The Integration of Social Services and Communities Social Functioning in Armenia Yevgine Vardanyan Yerevan State University Tbilisi, 2012

The concept of the community became the matter of close interest of many disciplines for the last period because of the changes made by the international processes and influences.

The community is a group of people who acknowledge their interconnectedness, have a sense of their common purpose, respect their differences, share in group decision making as well as in the responsibility for the actions of the group, and support each other’s growth Sheldon Berman, 1990

Community is a synonym for social and it is necessary for all social workers. David Hardcastle

Community should be responsible for serving individual members, especially for those members of the community who can’t managed their care and problem solving processes on their own.

After the colapse of Soviet Union the Republic of Armenia pursued the course of the development towards the decentralization of the government system and administrational processes.

The local self-government is the right and power of the community to resolve on its own responsibility issues of local significance aimed at the welfare of the inhabitants in accordance with the Constitution of the RA and the RA Law “On Local Self-Government”.

One of the problems is related to the inadequacy between the given authorities of the community and its responsibilities for the community members.

Another problem is related to social and public services delivery system in local level.

Communities don't have enough resources and oppotunities in Armenia to implement self government and be self regulated in the local level. The main solution of those problems and problematic situations the RA government considers to be merging the communities.

The social service delivery system is also in reformation phase in Armenia and this also has its impact on community social functioning. The main reason of it is that an integrated social service institute will be introduced in Armenia at the end of 2012.

Integration of social services can be the main possible way for making service co-ordination, co-operation, partnerships, collaboration, inter-professional or joint working within service delivery system in Armenia more effective.

But one thing should not be ignored. It is the community both with its resources and potential and with its problems and difficulties.

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