Jimena Alvarez
Trinity College Dublin
Philosophy, Political Science, Economics & Sociology

My Experience as an Administrative Assistant at the Spanish Red Cross

For my second Laidlaw Summer Leadership in Action (LiA) experience, I chose to volunteer as an Administrative Assistant with the Red Cross in Barcelona. I was inspired to volunteer with the Red Cross after interviewing several Red Cross volunteers during my first summer’s research, which focused on displacement, refugees, and particularly care workers. Their inspiring stories and dedication motivated me to join this incredible organisation and contribute to their efforts.

Going into this experience, I had several expectations about what I would learn, the skills I would gain, and the challenges I might face. However, like many amazing experiences in life, everything exceeded my expectations. During the interviews I conducted as part of my first Laidlaw summer, I met a woman who was currently working at the Irish Red Cross and had previously worked for the Spanish Red Cross. She spoke highly of the organisation's efforts to help Ukrainian refugees but mentioned that it could improve its organisational aspects and needed more people willing to dedicate their time and effort to make real change. I wanted to be that person. That conversation sparked my initial interest, but my passion deepened as I became more invested in issues such as refugees, migrants, women, and children.

At times, I also felt guilty about wanting to live abroad, feeling as though I was betraying Latin American people and anyone who looked remotely like me. In Spain, I shared the language, and a large portion of migrants were Latin American, which made it feel closer to home. I had expected to engage in a combination of social and administrative volunteering during my months in Spain with the Red Cross. While the organisation addresses six different areas—Employment, Women, Childhood and Youth, Extreme Vulnerability, Aid and Emergencies, and Seniors—my primary focus was going to be on Employment, Women, and Childhood and Youth. This choice aligned with my principles, reflected my aspirations for future work, and was consistent with the themes of my research.

However, prior to my arrival, the coordinator in charge of my integration into the Red Cross informed me that she needed an administrative assistant to help with the administration of the Barcelona Red Cross. Not only was this an amazing opportunity, but it also brought me closer to the goals I had set for myself before undertaking this LiA experience. Although I was disappointed not to be working directly with Employment, Women, and Childhood and Youth, as the new position would require my full attention, I knew that this administrative role would provide me with valuable insight into the inner workings of the organisation.

One of my goals was to become more aware of how an organisation like the Red Cross operates. I wanted to experience both social volunteering, which requires direct contact with people, and administrative volunteering, which calls for different leadership skills. I knew my time there would be brief, but I aimed to make a significant impact—and I genuinely believe I did.

In my role, I was responsible for coordinating the integration and discharge of volunteers across all the different areas of the Red Cross. I went in every day, interacting with and learning from full-time workers, despite being a volunteer myself. Although I didn’t get as much social volunteering as I had hoped, I did have contact with other volunteers. For instance, I had the opportunity to oversee the delivery of drought prevention packs to various locations. I travelled with another volunteer, delivering supplies to emergency centres, elderly homes, schools, and more. Additionally, I participated in various training sessions to better understand the work being done and assisted with day-to-day tasks my coordinator needed help with. 

I believe my energy, drive, and motivation, as well as my knowledge of volunteering and experience with vulnerable people, made a real impact. My contributions helped lay the foundation for a more organised volunteer management system. Together with my coordinator, we improved the way volunteers were integrated into the platform and reached out to hundreds of inactive volunteers to ensure that the supplies and assistance the Red Cross provides—such as insurance and free training for volunteers—were not wasted. I am confident that the work I did will continue to benefit the organisation.

I’m excited to get involved with the Irish Red Cross this year and hope to help bring it to the same level of organisation that the Barcelona Red Cross has achieved. I also look forward to getting involved in the activities I wasn’t able to participate in while I was there.