Malta Red Cross

Address:

104 St Ursula Street
VLT 05 - Valletta
Tel: +356-222645
Fax: +356-222645
Email: redcross@waldonet.net.mt
Website: www.redcross.org.mt

Legal Basis:
24 October 1991: Foundation of the Malta RC19 June 1992: legal recognition October 1993: Recognition by the ICRC. It became the 165th National Society in the Movement. 2001: Amendments to the statutes were presented for approval of the annual general assembly in 2001 with the purpose of making the society more effective and transparent. The most important amendment is the one establishing the Gozo branch that the Malta RC intends to make fully self-sufficient.

Mission:
The objective of the society is to prevent and alleviate suffering with complete impartiality and without discrimination as to nationality, race, gender, religious beliefs, class or political opinion, which form the basis of the Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles. The Malta Red Cross Society has placed Strategy 2010’s mission statement, “to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity”, into the local context so that the mission of the Malta RC becomes: “to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of Maltese society”.

Constituency:
The National Society caters for all operation taking place in Malta, namely First Aid Instruction, Disaster Response, Water Rescue, Ambulance Service and Social Services.  A branch of the Malta RC was established in Gozo by a series of internal regulations within the statutes of the Malta RC. The Gozo branch is responsible for all activities and services provided on the island of Gozo. It will inform and coordinate all services and activities with the Director General of the Malta RC.

Organisation/planning:
Having outgrown its previous development plan, the Malta RC has established a detailed framework; its business plan 2001-2003, within which it can best promote, the ideals of Strategy 2010.

Leadership:
The Malta RC is administered by a governing council, which, together with the general assembly, is the central core of the Malta RC. The governing council is responsible for setting directions for the Malta RC. Its members are elected by the general assembly. The general assembly meets each year in ordinary session and/or for extraordinary session(s). A president ensures the general supervision of the society’s administration and the carrying out of decisions taken by its committees and commissions. The Malta RC director general has important functions such as the coordination of volunteers, employees, professional service providers and other Red Cross societies and branches to deliver quality services to the society’s clients.
 
Challenge:
Malta consists of three islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino, strategically positioned in the Mediterranean between Sicily and the North African coast, a fact which has played a major role in the history of Malta. One-third of the working population is government employees. Unemployment is low. The level of public health care is high and is well organized. Medical treatment is free of charge. The most vulnerables in Malta are the elderly, lonely people, single parents, people dependent on drugs and/or alcohol and others having social problems.

Paid staff:
The Maltese RC headquarters is run by the Director General and three administration staff

Volunteers:
There are approximately sixty volunteers ranging from rescuers to ambulance personnel.

Domestic Activities

Civil Protection

Land Rescue/Disaster Response
Malta RC has trained volunteers in this area to assist in disaster situations and also as auxiliaries to the Civil Protection Department.

Water Rescue
Water Rescue and Lifeguard training is given to a group of volunteers in order to take care of assistance on beaches during summer.  They are also trained in swift water rescue.  The MRC established the Water Rescue Academy in October, 2003 with the aim to target the training for lifeguards and water rescuers, as well as qualified water rescue instructors.  The first group of water rescue instructors to qualify from the Academy were water rescuers from the Italian Red Cross.

First aid
The Malta RC’s aim is that all active volunteers have undertaken basic first-aid training. The basic first-aid instructors committee monitors and evaluates the present situation regarding the course as it is offered at present. The Malta RC will standardize and upgrade its courses in accordance with guidelines laid down by the European reference centre for first-aid education. It will ensure that basic first-aid instructors will receive regular training. The society hopes to begin psychological support training for the general public. It also intends to give training in basic life support and ambulance training to active volunteers who have already undergone basic first-aid training.

Ambulance service
It is one of its major commitments of assistance.  The MRC has just invested in three ambulances, two for Malta and one for Gozo, to increase its fleet.  The service given ranges from Emergency Response in co-ordination with the Health Department, to public duties during mass sports activities.  The training of our volunteers is of the highest level and in accordance with European standards. 

Social Services

Human Support, Social Assistance and Refugees.
These are three areas in which the MRC is putting a lot of energy, as these areas are a growing concern.  The director general, the human resources manager and the social assistance coordinator identify the most vulnerable people in Malta in these areas and are focusing on assistance in the humanitarian and medical area. Immediate help to the most vulnerable, especially the lonely, elderly, immigrants and refugees, is given in the shortest time possible. Initiation of a research programme to identify the most vulnerable and the best way to help those identified is a medium- to long-term aim of the society. Projects concerning refugees, namely housing and human support, skill acquisition and cultural adaptation are in the pipeline for this year. 

Public relation committee
The society hopes to establish good relations with the media in order to promote the Movement, its Fundamental Principles, the National Society and its activities. This awareness will also help to increase the number of much-needed volunteers and the inevitable but essential funding in order to support our ever growing operation in favour of the vulnerable.

Membership in RCRC networks:
Climate Change CenterELSG – European Legal Support GroupENPS – European Red Cross Societies Network for Psychological SupportEuropean Reference Center on First AidReference Center on Psychological SupportWENDOV – Western European Network on Volunteer Development

Country Information

Population:Population: 399.900
GPD per capita:GDP per capita: € 16,800
Life expectancy:Life expectancy: 78.4 years
Infant mortality:Infant mortality rate: 5.6 ‰
Accession to the EU:Accession to the EU: 2004