OREANDA-NEWS. Russians have become more actively involved in volunteer projects. Thus, over seven years, the number of participants in charitable programs has grown fivefold - 15% of the country's population. This was announced on Friday, December 3, by the first deputy head of the presidential administration, Sergei Kiriyenko.

“The popularity of volunteering, the attitude towards volunteering in Russia is improving before our eyes. Seven years ago, 3% of the population took part in volunteer and volunteer projects, now 15% take part in some volunteer and charitable projects at least once a year. This is a colossal growth - five times, "- he said at a meeting of the Council of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the framework of the international forum of civil participation" We are together. "

According to Kiriyenko, about 10 thousand companies took part in the We Are Together volunteer project. Within the framework of this action, more than 6.5 million people received assistance.

The first deputy head of the presidential administration also expressed his gratitude to the entrepreneurs who provided support to citizens in need even in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. He pointed to the importance of companies that take on such social responsibility.

“This is not a legal, but an internal, human responsibility,” Kiriyenko stressed.

A day earlier, during the WeVmeste forum, experts discussed the topic of supporting volunteering in the regions of Russia and the best practices of the new wave of governors. Daria Kislitsyna, head of the department of regional programs of the EISS, noted that the coronavirus pandemic contributed not only to the rise of the volunteer movement, but also to the adoption of managerial decisions for its long-term development.

According to the expert, there are both federal and regional measures to support volunteering in Russia. As an example, she cited discounted travel for volunteers in the Vladimir region, training programs for volunteers in the Nizhny Novgorod region, the introduction of social cards for volunteers in the Kamchatka Territory and other measures.