Issues of housing, demographics and career guarantees were discussed by deputies and young people at the forum in Norilsk
The day before, at the Youth Center, as part of the Arctic Norilsk Youth Forum (ANMF-2025), there was a discussion platform “We are developing lawmaking.”
The experts at the meeting were deputies of the Norilsk City Council and representatives of youth parliaments at the federal, regional and municipal levels. The moderator of the discussion was Anastasia Savicheva, deputy of the City Council, member of the Youth Parliament under the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
The format of the meeting is an open dialogue between the current government and those who are just starting their journey in socio-political life. As Alexander Pestryakov, Chairman of the Norilsk City Council, noted, today all conditions are being created for the voice of young people to be heard directly. The speaker emphasized that the forum is an ideal place for ambitious plans, where any young person with an active position can propose an idea for the development of the city.
Special attention was paid to the topic of career opportunities in politics and the work of “social elevators”. Alexander Pestryakov gave an example of how the continuity of generations works: five years ago, he and Ivan Ishutin discussed the prospects of youth at a similar forum, and today Ishutin himself heads the Youth Parliament of the region, and Anastasia Savicheva represents the interests of Norilsk residents at the federal level in a similar youth structure under the State Duma. According to the Chairman of the City Council, this is direct confirmation that the institute of assistants to deputies and youth parliamentary structures is a real personnel step that allows one to develop future managers.
Ivan Ishutin himself confirmed these words. Coming from the non-profit sector, he brought a project approach to the work of the regional youth parliament: this allowed not only for the first time in a decade and a half to achieve an upward revision of the structure’s budget, but also to attract additional funds through victories in grant competitions. For beginners who want to follow this path, the door is open.
“We have introduced a working groups tool. Anyone can say right now: “Guys, I want to do projects.” A person proves himself in action and subsequently, through by-elections, enters the main composition of parliament. This is how we find really charged, motivated people,” said Ishutin.
Representatives of the Youth Parliament of Norilsk shared examples of work “in the fields” for the benefit of the city. Chairman of the MP Denis Kaminsky reported on the success of the “100 Good Deeds” project: over the year, volunteers carried out more than a hundred events: from snow removal to targeted support for those in need and humanitarian assistance to veterans and families of Northern Military District soldiers. In addition, he recalled the success of the initiative to establish the official “Volunteer” badge, which will soon be awarded in Norilsk.
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Daniel Dementyev, a member of the Committee for the Affairs of the North and Indigenous Minorities of the MP at the Legislative Assembly, shared the results of raids on points of sale of vapes: activists managed not only to identify violations in the display of goods and the conditions for their sale to minors, but also to get entrepreneurs to comply with the law.
However, the most lively discussion revolved around the housing issue and its connection with demography. Alexander Pestryakov voiced an initiative that the Norilsk authorities intend to work out jointly with the Youth Parliament of the region and promote it to the federal level. We are talking about introducing changes to the rules for the provision of housing under social tenancy agreements. The speaker proposed to enshrine at the legislative level the right of citizens under 35 years of age who have the status of families with many children to receive public housing on social rent with the possibility of its subsequent privatization.
A heated debate has developed around this topic. Participants from the audience asked questions about why the state does not provide apartments as a basic benefit for all young families. Alexander Pestryakov explained the position of the authorities using the example of the “Zemsky Doctor” and “Zemsky Teacher” programs: any benefits are a two-way traffic.
“Distributing apartments for free to everyone will not lead to the desired result. Economic and political instruments must work here. If we are talking about demography, then the state is looking for motives to increase it. If a young specialist becomes a parent with many children, this is a serious contribution to the future of the country, which should be encouraged, including the opportunity to own housing,” argued the Chairman of the City Council.
At the end of the meeting, young people raised the topic of job security and the importance of education. Participants asked whether state-funded students should expect compulsory service in government institutions and what specialties today guarantee success, including in politics. Alexander Pestryakov advised to rely not so much on having a diploma, but on real competitiveness and skill.
“Today we are returning to understanding the importance of the working person. The employer values those who are ready to learn and produce results. Everything must be achieved through work. The better your professional skills, the higher your value as a specialist. And a decent income will allow you to confidently build a future and freely implement any life plans,” concluded Pestryakov.
Summing up the discussion, Anastasia Savicheva noted that such platforms have long outgrown the format of simple acquaintance. The proposals voiced during the conversation will be formalized into appropriate resolutions for further advancement at the legislative level.
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