Позитивные изменения. Том 3, № 3 (2023). Positive changes. Volume 3, Issue 3 (2023)

Murom, the third largest industrial city in Vladimir Region, rose to fame in the Soviet era for its city-defining enterprises specializing in high-precision measurement instruments and electronics for the military industry, as well as military and civilian equipment. At present, these enterprises are facing an acute shortage of skilled workers due to the transition to new equipment. They require versatile technical specialists, proficient in both the design of technical devices and their software components.

ANO RHYTHM sees its mission in supporting children and teenagers who exhibit an interest in scientific and technical creative work. By introducing them to the latest technologies at a young age, we can contribute to our city’s growth by supplying it with a fresh influx of talent and technical expertise.

At the same time, our project serves as a valuable resource for children’s career orientation, which will play a pivotal role in shaping their future professions. More than 70 % of the respondents in recent studies by HH.ru and Skypro Online University expressed dissatisfaction with their current job positions. Additionally, almost 90 % of schoolchildren surveyed in the “Ticket to the Future” project run by the Russian Ministry of Education have yet to determine their career paths and are uncertain about where to seek guidance. By addressing this issue in a small industrial city, our project plays a vital role in providing comprehensive career guidance to children and teenagers keenly interested in technical work.

METHODS USED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM

Methods of work:

1. Technical skill trials, in which children have the opportunity to explore in practice various engineering disciplines such as robotics, electronics, soldering, programming, modeling, and engineering graphics.

2. Career guidance course, which focuses on helping children connect with their own interests and aspirations. It comprises three main components: “Know Yourself,” where children gain insights into their own preferences and interests, “Explore Professions,” which explains the factors influencing the popularity and demand for specific careers, and “Make Informed Choices,” guiding them to make mature decisions that align with their own interests and goals.

3. Vocational exploration tours, conducted with specially trained students who understand how machines and processes function. These tours are hosted by specialists from various enterprises.

4. Mass events and festivals promoting technical creative work (At the end of the academic year, we organize exhibitions showcasing the educational projects created by the children. We invite specialists from different enterprises to provide feedback and words of encouragement).

FUNDS RAISED IN 2022

In 2022, our team received funding from various sources, including a regional subsidy of 150,000 rubles to establish a career guidance program, a grant of 1.2 million rubles for the club’s development from the Reach for Change, and another grant of 50,000 rubles from Impact Hub Moscow.

Continuing our success in 2023, we received a major grant of 1.1 million rubles from the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives to set up the First Interregional Robotics Festival of Folk Crafts (http://festival_robototehniki.tilda.ws/).

Furthermore, we also won the Second Presidential Grants Foundation’s Competition in 2023 with our project “33Ampera Career Guidance Education Course for Technically Gifted Children and Teenagers in Murom (Stage Three),” securing an award of 2.3 million rubles.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND AWARDS

Winners of Reach for Change Competition, incubator participants (2021).

Winners of the Impact Hub Moscow #90DaysChallenge incubator for social start-ups (2022).

3rd place in the semifinals of the “Razumeetsya” Non-profit Management Championship (2022).

WHAT WAS DONE LAST YEAR

During 2022, we made significant progress in reviewing and optimizing our programs. The least effective areas that did not provide practical benefits to the children were removed. Additionally, we established productive collaborations with the folk arts and crafts community in Murom. This effort culminated in the remarkable project of the First Interregional Robotics Festival of Folk Crafts, where each participating group was challenged to create a robot craftsman or a robotic system capable of producing traditional regional products.

DIRECT RESULTS FOR 2022

Our club continues to serve a considerable number of children and teenagers, with around 120–150 participants annually studying in 10 different areas. We established 7 subsidized training groups for 56 young individuals as part of the 33Ampera project.