Позитивные изменения. Том 2, № 3 (2022). Positive changes. Volume 2, Issue 3 (2022) - Редакция журнала «Позитивные изменения»

5. Sessions in small groups with the aim of loosening up each listener, helping them develop and strengthen their public speaking skills and feel comfortable in public, while gently removing the psychological barriers.

Problem solving is built into the program for each target audience, taking into account their age and the specifics of the problems. It is recommended for each class to have at least 25 sessions of 90 minutes 1–2 times a week with mandatory homework.

For example, a course for alcohol and drug addicts in rehab includes:

• An introduction to the concept of classical literature and its role in the life of every person;

• Classicism in European and Russian literature;

• Realism in Russian literature;

• Denis Fonvizin (historical background on the Catherine rule period in the Russian history, biography, analysis of the “Young Ignoramus” play, related materials, discussion);

• Alexander Griboyedov (historical note on the events preceding the Decembrist revolt in the Russian history, biography, analysis of “The Woes of Wit” play, related materials, discussion);

• Alexander Pushkin (ingenuity, uniqueness, biography, analysis of the “Eugene Onegin” novel, related materials, discussion);

• The basics of symbolism and the notion of the “Little Man” in Russian Literature (in-depth line-by-line analysis of Alexander Pushkin’s “The Bronze Horseman” poem, related materials, discussion);

• Biblical truths and Christian morality in the Russian literature, using “A Terrible Vengeance” by Nikolai Gogol, the works of Nikolai Leskov, etc. (the number of works depends on the students’ enthusiasm for the discussion and the course duration);

• Selected lyrical works to explain the concept of the “lyrical hero” and, e.g., symbolism.

Sustainability of the results is ensured by the following mechanism: instructing staff members to continue the classes on their own, working with the parents of addicts to set up an environment conductive to further development at home, helping to consolidate and augment the results achieved during the course.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND AWARDS

• Certificate of Reliable Enterprise in Moscow No. 000.046.

• Certificate of Reliable Partner of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation No. 00913–315.

• Member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry since 2014.

• Entered in the Register of Social Enterprises of Moscow since 2021.

• 87th place in the Rating of Reliable Partners and Financially Stable Enterprises of the Central Federal District of Russia.

WHAT WAS DONE LAST YEAR

A total of 24 sessions of 90 minutes each were conducted with 152 residents in two rehabilitation centers in Moscow.

DIRECT RESULTS FOR 2021

Opinion of the management of rehabilitation centers and the Healthy Country Foundation, who participated in the project pilot (confirmed by the original official documents):

1. Residents with drug and alcohol addiction demonstrated decreased anxiety and cravings for psychoactive substances.

2. Better mood and newly demonstrated interest in the spiritual component of the classical Russian literature.

3. After completing the rhetoric lessons, the residents started to articulate their thoughts and desires properly.

4. Increasing the number of participants: from 5 persons per group to 20.

5. Residents with psychoactive substance addiction who had previously been disinterested in spiritual and pedagogical development began to show an interest in learning.

SOCIAL EFFECTS ACHIEVED IN 2021

Residents’ opinions about the course (quotes taken from written feedback):

• Yevgeniy L.: “The project helps me to develop comprehensively, reminds me that I am part of the society, makes my brain work better and make inferences based on the knowledge gained, by way of refection. It’s a good alternative to entertaining movies.”

• Victor P.: “I get a chance to develop intellectually, to train my memory. It gives me an opportunity to cope with the challenging situation. I would be very happy if classes were held more often, maybe even replacing some of the other activities in rehab. They give me an opportunity to improve my speech culture, literacy, and social skills.”

• Sasha S.: “I am a philologist by training, a translator and a foreign language teacher. Unfortunately, I never got to finish my graduate studies. When I got to Christina’s first class, I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of the presentation and depth of analysis. Her course creates a clearly discernible structure, which is very necessary at this time of scattered, chaotic and superficial knowledge, which often led me to lose interest in my classes at the institute. Christina’s dedication and love for the subject, the interactivity of the classes, and the heated discussions fuel the participants’ interest. I think that Christina’s course deserves the closest attention.”

• Alexander L.: “I want to thank Christina for her interesting original training program, for prioritizing rhetoric and oratory skills; for giving all of us an opportunity to reflect on topics that have nothing to do with our disease, to remember the history of the Russian state. I looked forward to every Saturday. I dare say that almost everybody here shares my feelings, emotions, and opinions on the advisability of further classes.”

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT

Based on the experience of the pilot project in two rehabilitation centers, a person who has lost himself because of alcohol or drug addiction would like to return to a full life in society, to his forgotten healthy desires and interests: studying, getting a profession, working. Rehab residents acquire moral and spiritual strength and can once again become useful members of the society. It is up to the society to lend them a hand.

FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY MODEL

The course was tested free of charge, at the expense of the project author. The authors are now planning to scale up the project (to cover not only Moscow and the surrounding area, but all of Russia) by raising funding (social investors, grants, impact investment). In addition, a project monetization model is being developed. An important aspect is the prolonged effect of the course: people only need help in making the first step, breaking the shackles; then, with the support of psychologists and relatives, they continue to read the literature and engage in