The Organisation
Since 1870, the British Red Cross has been helping people who need it most, no matter who or where they are. The British Red Cross works in the UK and globally and is part of a global voluntary network responding to the human impact of individual emergencies including natural disasters and conflicts. We enable vulnerable people and at risk communities to prepare for and withstand crises in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them recover and move on with their lives.
Our vision is a world where everyone gets the help they need in a crisis.
Our mission is to mobilise the power of humanity so that individuals have the capacity to prepare for, deal with and recover from crisis.
The work of the British Red Cross focuses on three causes that address enduring humanitarian crises of our time:
- Disasters and emergencies
- Health inequalities
- Displacement and migration
As part of our Strategy 2030, over the next ten years we will focus our efforts on ensuring that:
- People are safe and able to survive and recover whenever disasters strike;
- People in the UK receive the care and supportthey need without falling through gaps in the health system;
- People experiencing displacementfeel safe, live with dignity and have choice and opportunity on their journey.
We work where the risk is high and resource is low. Collaborating with individuals and communities before, during and after a crisis, we build resilience, protect the most vulnerable, respond to the practical and emotional needs of those affected and empower people and communities as they recover so they are better able to cope with future crises.
To respond to the needs of the people and communities we help and enable people to take humanitarian action, we build connected communities that are stronger in the face of crisis. We work with people, communities and different organisations to strengthen connections, so that, together, they can better prepare for, respond to and recover from a crisis.
The climate crisis is at the heart of our 2030 Strategy. We are enabling people and communities to adapt and prepare for the impact of climate change, and shedding light on the humanitarian impact of climate related disasters here in the UK and abroad.
Whether in the UK or abroad, the British Red Cross cannot work alone. We are committed to working in partnership alongside others to ensure people can access the networks of support they need in the face of a crisis. As part of the wider Red Cross/Red Crescent movement, we build the capacity of sister National Societies where there is least resource. We aim to ensure they are well-placed to provide locally tailored, relevant support to individuals and communities in the context of the risks they face.
In the UK we work alongside others, nationally, regionally and locally to ensure that systems of support are co-ordinated, including playing a leading role in the Voluntary and Charity Sector Emergency Partnership. Where systems create vulnerability and inequality, we advocate for change and influence UK policies and laws so that people we help are supported and can live without the fear of poverty.
We will deliver our Strategy 2030 with people at the heart of what we do. We will build a movement of kindness that enables people to take humanitarian action for what they care about and ensures we have the support we need to fulfil our mission. We are empowering our people – staff and volunteers – so that they feel they make a difference for the people the people we help no matter what their role is. And we will reduce our own impact on our planet, decreasing our carbon footprint and our waste, and choosing our suppliers and partners based on their environmental credentials.
Our Values and Principles
- Our values (compassionate, courageous, inclusive and dynamic) underpin everything we do. As a member of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the British Red Cross is committed to, and bound by, its fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.
- At the British Red Cross, we are looking for the right people to help us provide support to millions of people affected by crisis. We want our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, offering equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Diversity is something we celebrate, and we want candidates to be able to bring their authentic self to the British Red Cross. We want you to feel that you are in an inclusive environment, and a great position to help us spread the power of kindness.