Learning through practice: "First. Skills for Life" festival concludes at the Media House of the National Centre RUSSIA

From 16 to 19 June, the Media House of the Movement of the First at the National Centre RUSSIA hosted the "First. Skills for Life" festival. The project was designed for teenagers and focused on safety, financial and media literacy, career guidance, and the ability to help themselves and others. Participants explored real-life situations, learning how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters, protect personal data, choose a profession, plan a budget and identify unreliable information.

One of the festival's central themes was the "First Aid" segment. Guests and experts addressed practical questions, discussed possible courses of action and explained how to respond safely in different situations.

Photo: Press Office of the Movement of the First

"Since 2022, the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps, together with the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, has been developing a movement of school rescue teams. As part of these teams, school students learn the basics of first aid, tourism, topography and how to act in emergency situations. These skills help them respond appropriately when relatives or those around them need assistance. Many students later continue this path by joining student rescue teams. This creates a continuity of support, responsibility and readiness to help others. Today, I can see that schoolchildren are genuinely interested: they ask many important questions, for example, how to behave during an earthquake, an accident or another emergency," noted Maksim Dzhetygenov, Head of the Moscow City Branch of the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps.

Photo: Press Office of the Movement of the First

A separate part of the festival focused on career choices. Participants discussed careers in agriculture and veterinary science and considered why today's schoolchildren are increasingly interested in professions connected with animals, nature, technology and farming. As part of the joint project by the Movement of the First and the Ministry of Agriculture, named The ABC of Agricultural Professions, teenagers took part in a quiz designed to offer a fresh perspective on careers in the agricultural sector.

Financial literacy and cybersecurity also generated considerable interest among participants. Together with representatives of T-Bank, the Central Bank of Russia, Rosfinmonitoring and other experts, they discussed how to recognise "easy money" schemes, understand the dangers of investment fraud on social media, identify warning signs and appreciate the importance of protecting personal data.

Photo: Press Office of the Movement of the First

"Today, we spoke with participants about the basic principles of financing, saving and investing, and about how young people can begin shaping their future trajectory now. The subject may seem complicated, but that is no reason to avoid learning about it. It is important to understand what will happen to your money tomorrow, how to build a financial safety net and achieve your goals step by step. Managing money is a delicate matter, so my advice to the participants is always to assess your risks, understand your financial profile, think about what interests you and what you want in the future. Based on that, you can make informed investment decisions," said Yegor Kroshechkin, a third-year student at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.

Another key topic was responsible behaviour in society. Together with representatives of the Central Election Commission of Russia, the Kutafin Moscow State Law University and the Moscow Children's Rights Commissioner, participants discussed the importance of understanding information and civic processes. Experts and hosts of the event reflected on what people experience when they visit a polling station for the first time and why participation in elections begins with personal responsibility. Guests also shared advice with those preparing to vote for the first time.

Representatives of the Movement of the First also explored digital safety with a representative of the Whitelist Internet project. They learned what teenagers need to do to protect their personal data, identify dangerous messages and links, avoid scammers and establish their own "digital perimeter" of protection. They also discovered what ethical hackers do and why their work is essential for safeguarding people, companies and government systems.

Photo: Press Office of the Movement of the First

"Today, it is important for everyone to build both a personal and a digital perimeter of protection: to understand where useful information ends and risk begins, how to stop in time and avoid falling for suspicious messages, links or offers. Spam is a good example. We have learned not to open such emails or forward them because we understand that doing so is unsafe. The same conscious approach is needed in other digital situations. We also discussed the profession of the ethical hacker. These specialists identify vulnerabilities in systems in order to protect people, data and infrastructure. Marathons like this are incredibly valuable. They provide young people with practical knowledge, which helps develop critical thinking and foster a responsible attitude towards the digital environment," emphasised Elina Sidorenko, Director General of Whitelist Internet and Professor at MGIMO University.

Photo: Press Office of the Movement of the First

The festival also highlighted children's initiatives that address important issues in an accessible and engaging way. One such initiative was the "Storytellers" project, whose creators use fairy tales to teach children about safety, self-care and caring for others. The participants believe that familiar characters and stories help children better understand complex life situations, remember important rules and apply them in everyday life.

Photo: Press Office of the Movement of the First

"The idea for the project emerged after taking part in the "First. Skills for Life" marathon. There, I learned a great deal about a comprehensive culture of safety and realised how important it is for children and teenagers to acquire this knowledge from an early age. Together with the "Storytellers" team and the Children's Public Council under the Moscow Children's Rights Commissioner, we decided to look for a format that would resonate with younger audiences. That is how "Fairy Tales Without Danger" came into being. Through fairy-tale stories, children find it easier to understand difficult situations, remember important rules and apply them in their lives. Fairy tales are not merely entertainment; they are a good way of speaking to children about safety, emotions, values and the culture of our country," said "Storytellers" project creator Yegor Knyazev.

Participants in the festival included representatives of T-Bank, the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps, the Central Bank of Russia, the fact-checking project Lapsha Media, the Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment, the School of CyberSecurity, as well as experts in education, narcology, financial intelligence and veterinary science.

The Movement of the First's project "First. Skills for Life" helps teenagers discuss important topics in a simple and accessible way. All episodes of the festival are available to watch on the Movement of the First's VKontakte page.