The social impact project in the field of assisted living in the Chelyabinsk region is assessed as successful

The region intends to scale up the implemented technology.

The social impact project “Accompanied Accommodation for People with Disabilities” involved 24 people with mental disabilities, including 16 people from psychoneurological boarding schools, and 8 people living at home, but at risk of ending up in PNI. They all learned to live independently outside the walls of boarding houses and their parental families. With minimal assistance from social workers, they prepared their own food, chose clothes, and learned to spend their budget wisely. An important stage of the project was labor rehabilitation – the children received professions as seamstresses, landscapers, booklet makers and office cleaners, gained work experience in specially created workshops and, finally, found employment on the open labor market. To fully immerse themselves in independent life, project participants lived in apartments.

“The innovative social impact project is one of the main tools for implementing hospital-replacement technologies in the region. It can significantly improve the quality of life of citizens with mental disabilities, helps them socialize and begin an independent life. To date, the project, which lasted more than two years, has been fully completed, an independent examination has passed, and the results have been summed up. This is a great event and an important milestone in the history of the development of the social protection system. We have big plans for the further implementation of the assisted living system in the region,” noted the Minister of Social Relations of the Chelyabinsk Region, Irina Butorina.

All planned social effects in the project were achieved and the private investor who financed the project received a grant from the regional budget for achieving these effects. The region received a technology tested in practice in the field of social services, which it intends to scale up. VEB.RF, as the project operator, provided monitoring of the project and organized an independent assessment of the achievement of the social effect.

Throughout the project, the participants were accompanied by employees of the Family Plus charity foundation. “This is a great experience both for us and for the guys themselves. I can say with confidence that the project performed well. Yes, it is challenging, but effective and necessary for people. Participants were able not only to get an education and get a job, but also to integrate into the social system and learn to be useful to society. In the future, we would like to continue working within the framework of the project and help such citizens socialize,” commented Olga Krivozubova, head of the Chelyabinsk charitable foundation for helping families and children in difficult life situations, “Family Plus.”

All 16 project participants, who previously lived in boarding schools, did not return to stationary social service organizations, but began to live independently with individual support from employees of comprehensive social service centers. Eight project participants, previously recognized as in need of inpatient social services, withdrew their applications for referral to state inpatient social service organizations and remained to live with families.

Now they can carry out full-time work activities, effectively integrate into society, and realize their right to an independent life. “Thanks to this project I gained a lot of experience. First I trained as a cleaner, by the way, I got all A’s in my diploma, and then I went to work in my profession, and they helped me find a job. In addition, for two years I lived in a training apartment with other participants and a special curator who helped us with everything. They taught me how to cook deliciously, which is very useful in everyday life! – shared Tatyana, a participant in the social impact project “Accompanied Accommodation for Disabled People”. – This is a very good project that really helps people. I'm so glad I took part in it! Now I enjoy working in my specialty, go to workshops and also try to help others. People need this!”

The assisted living project was implemented with the support of the Russian Copper Company.

Social impact projects are projects aimed at creating modern mechanisms and technologies for working in the social sphere. The format of social impact projects assumes that project activities are implemented at the expense of the organizer (investor). Only if a predetermined social effect is achieved, the investor is paid a grant from the budget of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation. Such projects fundamentally change the paradigm of performing the social function of the state. The financial provision of social services is changing to the purchase by the state of a ready-made social effect.