On April 14-16, more than 20 representatives from NGOs in the Russian Far East (RFE) attended a training seminar in Vladivostok on "Mobilization of Resources for NGOs." The Russian trainers taught participants fundraising techniques and discussed various opportunities for obtaining financing, including charity events, corporate partnerships, municipal tenders, and allocations from regional and federal budgets.

The Russian Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth have endorsed the "Everything That Concerns You" program to encourage healthy lifestyles among vulnerable youth (aged 13-18 years), which was developed by Johns Hopkins University and the Healthy Russia Foundation (HRF) with support from USAID.  The MOE also invited HRF to take part in its "School of Health," which will be held on May 22-23.  HRF piloted the healthy lifestyles program in Sakhalin and Irkutsk, where it trained 50 adult educational specialists as trainers and reached over 500 adolescents with messages to discourage substance abuse, risky sexual behavior and violence, and to encourage exercise, good nutrition, communication and other life skills. 

On April 27-29, youth leaders from Irkutsk, Volgograd and Tyumen participated in three days of training with the Moscow disability rights organization Perspektiva as part of the Youth Competencies Development Project (YCDP).  Perspektiva is an YCDP Innovator, which means that its project model was selected to be replicated by YCDP youth organizations in other regions of Russia.  Perspektiva's "Building Bridges - Cameras in the Hands of Kids!" model unites children with disabilities and their non-disabled peers to overcome stereotypes and promote inclusive education while learning photography skills and creating art together.