I. Metshin visited the psychological and educational assistance department "Serdesh"

(KZN.RU, September 7). Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Tatarstan's capital, visited the department of psychological and educational assistance “Serdesh” of the comprehensive social center for children and youth service “Doverie” today, a day of volunteering in the framework of “Good Week” in Kazan. Trained volunteers help the center staff to work with children, who spend time aimlessly in the street, and other children in difficult life situation.

“Doverie” was founded in 1995. The director Elena Ovchinnikova told the Mayor that the activities of the “Doverie” covered more than 50 thousand minors each year.

The center has six divisions. Work with probation minors is held in the department of psychological help “Yuventa”. Elena Ovchinnikova said that 74 people attend classes, or 90% composed on juvenile records. Only 5% of those, who attended classes, re-commit crimes.

Psychologists of the center “Doverie” together with the Civil Registry Office are organizing a program of reconciliation or mediation for divorcing couples. Ilsur Metshin asked how effective this work is. “We began to keep track of the couples, who come to consult a mediator, in the Privolzhskiy district. The number of divorces among them dropped by 10 percent”, said Elena Ovchinnikova.

Two hotlines work at the center. 11 thousand applications enter the adult line, the children - about 5 thousand calls a year. Ilsur Metshin asked what problems the children are turning more often. Natalia Sabirova, the head of “Serdesh” psychological and educational assistance department, explained that the assistance is often necessary when children become victims of mobbing, i.e. collective bullying. “The task of the consultant in this situation is to support the child, discuss with him all the options and find an adult, which the child can rely on”, said Natalia Sabirov.

She said that the main activities of “Serdesh” are support for children, who have experienced violence, and carrying out preventive work with the safety of children in the Internet space.

Ilsur Metshin visited the cabinet of the psychologist in the department, which has all conditions for a comfortable communication between professionals and children, caught in a difficult situation. Art therapy is carried out in another room for the children, who have difficulty talking about serious injuries. The Mayor was showed a sandbox, where children can put real events in a game. A specialist’s task is to help them to express their feelings.

In addition, training with first-graders from school for children with physical illnesses, who need additional psychological support, is held in the “Serdesh” department. The boys told Ilsur Metshin that they have received “Diaries of good deeds” on September 1 and have already filled the first page, for example, helping parents at home.

The Mayor thanked the staff of the Center “Doverie” for their work, noting that such work takes not only education, but also a vocation. “You do the seemingly invisible but very important work”, he said and wished success in their future work.

Damir Fattakhov, the first deputy head of the Executive Committee, Timur Alibaev, the head of the Aviastroitelny and Novo-Savinovsky districts administration, and Airat Faizov, the chairman of the Committee on Children and Youth Affairs, visited the department “Serdesh” with the Mayor.

The Volunteer Day takes place today in the framework of “Good Week” in Kazan. The project “Dobro.Mail.Ru” was launched yesterday in Kazan.