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News. April, 2010

The Citi Foundation “Changing Communities Right Now!” Program Begins Its Second Year

Private entrepreneur A.B.Rogozhin from Byngi settlement is expanding his business of building wooden houses and bathhouses

In April, meetings with the participants in the Citi Foundation “Changing Communities Right Now!” Program were held in Nevyansk as part of the monitoring effort of the second phase of this Program managed by the Fund for Sustainable Development. The Program is targeted toward promoting sustainable community development through supporting small businesses and broadening local labor markets.

As a result of the first year of Program activities, nine attendees of the  “Start Your Own Business” trainings have registered as private entrepreneurs and have received additional grants from the local Employment Center (in Nevyansk) and the Entrepreneurship Support Center  (in Yekaterinburg) totaling to nearly 2 million rubles. These novice proprietors have created 24 new jobs in their businesses. Two participants in the trainings received 134,000 rubles as grants from the Program.

Taxidermist Sergei Myakshin, who has opened his own business (a pavilion and shops), not only created several new jobs, but also continues to develop broad partnerships with local small businesses to organize charity events  for children.

After completing training and receiving a grant, private entrepreneur A.Rogozhin from Byngi settlement was able to expand his business of building wooden houses and bathhouses.  He also conducts master classes in this trade, and has opened his own Web pages on the Website of the city and the sites of other local craftsmen.

The Hand Made Center (headed by architect S.Umetskaya), founded under the Program to support and revive the traditional Ural/Siberian wood painting and other crafts, is continuing to develop.

A new hog-raising farm was opened by private entrepreneur Svetlana Lebedeva near Nevyansk; and Sergei Maslikov, a potter from Nizhniye Tavolgi settlement, is preparing proposals to expand his business.

Under the Program, a video film entitled “Small Business Support Program in Russia” (director-cameraman A.Yerofeyev, Raduga Studio, Nizhny Novgorod) is being produced. The film will include interviews with the most successful private entrepreneurs who had created new jobs thanks to the Program.

O. Frolova, director of Nevyansk Small Business Support Foundation, noted that local youth is displaying a growing interest in entrepreneurship, in becoming competitive, and in acquiring new professional skills needed on the labor market. Ms.Frolova also stressed the changing attitudes of business owners to their mission and mentioned a general increase of their social responsibility.

According to A.Balashov, deputy head of Nevyansk Raion Administration for Economic Development, a multidimensional effort to advance small businesses is being put forth in the city and the Changing Communities Right Now! Program is making a noticeable contribution to this process. Part of this effort is the creative Working Youth Festival, which has been held for six years following the initiative of the Working Youth Council (leader – V.Safonova). The chief of the local Sport and Youth Policy Department, N.Sheshukov, confirmed that the city administration is placing special emphasis on communications activities targeted toward the local youth and advertising new small business development initiatives in the city and raion.

In 2010, the Program will continue trainings for prospective entrepreneurs in such practical subjects as opening, running and developing one’s own business in arts and crafts, forest industry, sustainable agriculture and ecotourism. In 2010, a brochure “Small Business: Environmental Aspects” will be written and published under the guidance of a Program partner, the Center of Environmental Education and Information from Yekaterinburg

A new hog-raising farm was opened near Nevyansk by private entrepreneur Svetlana Lebedeva	Sergei Maslikov, potter from Nizhniye Tavolgi settlement, is preparing proposals to expand his business	Taxidermist Sergei Myakshin started a business (a pavilion and shops)