Nizhny Novgorod region presented its experience in social innovations at the ASI forum.

      The Nizhny Novgorod region presented its experience in social innovations at the ASI forum "Strong Ideas for a New Time," which is taking place in Nizhny Novgorod. The thematic session was held on August 27, organized by the social project of the People's Front "Region of Care" and the government of the Nizhny Novgorod region. Participants discussed how to combine the resources of the state, NGOs, and businesses to address specific social issues.

      Opening the plenary session, Fatima Mukhamedzhan, Deputy General Director of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), noted that over 15 years, ASI has grown into a large professional institution while maintaining its main focus—connection with people and attention to their needs.

      "For us, it is important not to lose touch with the individual despite the weight of expert opinion. ASI is a gathering point between a person, their needs, and the state system. We see ideas in which people have already invested their strength, experience, and heart, and we help give them a greater chance in life. The foundation of this work is human-centeredness: a systematic approach where every participant in the process has the right to be heard and respected," said Fatima Mukhamedzhan.

      At the same time, the discussion about systemic changes addressed very specific questions: how to support families in crisis; how to help a person transition from an institution to independent living; how to provide necessary support to the elderly and seriously ill individuals.

      "In the social sphere, there is never a final result—a point after which one can be 100% satisfied. This is a field where one can and must constantly improve, rethink the usual, and implement new ideas. In the Nizhny Novgorod region, we have practically confirmed that behind strong social changes are, first and foremost, caring individuals. We work with those who not only propose ideas but are ready to strive for their implementation, try different approaches, sometimes make mistakes, but do not retreat," said the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Gleb Nikitin.

      In 2019, the development of ideas for the National Social Initiative began in Nizhny Novgorod. Since 2021, the regional government has been developing a comprehensive partnership with the social project of the People's Front "Region of Care." For example, experts from the project conducted a study of the system for preventing social orphanhood, which resulted in the development of the Concept of a Unified Model of Assistance to Children. Its goal is to help families before the only option becomes placing a child in an institution. The Resource Center "Children in the Family" is responsible for implementing the concept in collaboration with the relevant ministry. As a result, over two years, the number of children placed in stationary social institutions has decreased by a third.

      It was about changing the logic of work in the social sphere, interdepartmental and intersectoral interaction that Nyuta Federmesser, advisor to the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region on social policy, spoke at the session.

      "The strength of the Nizhny Novgorod region for me is that here they have learned not to be afraid of difficult questions, not to squint, but to move forward. Mistakes are normal, but if you know 'why,' then you will find 'how.' Here, the governor knows 'why.' In the social sphere, it is impossible to solve all problems alone. If the state, NGOs, institutions, and businesses are ready to go this path together, separate practices become a system and change the lives of not just one, but many people," she emphasized.

      For people with disabilities or mental health issues, institutions still remain one of the main options for placement in a difficult life situation. However, such a scenario means losing the usual way of life, contact with loved ones, and the opportunity to live at home.

      In 2021, at the initiative of the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Gleb Nikitin, and with the support of the "Region of Care," the "Rights Protection Service" was created.

      "Thanks to the Service, an independent mechanism has been established in the Nizhny Novgorod region that allows seeing problems directly within institutions, working with specific individuals, and simultaneously returning information about recurring issues to the management system. For example, the Service's lawyers have systematically engaged in restoring legal capacity for the first time and have formed judicial practice on this issue. The effect of the Service's work is now noticeable both in the daily operations of specific institutions and at the level of federal social policy," noted Olga Shchetinina, a senator of the Russian Federation.

      Another direction being implemented with the support of experts from the "Region of Care" is the transformation of social service homes for children. At the center of this approach is the life trajectory of a specific child: their development, education, relationships with relatives, and preparation for independent living.

      In the Arzamas social service home "Mayak" and the Avtozavod social home "Nadezhda," approaches to working with children have radically changed. Specialists help restore family ties, support foster families, and create opportunities for learning and development. The institution is gradually becoming part of the assistance route, rather than an endpoint for the child.

      According to Igor Sedykh, Minister of Social Development and Family Policy of the Nizhny Novgorod region, over two years, the staff of "Mayak" managed to restore family ties for 67% of the institution's wards, and 11 children with severe and multiple developmental disorders have been placed in biological or foster families.

      The experience of the Nizhny Novgorod region shows how individual practices can become part of systemic work, but new mechanisms for interaction between the state, business, and NGOs are needed for their scaling. One of them is social impact projects, operated by VEB.RF.

      "Together with the Ministry of Finance, we are working on the possibility of legislative consolidation of the social impact project mechanism. For regions, this is practically a low-risk mechanism: the entity pays only for a confirmed positive result in the form of a real change in people's quality of life, while the risk of not achieving the result is borne by the project organizer. Legislative consolidation will allow this tool to be applied more widely to solve social issues," said Konstantin Vyshkovsky, Deputy Chairman of VEB.RF.

      The forum "Strong Ideas for a New Time" is organized by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives and the Roscongress Foundation. Co-organizers of the event are VEB.RF and the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.