Shaping Sustainable Social Change

Background
Social work in its contemporary understanding is a rather newly emerging profession in the target countries. Having an official tradition of “no social problems” during Soviet Union, these countries were faced with a significant number of social and economic challenges after its collapse, aggravated by several wars. Social work practice emerged as a response to these multiple social problems, but was initially mainly organized by individual NGOs. Even though social workers have organised themselves into social work associations over the past 10 years, social work is still not a fully recognized and regulated profession. Several social fields lack to this day a regulative framework and sustainable funding structures. Moreover, local service providers and social workers still show limited professional expertise and need targeted support and training opportunities to effectively address the manifold social problems of their countries.

Objective
The project strives to contribute to the social well-being of vulnerable groups by developing and strengthening the concept of and access to social work. This is achieved by:
(a) Fostering the professionalization and enhancing the capacities of Social Work Associations as centers of competence for social service delivery that will, in turn, empower local organisations in rural areas through training / consulting.
(b) Strengthening the role of these associations as political watchdogs for social reform processes and advocators for social justice. Also, multi-stakeholder dialogues are promoted on a national and regional level.

Activities

Improvement of strategic and organisational capacity of local Social Work Associations

Organisation of learning support measures for each association (trainings, study visit and traineeship in Austria incl. follow-up distance coaching, etc.)

Raising public awareness through media products and joint political statements

Organisation of a regional coordination mechanism trough three cluster groups

Development of joint action plans for tackling specific local problems in the field of social work

Tailor-made trainings for selected local NGOs

At least 12 grants for small projects awarded to local NGOs active in the social field

Organisation of a regional social work conference involving national and regional stakeholders

Target groups / Beneficiaries

4 Social Work Associations (comprising up to 40 staff members, 1.400 members and 1.500 supporters)

min. 20 local NGOs active in the social field

Vulnerable groups in need of social support (e.g. children, elderly, single mothers)

Public and private stakeholders related to social work (national / local state entities / agencies, educational and healthcare institutions)

Project details
Budget: EUR 1.079.413.-
Project period: August 2015 – January 2018 Project partners:Armenian Association of Social Workers
Azerbaijan Social Work Public Union
Georgian Association of Social Workers
Nursing Association of Moldova

Information

Nicole Maria Bauer, Regional Manager South Caucasus
Tel: +43 1 40 57 500-0
E-Mail: nicole.bauer@hwa.or.at
http://www.hilfswerk.at/hwa/projekte

Donation account

IBAN: AT71 6000 0000 9000 1002
BIC: OPSKATWW
“SSSC”