Published on: 2026-10-09
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
A thousand applications have been submitted for the «Moscow Volunteer» distinction. They were sent by educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, city structures, and companies. The award recipients will be determined taking into account the candidates’ experience, the time dedicated to helping, and the scale of the projects implemented.
“Since the establishment of the ‘Volunteer of Moscow’ distinction, 190 people have received it. Behind each award is a personal story: support for people in difficult life situations, care for nature, preservation of cultural heritage, assistance at city events. It is important for us to acknowledge this contribution and introduce Muscovites to volunteers whose actions inspire others to join in good deeds,” said the director of the resource center.
“Mosvolonter” Alexander Levit.
The assessment takes into account the duration of participation in volunteer activities, the number of hours of assistance, as well as the significance and scale of volunteer and charitable initiatives. This approach allows evaluating the candidate’s contribution to the development of the urban community and the outcomes of their involvement in various projects.
The selection procedure includes several stages. First, the documents are checked by Committee on Public Relations and Youth Policy cities of Moscow. Then the materials are sent to the expert council on grants, charity, and volunteering of the Public Chamber of the city of Moscow. The council compiles a list of volunteers recommended for encouragement, based on which the committee makes the final decision on awarding.
Moscow Volunteer Badge
Government of Moscow established the distinction “Volunteer of Moscow” on June 1, 2022. In 2025, the incentive system was expanded: three degrees of the award appeared, and the number of recipients increased from 30 to 100 people annually.
To receive the first degree of the badge, volunteer experience in the capital must be at least five years, the second degree requires at least three years, and the third degree at least one year. Each year, up to 20 people can receive the first degree, up to 30 the second, and up to 50 the third. In exceptional cases, the first degree is awarded for a special contribution to the development of Moscow volunteering regardless of experience. Last year, 100 volunteers received the award.
The ‘Island of Good’ squad
School No. 1793 named after Hero of the Soviet Union A.K. Novikov nominated organizer-teacher Snezhana Korolkova for an award. She has 30 years of teaching experience. Since 2019, she has been involving students in volunteer campaigns, and in 2024 she became the leader of the “Island of Kindness” squad, created based at the educational institution. Currently, it includes hundreds of children aged from seven to 18. Last year, the team under her leadership reached the semifinals of the “Kind Heart of the Capital” competition.
The special value lies in Snezhana Korol’kova’s ability to inspire children with care for others. The traditional “Give Kindness” campaign brings together students, parents, and teachers: they prepare gifts for two orphanages in the Chuvash Republic, and the volunteers hold celebrations there. Volunteers also visit elderly wards of the St. Spyridon almshouse, take part in “Mosvolonter” events, and donate necessary items as part of the project “Moscow helps“.
The deputy director of School No. 1793 named after Hero of the Soviet Union A.K. Novikov, Larisa Nagornova, noted that Snezhana organizes children, graduates, and parents into a single community. Goodness becomes a concrete act for them, and for some participants, a way of life.
Engage the entire school in helping
The candidate from school No. 2010 named after Hero of the Soviet Union M.P. Sudakov is eleventh-grader Kristina Leonova. Her path in volunteering began in the eighth grade with assistance at school concerts and community clean-up days. Then she moved on to her own initiatives, joining the “Volunteers-2010” squad.
One of Kristina Leonova’s most notable initiatives was the collection called “Kind Caps.” She prepared a presentation, coordinated the placement of containers, and organized the accounting of the collected plastic. Thanks to her efforts, the number of participants grew from five to 200 people. In six months, they collected 300 kilograms of caps, and the proceeds were directed to a children’s aid fund.
In addition, Kristina Leonova organizes humanitarian collections and participates in environmental campaigns. Together with her team, she managed to collect over 200 kilograms of food for the “Pechatniki” shelter. During the cleanup of the Moscow River bank, volunteers removed 18 bags of trash.
“Kristina possesses a rare quality: she sees a problem, proposes a concrete solution, and then inspires others to follow her. We especially value her contribution to the development of the school volunteer movement,” said Yekaterina Leonova, advisor to the director for student affairs at School No. 2010.
From school initiatives to international events
Maria Telegina was nominated for the award from school No. 1589. She heads the senior student council and the volunteer squad “Road of Good.” She has over seven years of participation in school life and volunteer projects behind her. For the past two years, she has been helping at city and nationwide events.
Recently, Maria Telegina took part in the International Youth Festival: she welcomed guests at the Moscow airport, helped participants and spectators find their way, and also handled organizational matters. This experience complements her work in the school self-government, where she unites students of different ages.
Maria’s main contribution to the school life is considered to be the development of volunteering. Her organization and responsibility help involve students in joint projects.
The educational organizer of State Budgetary Educational Institution “School No. 1589,” Tatyana Glushchenko, noted that Maria leads both the council of senior students and the school’s volunteers, establishing contact with children of different ages. According to her, Maria is a person you can rely on.
You can learn more about volunteering in Moscow on the resource center’s website “Mosvolonter”, as well as on his social media page “VKontakte” and in the messenger “Max”.
The organization of volunteer activities and involving young people in participation in city events correspond to the objectives of the national project “Youth and Children” and the federal project “We are together”. More information about Russia’s national projects and the capital’s contribution can be found on the special on the page.
Get the main news promptly on the official channels of the city of Moscow in messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
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