THE COMPLEX SOCIAL PROJECT “LABOR FORCE “BERKUT” (PROGRAM FOR TEENS) STARTED IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD

            On September, 13^th-14^th the first stage of the complex social project “Labor force “Berkut” (program for teens) passed, which was organized by the Association of guard and legal companies “Berkut”.

            The “Labor force “Berkut” project is one of the qualitatively new directions of practical implementation of the concept of social responsibility of business, a staunch supporter of which is the leadership of the Association of guard and legal companies “Berkut”.

           Two levels of social responsibility are realized in the Association for a long time:

            The first – internal social responsibility (stability and a decent level of wages, safe working conditions at the workplace, a continuous process of the staff training, support of the employee in difficult situations, etc.);

            The second – external social responsibility (charitable and sponsorship activities, participation in environmental programs, interaction with the public, various institutions and organizations in solving urgent social problems).

            Implementation of the social project “Labor force “Berkut” has become a real response of the Association leadership to the problems of education of the younger generation and is aimed at helping teenagers to form the need to fill their free time with active creative activities, work, teaching them patriotism, humane and respectful attitude towards people.

            The main objectives of the “Labor force” were as follows:

1. Education of patriotism and pride using traditions and history of Russia and Nizhny Novgorod region.
2. Teenagers’ acquisition of experience of collective work, new labor skills, development of responsibility for performing common tasks.
3. Environmental education, instilling a sense of responsibility for preservation of the natural environment.
4. Inculcation to teens the following skills:

-          adaptation to a new collective in the environment, substantially different from home and school;

-          self-arrangement of the mode of life and living conditions in the field camp.

1. Familiarity with the main provisions of the structure of public safety, the place and role of private security organizations in it.
2. Instilling to teenagers primary elements of the military-patriotic education, bases of the culture of safe gun handling.
3. Teaching aspiration to a healthy lifestyle and sports.
4. Inculcation of skills to ensure personal security and self-defense.

The first stage of the complex social project “Labor force “Berkut” was held at no cost for teenagers aged 10-15 years, mostly for children of employees of the “Berkut” Association.

In the preparation stage, the organizers had to face with slightly wary attitude of parents to the planned event. Firstly, if the event is free, what is the case with the quality of its organization? Secondly, not stable September weather, the upcoming multi-kilometer rally to the place of “landing”, the upcoming “troopers actions” and its overnight stay in the field conditions, of course, troubled parents.

However, the level of preparation of the material base and providing security of the “troopers” quickly dispelled the parents’ anxiety. Almost all the major divisions of the “Berkut” Association were involved in organizing the labor force: the Department of guard service, the Security Service, the Academy of Security “Berkut”, the Sports Club “MFC “Berkut”, the Sewing production, the Department of Transport, the employees of the Association corporate café and others. The leadership of the ”Berkut” Association invited professional psychologists to work with young “troopers”. A significant part of logistical support, from tents and sleeping bags to gloves for harvesting and lights, were provided by the “Berkut” Association at no charge. The Organizing Committee on preparation of the “Labor force “Berkut” was headed by Chairman of the Scientific Council of the “Berkut” Academy of Security A.V.Sidorenko.

The “Labor force “Berkut” started in the morning of September, 13^th. The young “troopers” were placed in minibuses, provided with food for a long rally (more than 100 km). The column was headed and closed by groups of support by special cars of a Rapid Response Team of the “Berkut” Association. Along the route professional psychologists, who accompanied the young troopers, acquainted them with the history and nature of the north of Nizhny Novgorod region.

  

On the landing the young troopers were met by General Director of the Association of guard and legal companies “Berkut” P.V.Kovalev, who greeted the arrived at the general parade, wished them productive working and interesting recreation, and presented a branded t-shirt and cap with the logo of the “Labor force “Berkut” social project to each trooper.

    

In honor of the opening of the “Labor force “Berkut” at the general ceremonial parade the participants raised the flags of the Russian Federation, Airborne Troops and the Association of guard and legal companies “Berkut” (photo 10,11.)

Immediately after the parade, the troopers raised a very specific issue about arrangement of the field camp. The first competition “The tent – the trooper’s house” was devoted to that subject, during which young people were divided into groups, living in a tent and over the control of strict judges, they made and arranged their temporary houses. Of course, not all participants had the same skills in dealing with the tent. Therefore, the attendant adults had to intervene “quite a bit” in this very emotional , full of enthusiasm, but, at first, not very efficient process and, to everyone’s delight, using joint efforts, the tents were successfully and, as subsequent events proved, quite reliably installed. In the competition, of course, the friendship won. (photo 12.) 

The second urgent issue of the “agenda” was a very specific problem - not a very-long-term prospect of the upcoming dinner. It was decided in the second contest “Oh, potatoes, yummy, the ideal for dinner”. Part 1. “What will we have for dinner?”. During this three teams of the troopers competed in digging potatoes by hand for cooking during their stay in the camp. And in this competition, of course, the friendship and team cohesion of young troopers won. (photo 13.) 

During the next competition “Oh, potatoes, yummy, the ideal for troopers” Part 2. “Potatoes for the future” three teams of troopers competed in harvesting of potatoes by the combine-harvester (the largest number for equal time). Here all teams quite successfully and independently coped with the problem of organizing the effective teamwork when performing a specific common task.  There was a lot of enthusiasm, desire to win and emotions, but in the end, the “Potatoes tops” team looked more convincing… (photo 14.) 

After the successful participation in the dynamic competitions, young troopers began to have dinner with a sense of a completed task. Of course, nobody competed with anyone else at the table, but the dinner from potatoes, cooked by professional chefs of the “Berkut” corporative café, harvested by their own hands, seemed unusually tasty for everyone… (photo 15.)

Then the young troopers took part in competitions of practical shooting from air guns. This was preceded by their familiarity with safety measures when dealing with weapons, when shooting, rules of organizing the field of pneumatic shooting range, aiming and firing. The level of training participants, of course, was not equal, however, the judges noted unanimously that girls with more modest results of the shooting, compared with boys, showed great perseverance and desire to achieve high results.    

Each of the participants of shooting received their personal target with the results of their shooting. The particular importance of the firing was the fact that it was led by a veteran of military operations, special forces officer, the head of one of the “Berkut” Association divisions Sergey Ovchinnikov, who shared with the children his experience of using weapons in combat situations. (photo 16, 17.)

Then a football match was held, which aroused a particular interest for the participants of the “Berkut” Labor force. The particular importance for the young footballers was the fact that the match referee was Vladislav Gordeev – General Manager of the “MFC Berkut” football club, which in the 2013-2014 season became a vice-champion in the championship of Russia and champion of Nizhny Novgorod region on mini football. (photo 18, 19.)

 Cheerleaders supported actively guys-players, who after the football match began to compete with a medicine ball, supported by the children no less actively.

The next topic of the daily routine was the story – a live conversation of the “Private security, guard profession, private security guard, his equipment, weapons and special means”. During the conversation Chairman of the Scientific Council of the “Berkut” Academy of Security A.V.Sidorenko introduced the history of private security to the young troopers, the objectives of private security in modern Russia, types of weapons and equipment of a private security guard. Each of the participants tried on the outfit of a security guard and got acquainted with his weapons and special means. (photo 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26.)

Then the participants of the Labor force took an active part in the “Potatoes competitions”, dedicated to the history of the potatoes emergence in the world and in Russia, its useful qualities, the role in human nutrition, culture of cultivation, and also took part in competitions of making compositions from potatoes tubers.

The Evening Fire completed the first day of the Labor force, during which the guest of the troopers was the executor of the author’s song, the trooper, soloist of the “Regimental intelligence” group Alexander Medvedev. (photo 27, 28.)

The second day of the Labor force, as it should be during the camp meeting, began with an early waking up and morning exercises. However, these activities, to put it mildly, didn’t arouse much enthusiasm for some of the “troopers”, but everyone participated and did their best… (photo 29, 30.)

A very important and interesting event of the second day was a practical lesson in self-defense, which was led personally by Deputy of General Director of the “Berkut” Association for physical training Gennady Mamonov – winner of the first sports categories in boxing and military hand to hand combat.

(photo 31).

            The completion of the Labor force “Berkut” activities was summarizing its results, awarding the winners of competitions and quizzes.

            General Director of the Association of guard and legal companies “Berkut” P.V.Kovalev, who noted at the general parade of the participants of the Labor force, that all young “troopers”, without exception, in the course of the contests and competitions showed their will to win, cohesion, perseverance, courage, initiative and presented each of them Diplomas of labor troopers of “Berkut”. He emphasized that the held Labor force is the beginning, the first step in the developed by the “Berkut” Association big program on military-patriotic , labor and sports education of the younger generation and invited all the young “troopers” to take part in its subsequent stages. (photo 32, 33.)

            Very symbolic and important for all participants was getting the army pot out of the hands of a veteran of military operations, special forces officer Sergey Ovchinnikov. (photo 34, 35.)

                After summarizing  the results the “Gathering” command was sounded and the column of the “Labor force “Berkut” accompanied by cars of a Rapid Response Team moved back and in two hours the troopers, full of impressions, were met by their parent.