The first Republican school of counselors was held in Kazan.

      In the Kazan extreme park "Uram," certificates were solemnly handed over to graduates of the first Republican school for camp counselors. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan. The graduates were welcomed by the Deputy Minister for Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan, Ruslan Semenov, the assistant to the President of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, the chairman of the regional branch of the "Movement of the First" in Tatarstan, Timur Suleimanov, and the director of the State Budgetary Institution "Summer" Nina Shimina.

      Launched in March, the project became the largest educational initiative for training counselors for children's camps in the republic. The camp counselor school brought together participants from almost all districts of Tatarstan and even from other regions (among the applicants were representatives from the Republic of Crimea). More than 1,000 applications were submitted. After a thorough selection process, 750 people were admitted to the training, and about 400 of the most determined and motivated participants completed it.

      "A counselor is a calling. They do not become one for 7, 18, or 21 days of a shift. A true counselor remains an older friend to their children after a year, and after ten, and after twenty years. As someone with extensive experience in this field, I am very glad that new people are joining our large counselor family. You understand that this is a huge responsibility that requires constant learning and development. You have chosen a cool summer for yourselves – a time when you not only bring joy to children but also grow yourselves," Timur Suleimanov stated in his welcoming speech.

      "Parents, when sending their children to camps, entrust us with their most precious possession. This is a huge responsibility, and it is the counselors who become those people responsible for their safety. Do not let down the parents, us, or yourselves. May this year bring many positive emotions, joyful smiles, and shining eyes of our children. My sincere wish for you is to make childhood brighter," Ruslan Semenov noted in turn.

      The training program was based on the combination of theory and practice. Future counselors studied psychology, pedagogy, mastered safety methods in camps, and modern interactive approaches to working with children's groups.

      Participation in the first Republican school for counselors was open to individuals over 18 years old, with no upper age limit for learners. Thus, a mother and daughter participated in the project. The daughter, who recently turned 19, applied to the school, inspired by her own experiences of going to camps. Her mother decided not to stay on the sidelines and went to training with her. Both successfully completed the program and will work this summer at the children's health camp "Chaika" of the Republican center "Summer."

      "We see that the profession of a counselor generates great interest among young people. This is a very joyful fact for the Republic of Tatarstan, which needs about 6,000 counselors in the summer. The first thousand applicants to our school is a truly strong start. I am confident that next year the Republican school for counselors will become an excellent foundation for training even more qualified specialists," Nina Shimina noted.

      The first Republican school for counselors was organized by the order of the chairman of the Interdepartmental Commission for the Organization of Recreation and Health Improvement of Children and Youth of the Republic of Tatarstan – Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan Leila Fazleeva and with the support of the Ministry of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan. Its organizers were the Republican center "Summer" and the regional branch of the "Movement of the First" in Tatarstan. Co-organizers included the Republican center "Chernomorets," the youth center "Sälät – Ak Bars," the youth center "Koster," and the health and educational complex "Baitik." The activities of the first Republican school for counselors align with the goals and objectives of the national project "Youth and Children."

      Photo: press service of the Ministry of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan