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

“The ability to interface with students on multiple levels provides a robust foundation for expansive initiatives, particularly those connected with large-scale transitions. A university is more than a renowned brand; it’s an institution shaping minds. It is imperative to aptly channel this intellect, equipping them with validated information and data-handling proficiencies. Only then can we expect a transforming Russian economy, rapid progression of innovative ventures, and an expanded entrepreneurial outreach,” Varlygina believes.

Educational institutions enhance their own value proposition from collaborations with social entrepreneurs, and social businesses receive a solution to their staffing challenges and a platform to further their cause.

Similarly, Impact Hub Moscow has tapped into academic collaboration, partnering with the Graduate School of Management at St. Petersburg State University. Here, interns delve deep into the intricacies of social impact measurement tools, conduct comparative analysis, and craft pivotal recommendations.

The Dobroe Delo Social Assistance Center also welcomes interns, with 273 individuals benefiting from this program since 2021. A notable inclusion features students from the Pavlov Ryazan State Medical University, specializing in clinical psychology. Further enriching the experience, the center collaborated with the Journalism Department of Ryazan State University, inciting creativity through a journalism contest.

“We welcomed a contestant onto our team, and she was with us for six months, producing a series of captivating interviews. It was both a valuable and somewhat unexpected experience. Together, we crafted a wealth of creative content, bolstering our brand’s visibility, all achieved with minimum investment. The entire endeavor proved to be distinctly unique,” shares Olga Postnikova, the leader of Dobroe Delo.

LEARNING BOTH FOR SELF AND FOR OTHERS

Beyond occasional appearances as guest experts at events, social entrepreneurs are increasingly embedding themselves within the fabric of formal education. Case in point: staff from You Social now teach a dedicated module on sustainable business growth within the Master’s program in Innovation Management at Moscow State University’s Faculty of Economics. “This year, we explored this teaching format and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both students and faculty, so we are looking to expand and offer this module as a standalone discipline for multiple student cohorts next year,” Anastasia Lyamtseva explains.

Meanwhile, Nikita Litvinov and Anastasia Varlygina, the founders of Prostoe Delo, have already ventured into designing and launching an English-language educational module. In 2021, they rolled out a three-day Sustainable Business Solutions module tailored for Master’s students at ITMO’s Faculty of Technology Innovation Management, majoring in Innovative Entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, the Center for Neurocorrection of Children and Adolescents launched its very own online ABA-therapy curriculum in collaboration with the Institute of Organizational and Clinical Psychology. After crafting a comprehensive training module, the institute started an advertising campaign, culminating in their first student intake this spring. “The maiden course was a success, but we have already plotted out several areas for improvement. For instance, to incorporate more child-centric videos in our seminars, we’ve launched a promotion: parents can have their children attend a few sessions at our center at no cost, on the condition that we can record these sessions on video for educational purposes,” Anna Nikitina elaborates.

Another way to foster collaboration with universities is by enlisting university lecturers to train in-house company staff. “We’re set up to interact with university personnel directly. Whenever we require niche, expert insights, we bring on board academic professionals for targeted consultations or training sessions. Moreover, every institution we liaise with is aware that they can seek our assistance for specific projects, given our extensive database of feedback and opinions that might come handy to them as well,” highlights Olga Postnikova, the Director of the Dobroe Delo Center.

Furthermore, social entrepreneurs also take part in academic research. For instance, both Dobroe Delo and You Social have forged alliances with the Higher School of Economics for research endeavors. Dobroe Delo maintains collaboration with the NRU HSE Center for Sociological Research since 2020. Meanwhile, You Social and their student partners have undertaken Studies for businesses, emphasizing non-financial reporting and sustainable growth.