Social Work and Poverty Alleviation: On the way from Beneficiary to Entrepreneur
01.04.2023
On March 28, the forum-exhibition titled “Social work formula for self-sufficient operation” was held.
The purpose of the conference was to present the current results of the three-year program aimed at poverty alleviation in Armenia. The program intended to promote socio-economic self-sufficiency among beneficiaries through a family benefits system and the establishment of 307 business projects.
The event was attended by the Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Mr. Navel Mkrtchyan, Deputy Minister Anna Zhamakochyan, Head of the Unified Social Service, Eduard Petrosyan, as well as representatives of state and non-state structures, local and international organizations, and program beneficiaries.
The program is designed, in cooperation with the social workers of the regional centers of the Unified Social Service, to assist around 10,700 individuals with various social programs from the five regions of Armenia–Ararat, Armavir, Kotayk, Shirak, and Lori–by providing them with multifaceted support and encouraging self-sufficiency and social inclusion. Since the beginning of the three-year period, the program has provided:
- Access to various educational, health, legal, psychological, material, humanitarian support, and other services for 5128 families
- Support for employment or inclusion in self-employment programs for 3,074 families
- Small grants to fund the establishment of 307 families’ own entrepreneurial activities
- Opportunities for more than 208 social workers and employment specialists to acquire and develop knowledge about social activation, case management, and practical application skills
During the conference, about 50 business pavilions presented the 307 beneficiary projects. Both beneficiaries and social workers were invited to participate in a panel discussion.
During the forum’s workshops, beneficiaries discussed current obstacles and opportunities they experienced throughout the process. Regarding the topic, Mira Antonyan, the president of the Association of Social Workers of Armenia, said: “The Association of Social Workers of Armenia took great responsibility for the implementation of the program, we worked long and carefully on the development of the methodology, and tried to understand what our beneficiaries lack in order to become active and take their lives in their own hands, in the end we found the formula of social work which, as the results of the program prove, is working.”
Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Mr. Narek Mkrtchyan, added: “The results of the project allow us to outline new visions, to understand that with appropriate support it is possible to get out of difficult life situations, to gain self-sufficiency, while at the same time creating public good. It is an important experience and an exemplary format, which is also at the center of attention within the Armenian government.”
In a video message broadcasted at the event, Karolin Geginat, the head of the Armenian office of the World Bank, also addressed the audience. “I hope that the material and non-material support that the beneficiaries received during the program will serve to overcome the future challenges of their lives, and the lessons learned during the program will always have a guiding role for local social workers in their work. Today’s conference is a unique opportunity for all participants, including social workers and beneficiaries, to share their knowledge and experience gained during the project.”
The project has shown that poverty alleviation programs must consist of more than monetary injections. Indeed, necessary components must include: the promotion of human motivation, development of skills, provision of opportunities for experiments, non-critical supportive attitudes, opportunity to reveal one’s own potential, the transfer of human energy, and hope. Social work with unique methods and approaches is key.
The three year program “Promotion of Social Inclusion and Self-Sufficient Livelihood Activities in Armenia” is implemented by the Armenian Association of Social Workers in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Unified Social Service, coordinated by the World Bank and funded by the Government of Japan.
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