Almost 300 volunteers are taking part in the Let's Be Friends! Social project, which was launched in September 2020 in Moscow. This was reported to the Moscow City News Agency by the chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy, a representative of the Moscow City Duma in the upper house of parliament, Inna Svyatenko.
“The Let's Be Friends! Project is successfully developing in Moscow. It was launched in mid-September 2020 to help orphans and adolescents in difficult life situations. For four months of work, 280 volunteers came to this project, ready to be senior friends and mentors for the children. They undergo special psychological training with the participation of the Older Brothers, Older Sisters charitable foundation, which has been training mentors for 17 years. Now the first two mentors, who have gone through several stages of training, have already met their charges,”said Inna Svyatenko.
She added that within the framework of the project, there is a career guidance section that helps children decide on a career choice.
"Let's be friends!" will continue in 2021, since its importance for the social adaptation of children in difficult life situations is undeniable. Social adaptation, full-fledged upbringing of children in difficult and tragic life situations is one of the most difficult tasks. How children who have lost their families are growing up is an accurate indicator of the humanitarian state of society. In our country, a wide range of forms of family and home placement of children left without parental care has appeared. We see that the public demand for modern, psychologically competent practices of guardianship and trusteeship is also growing,”the senator emphasized.
Inna Svyatenko also noted that psychologists also speak about the importance of direct communication, emotional support, participation in a child's life in one form or another.
“Psychologists talk a lot about the fact that the only one hundred percent necessary and useful form of helping children in difficult life situations is direct communication, emotional support, participation in a child's life in one form or another. Moreover, for such communication - children growing up outside families are often difficult to communicate - psychological preparation is also required. It is to her that the program is dedicated, the output of which is qualified older friends who can play a key role in the social adaptation of even problem children. Children who are in education centers especially need the communication of adults - moreover, adults with the necessary psychological and pedagogical skills. The program is dedicated to the upbringing of such mentors - we hope that it will help all children in Moscow who find themselves in difficult circumstances to find senior partners. Because this is the essence of all social work addressed to this category of Muscovites,”she concluded.
Earlier it was reported that a social volunteering project “Let's Be Friends!” Was launched in Moscow, within the framework of which Muscovites will be able to enroll in the number of social volunteers and devote time to orphans and children in difficult life situations.