Social sector
The traditionally conservative sector of public and social services has undergone profound transformations with the advancement of information technology. However, this is just the beginning of a long journey.
First of all, the services are becoming more transparent. One can report a problem (e.g. a bad road or lack of street lighting) in a public online space and get a report on its solution at the same place. Users can also track the progress of a reform and post their comments.
Secondly, citizens are provided an opportunity to become involved in the administration of regions and territories and participate in tackling specific social issues. This includes initiatives coming from authorities, as well as independent organizations of people willing to implement an idea, e.g. the volunteer project Lisa Alert to find missing people, or Brother for Sister, a volunteer movement of men walking women home after dark. Problem solving has also become more targeted, with the possibility of providing aid to a particular disabled person or economically disadvantaged family.
Finally, society is altering its approach to people with disabilities, with information technology enabling the latter to be fully involved in social activities. For example, blind and visually impaired people can work and communicate on the Internet using special software and Braille displays, while people with limited mobility can imagine themselves dancing with the help of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.
Professions
Environmental counselor
Specialist in providing support to community groups working to improve the environmental situation, by arranging information exchange between them and helping them establish supervision over industrial production and monitor the activities of local authorities in cities and/or villages. Many people generally wish to participate in some kind of environmental activity, though they often lack an organizer who would tell them what to do and where. Some environmental activists are already gathering people into volunteer groups, but the area will need more specialists in the future.
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Professional skills and abilities
State-private partnership specialist for the social sector
Helps contract the government’s functions in the social sector (e.g. building and premises cleaning, water supply and heating, energy saving, solid waste recycling, building and utilities repairs, municipal transport, kindergartens, etc.) to social entrepreneurs, who arrange the provision of these services in the form of state-private partnerships.
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Social conflict mediator
Specialist in assisting in the peaceful resolution of conflicts arising between social groups due to property-related, cultural, national, religious, and other reasons.
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Personal charity platform moderator
Compiles personal request files (e.g. children with cancer or lonely elderly people) and links people seeking help with charity givers, who provide aid in various forms (money, in-kind contributions, keeping company, etc.). For example, the popular blogger, doctor and philanthropist Elizaveta Glinka (aka Doctor Lisa) posts on her Livejournal reports of her own Fair Aid fund, as well as information about other projects and people in need of help.
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Migrant adaptation specialist
Professional engaged in teaching national language and culture, including via online platforms. Russian language schools for migrants are already opening in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, including those for their children, functioning within ordinary schools. The government promised to open the first online school for foreigners in 2015.
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Social worker for disabled persons adaptation using internet technology
Specialist who helps people with disabilities lead a full life by training them in skills required for remote employment, helping them select a job, and organizing their work and leisure (e.g. by finding relevant online communities, communication platforms, training courses, etc.).
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Crowd sourcing expert for social issues
Manages a crowd sourcing platform to collect information on problems in families, households, districts, roads, parks, and other public spaces, etc., and relays such requests to government authorities or non-profit organizations, while tracking their execution. For example, Russia has had the Democrator initiative for several years now. The project is an electronic platform for communication between citizens and authorities, organizations, parties and social movements. The service is moderated by a team of professional lawyers helping users file official requests to various agencies and achieve results.
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Government authority communication platform moderator
Specialist in organizing online and offline dialogue between public activists and government officials responsible for particular areas (e.g. education, utilities, construction, pensions, etc.) in order to develop solutions together.
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