Georgia Red Cross Society continues the process of its institutional development which is based on the development and fulfilment of the national society mission, vision, priority directions and the objectives of the five-year strategic plan (2007-2011), as well as on accomplishment of the General Assembly decisions. The improvement of the organizational issues is well reflected in the activities of the national society: Legal base has been improved significantly since the revision of the GRCS Statute and bringing it in conformity with the Georgian legislation and minimum requirements of International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent. The internal rules and regulations have been worked out and adopted by the Presidium of the General Assembly for better definition of GRCS governance and management responsibilities and strengthen their roles to increase effectiveness of their performance. Main focus has been made on leadership competence building and strengthening the governance and management functions, which are essential for the effective functioning of an organisation.

The national society has developed a long-term strategic plan (2007-2011), which enables the organisation to realise its strategic objectives in a consistent way. Short and long term recommendations provided by the GRCS organisational capacities review team and the external financial audit (in 2006) have been included in the long-term development plan and one-year Plan of Action for 2008 year. The General Assembly approved the above mentioned documents at the General Assembly session (On the 16th of November, 2007).

On August 8, 2008 due to the armed conflict in Georgia, upon the decision of the General Assembly Presidium of the Georgia Red Cross Society, the Task Force was established at headquarters. The reference of the Task Force was developed and the roles and responsibilities were assigned for its members. The five-year strategic plan of the national society was revised and the GRCS has introduced the concept for emergency response to the needs of the people affected by the armed conflict. The following main operational directions were defined: Health and care, disaster management, communication and capacity building.

The national society continues its work with volunteers and youth to encourage them to be more involved in decision making process. The relevant policy documents (youth and volunteer policies) and strategies, code of conduct for volunteers have been developed to acknowledge the important role of young people and community members in the Red Cross work. Youth units have been established in five GRCS local branches Tbilisi, Rustavi, Gardabani, Kutaisi, Gori.This helps the national society to reinstate its image and to improve the cooperation with partners. Attention is directed toward improving relationships with State Ministries at the national level and other non-governmental organizations including Movement partners. Having strong relationships with key ministries and other partners is absolutely necessary to assist the GRCS in positioning itself in the public society in order to fulfil the auxiliary role to State government.

During the emergency period the Georgia Red Cross Society has announced the Volunteer Mobilization campaign through the national society web-site. Georgia Red Cross volunteers were divided according to four task groups: Social group - included the mobile assessment sub-groups which were visiting the collective centers for people who fled their homes; Communication- included establishment of new contacts with local organizations and donors, local authorities and promoting the donation phone number 8064 and account number for GRCS, collecting information on current activities; Logistics- included humanitarian aid collection, transportation and distribution; Fundraising group-used groups of volunteers to make a fundraising in the city using GRCS mobile donation boxes, along with raising funds GRCS volunteers collected food from restaurants and different shops.
Volunteers have been welcomed by the national society with pleasure. Various basic and thematic workshops, trainings were conducted for volunteers on different kinds of issues related to the RC/RC International Movement, the Georgia Red Cross Society and the various tools used by the national society while implementing the work. Volunteers have participated in the following events: ICRC session on mine risk education (26 August) Disaster Management workshop (September 13); Volunteer workshop in Gori (11 September); training on clown techniques organized by GRC Youth (through 3-5 September); trainings on induction to RC/RC Movement and GRCS, volunteer policy and strategy, code of conduct for volunteers, project planning process including techniques of project writing, development leadership skills.

The Georgia Red Cross Society works towards branch development and expanding Red Cross activities at local level. The Presidium of the General Assembly has made the decision to re-establish five local branches in East and West Georgia (Akhmeta, Lagodekhi, Tsalka, Tetritskaro and samtredia), which fulfil the main criteria of the local branches stipulated in the Charter on GRCS Local Branches. Within the programme framework the national society has developed the concept on implementation of Branch Development Strategy upon the decision of the GA Presidium. For further implementation of the GRCS Statutes and leadership competence building as well as for better communication and integration of Red Cross local branch newly elected governance members and management staff, the national society with the support of IFRC and ICRC conducted two thematic trainings (for GRCS local branches in East and West Georgia).

The improvement of the organizational issues is well reflected in the national society's activities at local level. Efforts have started to improve communication within the national society-between the headquarters and local branches (the new Statute highlights a revised internal GRCS structure, which reflects a centralized model of newly registered 23 branches interacting directly with the headquarters of the national society), as well as to strengthen links with the local communities through participatory community development approach (in total 7 micro-projects); on average 1, 300 beneficiaries have benefited from each micro-project in the following regions: Khelvachauri, Senaki, Gori, Rustavi, Gardabani, Kvareli, Akhaltsikhe.

The meetings between PCD team and the local authorities of the target regions showed their great readiness for intensive cooperation with the Red Cross and its initiative.

Voluntary participation of beneficiaries in decision-making process where decisions had direct impact on beneficiaries' lives, enabled the national society to make them not only beneficiaries but active volunteers. It proved Participatory Community Development (PCD) project efficiency.

The Local Branches of the Georgia Red Cross Society were actively involved in the IDPs assistance in their respective regions. Through active volunteer mobilization and their valuable help and work the local branches were participating in collecting and distribution of different relief items for assisting IDPs, distribution of humanitarian aid provided by other National Societies to the people affected by the armed conflict, as well as in assessing the living conditions and needs of IDPs in the collective centers and host families.
Especially active were the following GRCS branches: Tbilisi, Sagarejo, Telavi, Akhmeta, Gardabani, Rustavi, Dmanisi, Gori, Sachkhere, Kutaisi, Senaki, Batumi.

Addressing the service gap is a crucial priority for the national society to ensure the progress achieved in organizational development toward the fulfillment of the GRCS mission "to assist vulnerable people in coping with the effects of emergencies and socio-economic crisis by mobilizing the power of humanity and ensuring appropriate means and services to protect human life and dignity". The national society has developed diversified fundraising strategy to ensure sustainability of the national society work.

Progress is notable in the area of human resource development: hiring practitioners and engagement of qualified staff through interviews of the selected candidates.

The national society has improved its financial management by establishing new financial management systems and mechanisms as well as by further developing internal financial procedures; main attention is paid to accountability. Transparency of financial management has been increased and now it accessible to the public.

The Georgia Red Cross Society aims to be a transparent organisation accessible to the public. In this regard the GRCS performs a regular dialogue with all partners and regularly publishes information materials: bulletins, brochures as well as regularly updates the information on the organisation web-page.

The Georgia Red Cross Society has been working actively towards improving internal and external communication between the GRC headquarters and local branches and with its partners and Mass Media through regular dialogue, active information sharing (GRC webpage is regularly updated) and dissemination of information materials such as brochures, bulletins, press releases. Taking into consideration the fact that the Georgia Red Cross Society seeks to project a consistent image and to have its own place in national media, the National Society has conducted PR events and hold a one-day meeting with the journalists in order to create a supporting Media Club. The main goal of the Media Club was promotion of Red Cross activities in the country and strengthening its visibility for the benefit of the vulnerable people being at the centre of its work as well as persuasion of advocacy initiatives aimed at raising awareness of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Georgia Red Cross work.
This process has been considered to be a first stage for the implementation of the GRC Public Relations (communication) strategy at both central and branch levels. The Media groups with the same purpose will be established at local level.
The agreement between the supporting Media Club and the National Society defining the clear role and responsibilities of the Club will be worked out for future cooperation. GRCS supporting Media Club consists of approximately 15 well qualified journalists.