Decisions on 14 life situations were made in the Nizhny Novgorod region as part of the National Social Initiative over four years.

      Solutions for 14 life situations have been developed and implemented in the Nizhny Novgorod region as part of the National Social Initiative over four years. Executive authorities, in collaboration with the Regional Service Ombudsman Institute, have improved the operation of social institutions. Now citizens can receive the necessary assistance and support even more easily, quickly, and effectively. All projects are being implemented in the region from 2022 to 2025. The results of the work were summarized last week during the regional headquarters of the National Social Initiative. The event was chaired by the Deputy Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Andrey Checherin. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Demography and Human Capital of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Igor Pantyukhin, the Deputy Minister of Social Development and Family Policy, Vadim Tsyganov, the Deputy Minister of Health, Tatyana Kovalenko, the Deputy Minister of Education of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Maria Chernikova, the Regional Ombudsman for Human Rights, Oksana Kislytsina, the Regional Ombudsman for Children's Rights, Margarita Ushakova, the head of the ANO Resource Center "Children in the Family," Svetlana Meller, and the Regional Service Ombudsman, Ekaterina Shirmanova. "Over the past years, we have increased the efficiency of service delivery in the areas of healthcare, social protection, education, youth policy, and employment. Opportunities for professional training for people with health limitations have been created, the accessibility of medical assistance has increased, the digitization of many social services has been carried out, and solutions for the employment of older job seekers have been found. The implementation of these solutions means that the quality of social services that help people solve specific life situations has improved," explained Andrey Checherin. Participants of the meeting paid special attention to the results of work on two life situations in 2025. As part of the project "Improving the Quality of Geriatric Care for the Population," a system for early detection and prevention of cognitive impairments has been established in the region. The main goal is to preserve the memory, attention, thinking, intellectual and social activity of older Nizhny Novgorod residents, as well as to reduce the risk of developing dementia. This is a valuable contribution to achieving the goals of the national project "Long and Active Life." Today, cognitive observation offices for older patients operate at four "pilot" medical institutions: City Clinical Hospital No. 3, as well as city polyclinics No. 7, No. 4, and No. 50 in Nizhny Novgorod. In 2025, specialized assistance was provided to more than a thousand people. In addition, the second "Memory Clinic" has already opened at City Polyclinic No. 30 in Nizhny Novgorod. Here, free neuropsychological testing can be conducted, medical consultations can be obtained, and classes can be attended to help prevent the development of cognitive impairments. The second life situation is "Providing Choices of Educational and Career Strategies for Children with Disabilities and Special Needs." As part of this initiative, professional training has been introduced in 14 correctional schools in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Now, upon graduation from school, young Nizhny Novgorod residents receive documents confirming their qualifications and can be employed immediately. In 2025, 192 people enrolled in vocational training programs. Over the past three years, 18 educational programs have been launched: from seamstress and cook to carpenter, vegetable grower, and landscaping specialist. On average, 72% of graduates from correctional schools who completed these programs are employed in partner companies—public catering organizations, large factories, hotel complexes, agricultural enterprises, and major hypermarket and supermarket chains. For example, several girls who graduated from Nizhny Novgorod boarding school No. 95 in 2025 have the profession of "Vegetable Grower." Today, they work as specialists in the "Garden Goods" department at a large hypermarket. The Nizhny Novgorod residents consult customers, select products, present new goods, and take care of plants. Before being employed, the graduates interned there and got to know the team. Now the girls continue to develop: they have undergone professional testing, moved from interns to specialists of the first, and then the second qualification level with a salary increase. Meeting participants also discussed plans for the further development of the National Social Initiative in the region. According to Ekaterina Shirmanova, this year four more areas were approved: "Schools for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases," "Post-Internship Support for Orphans and Children Left Without Parental Care," "Support for Young Families," and "Organization of Recreation and Health Improvement for Children."

      "Since 2021, the Nizhny Novgorod region has taken on 25 life situations across five areas—'Social Protection,' 'Education,' 'Healthcare,' 'Labor Market and Employment Support,' and 'Youth Policy.' Our region was one of the first to join the implementation of the National Social Initiative—this is a project of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. We note that the satisfaction of Nizhny Novgorod residents with social services is indeed growing. It is important not to stop our efforts and to seek new opportunities to improve the quality of life for people," concluded Ekaterina Shirmanova.

      Let us remind you that the national project "Long and Active Life" has been implemented in the country since 2025 by order of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. It includes 11 federal projects: "Health for Everyone," "Modernization of Primary Healthcare," "Medical Personnel," "Fighting Cardiovascular Diseases," "Fighting Cancer," "Fighting Diabetes," "Fighting Hepatitis and Minimizing the Risks of Disease Spread," "Improving Emergency Medical Care," "Developing Federal Medical Organizations, Including the Development of a Network of National Research Centers," "National Platform 'Health,' 'Optimal Medical Rehabilitation for Health Recovery.'"