Introduction to the Red Cross and the Pillowcase Project

Click to add title Ask the children if they have seen these symbols before. If they have, ask where they have seen the symbols. You may wish to note their comments on the board. After children have given some suggestions, explain that these are two of the emblems of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – a humanitarian movement that helps people in crisis, both in and outside of the UK. Explain to the children that you are going to show them some photos. Ask them to describe how the Red Cross is helping people in the photos. Source: Photo from IFRC

Click to add title These photos show volunteers providing health and social care services in the community. Top left: A care worker is visiting an 87-year-old woman at home to keep her company and look after her health as she has been in hospital. Top right: A volunteer is delivering a wheelchair to a person who needs one. Bottom: An older woman is being helped out of a car after having been taken to hospital by a British Red Cross volunteer. Source: British Red Cross

Click to add title These photos show people being trained in first aid so that they will be able to help anyone who is in need of first aid. Source: Photos from British Red Cross

Click to add title These photos show the Italian Red Cross helping refugees who have just arrived in Italy. The Italian Red Cross would have offered the migrants food and water, health checks and psychological support. The Red Cross would also ensure that families stayed together. Source: Photos from British Red Cross

These photos show the British Red Cross responding to emergencies. Top left: Red Cross delivering bread and milk to people’s homes when it has snowed a lot in Lincolnshire. Top right: Red Cross going to help people in a village which is surrounded by a flood in Somerset. They are travelling by boat as all the roads are flooded. Bottom: Red Cross volunteers getting food packages ready for people who need them during an emergency. Source: Photos from British Red Cross

Click to add title Ask the children if anyone knows what weather-related emergency this photo shows. Answer – hurricane Ask children where they think this emergency happened. Answer – the United States of America Explain: This is Hurricane Katrina, a natural disaster that happened in the USA in 2005. It was a very big circular storm with lots of rain and very strong winds. It was much bigger than any storm in the UK. Many people had to leave their homes before the hurricane began so that they would be safe. Many children and young people had to evacuate their homes along with their families and only had time to fill a pillowcase with their things before they left. Source: Photo from IFRC

Click to add title This photo shows one of the impacts of Hurricane Katrina – many areas were covered by water, including lots of homes. This family is sitting on the roof of their house. Could learning about emergencies help people to be more prepared? Do you think it is important for children to learn about emergencies like this one? How might they prepare? Source: Photo from FEMA

The Pillowcase Project Learn about weather emergencies and how to cope and stay safe if an emergency does happen As a result of Hurricane Katrina, the American Red Cross created the Pillowcase Project for the USA to help children and their families learn about, prepare for and respond to weather emergencies that might happen.

Once the Pillowcase Project had been piloted in America, seven other Red Cross National Societies adapted it for their own countries. The Pillowcase Project is being delivered in the USA, the UK, Australia, Peru, Mexico, Hong Kong and Vietnam. Our group is going to participate in the Pillowcase Project to learn about the emergencies that happen in the UK, and how to prepare, stay safe and respond to them if they do happen. If your class received pillowcases as part of the project, you can explain that your group will be decorating these at the end of session(s) to use as an emergency grab bag. You may also be using an alternative ‘share’ method, or asking your pupils to bring in a spare blank pillowcase.

Learn. Practise. Share. Click to add title What steps do you take when you are learning a new sport or instrument? This project helps you learn new skills and feel confident to use them so that you are prepared if an emergency happens. Click to add title The Pillowcase Project follows a ‘learn, practise, share’ method which helps when we learn new skills. For example, when you learn an instrument, you first learn how to play it, then you have to practise it to improve, and then you often share your musical skills by performing in a concert.   In this project we will: LEARN how weather emergencies happen and the best ways to stay safe. PRACTISE what to do during the emergency and develop coping skills. SHARE what you learn so that everyone in your household and community knows the best ways to stay safe if an emergency happens.