February 9, 2011
Alcoa Foundation and Fund for Sustainable Development Launch a New Community Program in Russia - “Youth Votes For Health”
In January 2011, Alcoa Russia, Alcoa Foundation and Fund for Sustainable Development (FSD, Moscow, Russia) launched a new program - Youth Votes for Health. It will be implemented throughout the year 2011. The project is carried out by FSD through financial support of Alcoa Foundation and in partnership with Alcoa  locations in Russia -  Belaya Kalitva (ZAO Alcoa Metallurg Rus) and in Samara (ZAO Alcoa SMZ). The budget of the Program will reach $205,000. The program will promote  healthy life styles among young people in two communities where Alcoa has presence:  Belaya Kalitva and Kirovsky administrative district of Samara.

The program consists of 4 components: (1) Installation of outdoor fitness equipment in school yards; (2) Introduction of health-saving training courses utilizing the outdoor fitness equipment for  partner schools and target community groups; (3) Community events: an outdoor fitness festival “Healthy School – Healthy Family” and Pure Water Festival; (4) Program evaluation.

The Program will involve at least  3000 middle school students and community members  who will be trained to use the outdoor fitness equipment under specially designed health programs. No less than 30 fitness equipment units will be installed at several schools of each community. Along with the health improvement programs students will learn about healthy lifestyles and healthy food during extracurricular classes.

As the result  of the Program the communities will get wellness activity spots with modern outdoor fitness equipment and health improvement training programs for children and adults. Teachers and children from over 10 schools will become active participants of the Program.

During the Program each city will have festivals “Healthy School – Healthy Family” and Pure Water. They will attract attention of children and teachers, parents, schools,  municipal bodies in charge of education and health, local business and administration to the issue of youth healthy lifestyle, innovative technologies to create healthy functional environment in cities that promote positive development of young people.

FSD  and Alcoa Russia will work to promote the Program on the federal, regional and local levels. Generally, the Program will result in  a proven specific example of an  innovative healthy lifestyle approach for youth that can be replicated in other regions of the country, other areas of presence of the Russian and international business.