How to interest young people and involve them in public life? The Regional Committee of the BRSM sums up three years

Of course, this is a reason to be proud of our youth, who do not sit still, express themselves, and reach the top. BRSM today is a unique platform for self-realization, where young people come with ideas and suggestions, declare their talents, where everyone is united by their indifference to the surrounding world, respect for the past, and love for their native country. About achievements, current realities, and plans – in a conversation with the First Secretary of the Regional Committee of BRSM, Viktor Glushin.

Over the past three years, the Vitebsk regional organization has had many bright and significant victories. But what, Viktor, as its leader, do you consider the most important achievement?

– First of all, the fact that today young people in every region of the oblast can come with their questions, problems, and suggestions to the district and city committees of BRSM and receive answers and help. To learn about the areas of activity and find themselves in one of them. The most important thing is the openness of our organization.

We are ready to support initiatives. And there are many of them. Science and public life in Belarus are becoming younger, as the current generation is very active. It is no coincidence that youth is named one of the five priorities in the development of the republic at the V All-Belarusian People's Congress. We understand the responsibility placed upon us and are ready to direct all our efforts for the benefit of the country.

– There are more than 57 thousand BRSM members in the Vitebsk region. What kind of youth do you unite?

– Absolutely different. When a teenager turns 14, they can already join BRSM. And, I must note, school youth are very active. The initiative of the student youth, expressed at the last reporting and election conference three years ago, to create youth chambers was supported, and such structures appeared in all district and city Councils of Deputies and at the regional level. They got involved in the work, and we will continue it in the future.

Most importantly, young people learn not only to propose ideas but also to implement them independently. Our student youth is also a great source of pride. The most significant victories here are the republican competitions "Student of the Year," "Queen of Spring," and the results of the labor semester. However, working youth are not left behind either. These are individuals who, in addition to family and work, manage to engage in volunteer activities, participate in youth law enforcement units, sports and creative competitions, and patriotic projects.

– One of the pressing issues today is employment. What assistance do you provide to young people in finding work?

– We have organized hotlines, maintain a database of vacancies available in the region, and are ready to provide guidance and information on where young people can find employment based on their education. Traditionally, the main focus of our work is organizing secondary employment and creating student detachments of various profiles: construction, agricultural, pedagogical, medical, service, and environmental.

Currently, in anticipation of the holidays, we are actively working on forming student detachments, including those for out-of-region work: to the Krasnodar Krai and the village of Beloyarsk in Russia. Private entrepreneurs are also showing interest in the work of these detachments. Last year, in cooperation with the company "TiAiTi," the country's first IT detachment was created, which was involved in design development and website creation. We have many talented young people ready to work in various fields. Moreover, there are now additional tax preferences at the legislative level for employers of student detachments.

– But there is also a stereotype that today's youth are "not the same": they don't want to work, they just sit on the internet…

– We shouldn't generalize. I see other young people, proactive and active, who boldly express their opinions, suggest how to solve certain issues, and are ready to participate in their resolution. There are many initiatives, as well as the desire to implement them. The republican project "100 Ideas for Belarus" is a testament to this. And there are not only ideas, but also opportunities, knowledge, and skills to realize them. Believe me, our youth is very educated.

– Nevertheless, young people do spend a lot of time on the World Wide Web.

– We need to work and communicate with everyone, so our territorial structures have accounts on social networks "VKontakte", "Facebook", "Twitter", "Instagram", "YouTube". We are forming a positive information space, talking about what modern youth is doing. We organize online photo contests and find a response from users.

But we still invite young people to real life. For example, we offer them to take part in the rapidly developing project "Open Dialogue", to come and ask pressing questions to government representatives, well-known people of our region. I believe this is a unique opportunity and it must be seized.

– Today, young people have many temptations and, as a consequence, options to go down the wrong path. Does BRSM set itself the task of involving these people in its activities?

– Our organization is not exclusive. We don't say: you've made a mistake, and you have no place at our events, in our ranks. We involve those who are registered in various types of records in working in student teams, in the activities of labor and recreation camps, and we traditionally hold sports competitions for them. I think everyone can face difficulties in life, and everyone can make the wrong choice, but I hope that there is always an opportunity to realize and correct this mistake. If a person is ready to work on themselves, we will help. Our youth law enforcement detachments also operate in this direction.

– In your opinion, how can patriotism be instilled in young people, and what is BRSM doing in this regard?

– For this to work, everything around must function: youth and children's organizations, family, school, the information content that young men and women see on the internet and television, so that a holistic picture of perception is formed. The large-scale BRSM project "Flowers of the Great Victory," which unites Belarusians, is also aimed at this. On May 9, people came out with the project's symbol on their chests – a boutonniere with apple blossoms on a red-green ribbon. This is a symbol of memory of the heroic past. We are grateful for the feat accomplished by our grandfathers.

The main task is to never forget it and to be able to distinguish truth from lies and misinterpretations. And for this, one must know history. There is the history of the world, the state, and there is the history of a specific family; it is with this that one must begin. To know who among the relatives experienced the war and how, and then the attitude towards it will be unambiguous.

– Viktor, recall the most vivid and interesting episode during your work in the youth organization.

– There are many episodes; this period is truly colored with all the colors of youth. But the most emotional and vivid moments are associated with the victories of our guys. In such moments, you realize that the work done in all regions of the oblast is bearing fruit, that it is all not in vain. Behind one person's victory is a whole team of caring, interesting, enthusiastic people. And, of course, the large, bright BRSM projects are memorable, such as the open-air festival "Flowers of the Great Victory," "Dzen Vyshysvanki," Youth Day at the "Slavyansky Bazaar," the "Memory Train" to the Brest Fortress, and many others.

– What tasks do you set for yourself for the future?

– The organization is 15 years old this year; during this period, consistent areas of activity have emerged, by which we are recognized. But time does not stand still; new problems and tasks arise. More attention should be paid to working with youth in rural areas.

There are image projects, for example, "Lord of the Village", but we want rural residents to participate more actively in others as well. We will continue the activities of youth chambers, which are a kind of leadership school; our goal is not to lose them in the future. We set ourselves tasks for civic-patriotic education, and for the popularization of science and innovation among youth.

And, of course, we will continue to develop the "Open Dialogue", "Flowers of Great Victory", and "Belarus – a Source of Inspiration" projects, which are aimed at popularizing national culture, traditions, and our native Belarusian language. Everyone will find their place here, so join us.