EPF Helps to Build Social Capital in Armenia

Image

Despite the lack of job opportunities in most of the industries in Armenia, higher education has evolved as a thriving business. Simply put, the majority of Armenian youth (and their parents) aspire to receive higher education, even if that education is sometimes outdated and not attuned to the modern market needs. Some university instructors continue to use Soviet teaching methods, and bribery for grades as well as plagiarism are quite rampant.

Over the years of its experience, EPF has learned that promoting social capital is about changing one's view vis-à-vis human resources. Human potential is capital, while making that capital to work for the society and community means helping to build the social capital. At the same time, a study conducted by Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC) demonstrates that volunteerism and membership in public associations are at an embryonic stage in Armenia.

This year, thanks to funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the United States Agency for International Development, and other donors, EPF has issued about 80 grants to Armenian civil society, ranging from small sums (USD 500) to several hundred thousand USD. EPF works with its grantees to build cohesive networks. Even though the projects focus on totally different issues (security, tourism, culture, social enterprise, literature, European values, youth community work, Armenia-Turkey relations, social media, etc.), the implementers are all united as EPF grantees. EPF has designed a set of activities to develop a network of EPF grantees and partners so that their experience, knowledge, and outputs are shared among the group. EPF encourages these grantees and partners to plan joint activities to increase the impact of their individual endeavors. Given its work with Youth Banks for several years, EPF has learned how to increase the impact of a variety of smaller-scale projects. Via its TV talk show, EPF makes it possible for the entire country to know about is projects and people who implement those projects. This is an experiment on social capital building on a small scale, and the results are yet unknown.

Share |