know each other. They have raised awareness on migration issues to their peers, delivering sessions during Stop The Clocks Day in January and March. These sessions explore the reasons why people may have to leave their country and issues they may face once they arrive in a new country. In May the students had a chance to use their entrepreneurial skills to raise money for Red Cross Appeal Week by running a cake stall in the social area. They also assisted in the delivery of the International tracing and Messaging Game in which the whole of year 7 got to act out being a service user of the Red Cross International Tracing and Messaging Service, which helps people find lost family members.

Young people get a great deal of information from their peers on issues that are especially sensitive or culturally taboo which is why the work of the Peer Educators is so important in raising awareness on migration and creating a more positive attitude throughout schools in Wrexham.