One of the components of the "Promoting of Social Inclusion and Self-reliant livelihood activities in Armenia" Project is devoted to social workers of territorial centers of the Unified Social Services and community social workers.

In this context, on December 17 and 18 in Dilijan and Tsakhkadzor, orientation seminars took place for 150 social workers of the territorial centers of the USS from five regions of the Republic of Armenia: Ararat, Armavir, Kotayk, Lori and Shirak, which will continue on December 24 and 25 at the mentioned places.

During the seminar, the goals and priorities of the Project were introduced to social workers. The agenda of the seminar included a detailed discussion of beneficiary activation, inclusion, child poverty as the main dimensions of the Project, issues of social need, vulnerability, identification of social risks, as well as issues of beneficiary awareness, selection, assessment of their business potential, defined social and environmental risks within the Project.

The participants of the seminar discussed the specifics of applying social case management tools, models and methods used in case management, as well as motivational interviewing, which is the key in the context of inclusive activation, so that the vulnerable person or family can try through increasing of their motivation be able to move from from their main lifestyle, poverty and marginalization to a more secure environment. During the seminar, the participants got more information and knowledge about motivational interviewing techniques as well as suggested approaches to assessing family resources and strengths, so social workers will take the next step in pre-assessing potential Project beneficiaries in their communities.

The Project is coordinated by the World Bank and funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by the Armenian Association of Social Workers.