Accessible Social Services for People in Difficult Situations
Published: Jul 16, 2025 Reading time: 3 minutes Share: Share an articleAccessible, need-based social services are significant for people in difficult circumstances. Since 2023, with the support of the European Union, we have been working in Syunik region to establish social services and engage state and local authorities and civil society actors. Through our project: Partnerships for Syunik – Enhanced Community-Based Social Services, more than 1,000 people in Syunik receive free social services.
Under the project, we have collaborated with more than 10 local NGOs, providing around 20 sub-grants, including four regional local municipalities. The project contributes to the creation of new services in communities, the introduction of sustainable financial mechanisms, and systemic change. The services include home and day care, temporary shelter, housing accessibility, social taxi, and entrepreneurship support projects.
Home Care for Older People
“Does my hair look good?” – With this warm, humorous question, Grandma Qnarik greets us as we arrive at her apartment door. Like many older people, she lives alone, has health issues, and needs both care and socialisation.
Cooperation Arch, which has been working with older people for over three decades, provides home and day care services. With the financial support from the European Union, this organisation has improved its services, undergone state certification, and become an officially delegated service provider on behalf of the government.
Cooperation Arch's staff regularly visit older people living alone, supporting them not only with household chores but also with health monitoring by a nurse. Social workers assist with domestic tasks, do shopping, and deliver goods to them.
Grandma Hasmik rushes to her garden to bring us flowers. She lives with Nikolay - her husband, who has lost his eyesight. They are a loving couple, full of energy, affection, and a caring attitude toward life.
“If you want to live long, you need to grow old,” says Grandma Hasmik with a smile, quoting a popular saying.
A Child’s Dream: Home Adaptation for Children with Disabilities
In the context of piloting social services and culturally transforming new service models, a service has also been launched in Sisian, specifically for children with disabilities. Community assessments revealed that many families are unable to provide accessible living conditions due to financial and organisational constraints.
In response to this need, the “Child’s Dream” initiative was launched in Sisian. Artak Sargsyan, president of the Public Research and Consultation Center notes that 18 homes have been made accessible. This has eased the burden not only on the child but on the whole family. To implement the project, the Public Research and Consultation Center closely cooperated with the Sisian Municipality, the Unified Social Service, and local NGOs.
Saten, who uses a wheelchair, can now move freely around her home. She studies, plays, and spends time with her twin sister and grandmother. The long-awaited changes in their home have brought her much joy.
Accessible Social Services
The Partnerships for Syunik – Enhanced Community-Based Social Services is implemented by People in Need within the framework of the European Union’s Resilient Syunik – Team Europe Initiative, in partnership with the WINNET Goris Development Foundation and Armenian Caritas.
The Resilient Syunik Team Europe” initiative is the joint undertaking of the European Union, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EU Member states - Austria, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland also joining as an external partner. The initiative aims to contribute to the sustainable socio-economic development of the Syunik region.
