On 26 June
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a video conference with members of the
“In this together” national initiative. Organizations which have supported the
project include DOBRO.RU, the All-Russia People’s Front, the Roscongress
Foundation, the Association of Volunteer Centres, the nationwide Medical
Volunteers movement, Volunteers for the Constitution, and Rostelecom.
18 June
marked three months since the Roscongress Foundation launched the
#InThisTogether helpline, which provides support and coordinates assistance for
over‑60s and people with limited mobility who are at increased risk from
COVID-19 and who are self-isolating during the pandemic.
The
helpline was set up in just two days. This involved putting the technical
infrastructure in place, creating an interactive voice response menu,
organizing call handling capacity, routing calls to operators 24 hours a day,
and a number of other aspects required for the multi-line call centre to
operate smoothly.
More than 3
million calls have been answered over the three months, with more than 1,5
million requests registered. Eleven per cent of calls involved people asking
questions regarding assistance with purchasing and delivering food and
medication. Twenty-nine per cent of calls involved answering people’s questions
about the coronavirus and providing them with psychological and legal support.
Seventeen percent involved transferring callers to specialized helplines, and
ten per cent of calls involved people giving feedback and thanking the
operators following the fulfilment of a request. Most calls were made from
Russia’s most densely populated regions, including Moscow, Moscow Region,
Krasnodar Territory, St. Petersburg, Sverdlovsk Region, and Rostov Region.
“Setting up
and running a project of this size has been a new challenge for the Roscongress
Foundation. Within a very short timeframe, we became able to take calls 24
hours a day, and provide quick assistance to everyone contacting us via a
single number. This was just as all regions in Russia were gradually imposing
lockdown measures. We benefit from having operators based right across the
country. It’s worth highlighting the social good that this project is doing.
With the #InThisTogether helpline, we are able to work together with our partners
to leverage the experience we have amassed in collaborating with the private
sector, government bodies, and civil society to address the most important
challenges facing our country. I have no doubt that what we have achieved will
not only be remembered, but also help further encourage millions of people in
Russia. We’d like to thank all our partners who have taken part for their
assistance in helping to organize and bring to life this vital project,” said
Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Roscongress
Foundation Alexander Stuglev.
The
helpline began by helping with deliveries of food and medication for over‑60s
and people with limited mobility who are at increased risk. Over time, the
helpline transformed into a fully-fledged information headquarters, with
support being provided across more than 10 areas. These included assistance
from healthcare workers with free food, deliveries of food and medication,
transport to places of work, and places to stay temporarily while working;
receiving requests concerning loan repayment holidays; family support payments;
legal support for people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic; and
psychological help.
In the
run-up to a number of religious festivals in April, the Innosocium Foundation –
the Roscongress Foundation’s social platform – organized a helpline staffed by
representatives of Russia’s main faiths. These people provided 24-hour support
to people in Russia looking to have their questions answered, or just looking
for support. Since the initiative launched, more than 3,000 calls were made by
people seeking spiritual assistance.
The
#InThisTogether helpline has essentially become a one-stop shop during the
pandemic. It serves as a platform for people to make a specific request and receive
direct assistance, and also an information centre which has consolidated
helplines across the country.
The
helpline was a pilot initiative by the Roscongress Foundation. The
organization’s immediate plans now include providing assistance to companies
across various industries looking to set up modern, newly equipped call
centres. These are companies which stand to benefit greatly from having an
integrated information centre which can operate according to a specially
adapted scenario in accordance with their line of business. The helpline
service package will also include staff training to help them meet the
standards set so successfully during the #InThisTogether initiative.
The
Roscongress Foundation continues to grow as a socially oriented non‑financial
development institution. Indeed, the results delivered by the #InThisTogether
helpline speak volumes about the sustainability and professionalism of a
company which has primarily focused on organizing and running international
conventions; exhibitions; and sporting, public, and cultural events – events
which for obvious reasons have recently had to be cancelled or postponed.
