Charitable projects
Supporting the Senior Generation
Supporting the senior generation is one of the most important areas of assistance provided by our center.
Since March 2019, the Higher School of Economics has been a partner of the "Moscow Longevity at HSE University" project. The project's primary goal is to provide elderly people (over 55) with opportunities for additional education, social interaction, adaptation, and the realization of creative plans.
The university's participation in the "Moscow Longevity" project contributes to the city's development by opening up new opportunities for the older generation, preserving their mental and physical health, and increasing life expectancy.
The project aims to maintain and extend the social activity of its participants, spark new interests, and facilitate their socialization and adaptation in a rapidly changing society.
Participants are offered a range of programs, including courses in foreign languages, memoir writing, and housing utilities. The educational activities within these programs are primarily focused on acquiring new knowledge and skills. For example, the housing utilities course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the housing sector and utility pricing, while the memoir writing course focuses on mastering literary techniques and writing skills.
Within the "Moscow Longevity at HSE University" project, our center involves students in the "Small-talk" language assistance initiative. In this project, student volunteers help grandparents practice foreign languages remotely through "small talk" sessions in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and German. Students develop their own lesson plans, discussing culture, art, weather, travel, daily discoveries, aspirations, and concerns with their senior partners.
Systemic Social Projects
Our center also collaborates with foundations and socially oriented businesses that offer various volunteering opportunities. You can participate in 4 systemic volunteer projects:
Conducting study sessions for children in difficult life situations
The Center for Equal Opportunities "Vverkh!" helps orphanage and boarding school graduates, people with disabilities, and children from low-income and large families to receive a full-fledged education and adapt to independent living. Volunteers assist the center's beneficiaries in understanding school curriculum material in various subjects: Russian, English, mathematics, and literature; assistance in other subjects is also possible by agreement. If you want to share knowledge — fill out the form.
Holding creative workshops for seriously ill children
The "Dom s Mayakom" children's hospice has been helping seriously ill children and young adults (up to 30 years) for almost 12 years. The foundation's goal is to help families live a happy life full of love by alleviating the suffering of the children and their loved ones. Volunteers devise and conduct engaging and simple creative activities for the foundation's beneficiaries: this could include drawing, modeling, creating crafts, or making jewelry. You can become a hospice volunteer via the link.
Volunteering at an inclusive museum in the dark
The mission of the "SENSORIUM" museum in the dark is to demonstrate that inclusion and an accessible environment are the norm for our society. Visitors are invited to navigate a route in complete darkness accompanied by a blind guide who carefully and gently directs them. Visitors experience new vivid sensations and emotions, learn to trust others in the dark, discover something new about themselves, let go of fears, and turn them into strength. Volunteers assist the museum administrators: they greet and guide guests, tell them about the museum's spaces and other opportunities, and record video testimonials from visitors. Additionally, media volunteering is available at the museum. If you want to help at "SENSORIUM" — register here.
Delivering meals to people with limited mobility
The "Dari Edu" charitable foundation provides food assistance to large families, families with children with disabilities, adults with disabilities, single parents, pensioners, and homeless people. HSE volunteers can help deliver hot meals to those in need across various districts of Moscow. You can join the ranks of volunteers via the link.