For Ted Itani, volunteering has been a “marvelous opportunity to give back to society what society has given me over my lifetime...”  Ted was recently appointed to the Order of Canada in recognition of his dedication to humanitarian and peacekeeping work around the world. 

Here at the Red Cross, we can’t do what we do without volunteers! We get a lot of questions from people wondering how they can volunteer with the Red Cross as an international aid worker. Here's what we look for in an international aid worker. 

Participants crouch down in groups on the ground of a hotel in Ottawa with dried spaghetti sticks and marshmallows. The aim of the team-building exercise is to work together to come up with a way to create the highest structure topped by a marshmallow. The exercise is part of a training of future Red Cross Operations Managers.

Operation Med School is a one-day conference that brings together 198 high school and university students from Southern Alberta to inspire and educate them to follow their medical dreams.

At this year's conference, the Canadian Red Cross hosted a panel discussion that included three medical aid workers who collectively have been on 15 international deployments. These aid workers gave students a first-hand account of the medical contributions Canadians have been making overseas following some of the most devastating emergencies. 

Floods are one of the most common disasters in Canada – and one of the most costly. While springtime means finally hanging up that parka and retiring the snow shovel for now, warmer weather also means that it’s flooding season for many Canadians. Here's how to prepare and how to stay safe.  

In times of war, all civilians are protected under International Humanitarian Law. But children are especially vulnerable, so there are special provisions for them. 

Last week, a group of incredibly talented individuals gathered in Ottawa to attend a week-long Red Cross training session known as IMPACT, short for International Mobilization and Preparation for ACTion. This training includes team building exercises and mock scenarios, all which prepare aid workers to be deployed to the field.

Canadian Red Cross communications aid worker Nicole Robicheau took a moment to talk to us about why she is a humanitarian.