“With volunteers who are part of the community, the Red Cross / Red Crescent provides a ‘space’ where people can come together to achieve solutions to community problems. This can lead to a richer social fabric and has a direct effect on building civil society and community development.” Strategy 2010

A Red Cross or Red Crescent National Society exists to serve vulnerable people. It does this primarily by mobilising and organising people and other resources in society in order to deliver services to the community. Any organisation has to be ready to react to a constantly changing environment. This is especially true for National Societies as they aim to be at the forefront of dealing with disasters, war and diseases. Inevitably, a National Society – whether new or old, weak or strong, poor or rich - has to constantly improve its organisation and provision of services.

Therefore from time to time it has to go through a planned process of change. It is an important task for the Federation to assist its member National Societies to manage such planned change successfully.This introduction outlines how the Federation and National Societies can as external partners assist National Societies in successfully managing planned change.