Strategic session Move2Armenia “Emergency measures for employment of internally displaced persons from Artsakh” 3/10/2023, Yerevan

04.10.2023

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2023 թվականի հոկտեմբերի 3-ին Move2Armenia with the support of Armenian Code Academy initiated a strategic session for representatives of Armenian companies, educational initiatives and the state to discuss together, in a brainstorm format, support initiatives for internally displaced persons that would cover as many potential applicants as possible.

Representatives of companies, educational initiatives and the state discussed how to synchronize common efforts, identified “red lines” and highlighted the weaknesses of support initiatives in order to come to effective solutions, both operational and long-term. Another goal of the session was to identify the most effective channels and ways to inform internally displaced persons about announced initiatives, open vacancies and retraining and training programs.

The strategic session was attended by managers and HR of 50+ companies, including Ameria Bank, Team, Yandex, Staff.am, Glovo, Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine, Yeremyan Projects, Bacon Products, Zovq, Armenian Code Academy, meettal, Invitro, Move2Armenia Career, Yerevan City Hall and many others.

During the brainstorming process, which was conducted in four groups in the areas of Manufacturing & Construction, HoReCa & Retail & Service, IT & Banking, Education & Retraining, moderator Narek Aslikyan suggested starting from two inputs: support measures that can be implemented independently and quickly , and that assistance, the implementation of which will require the involvement of external resources, for example, the state or NGOs. After discussions in groups, the following options for supporting internally displaced persons from Artsakh were voiced:

It is necessary to create a single database of all forced migrants, controlled by the state, which will contain information about their place of residence, competencies and needs, so that support is targeted;
Jobs must be created on the territory of the Republic of Armenia;
When creating jobs, the place of residence of migrants must be taken into account;
The majority of forced migrants from Artsakh — are former military personnel, agricultural workers and women with children, their needs must be taken into account (for example, options for remote work and a five-hour working day);
The problem of informing internally displaced persons about announced initiatives, open vacancies in the nearest marz and retraining and training programs could be solved with the help of SMS mailings from telecommunications companies; announcements with this information could be placed in the offices of social services and non-profit organizations and also broadcast on television screens in public transport.
Companies can make a regular donation to the Artsakh people support fund;
The idea of work, as such, should be popularized, due to the fact that some migrants from Artsakh have been living on subsidies in recent years, and their motivation in finding work could have atrophied.
Speed dating can be organized for internally displaced persons for more effective interaction with HR companies.
A minimum wage threshold may be established.

Narek Aslikyan, co-founder Armenian Code Academy, brainstorm moderator:

“During the brainstorming process, we discussed potential ideas for implementation to support our compatriots who moved from Artsakh to Yerevan and other regions of Armenia. We proceeded from the premises that all jobs that are initiated must be created in Armenia. Secondly, the emphasis was on the fact that people who are now not in Yerevan, but in the regions of Armenia, it is desirable that they remain in these regions. Proposals initiated by employers must be adapted to the needs of people with disabilities and different groups of disabilities. And we must also motivate the creation of remote jobs suitable for mothers with children who are only suitable for work from home options.

The main ideas of the brainstorm were built around the fact that we, first of all, need a database of people who need work, where information about their skills, education and needs will be collected.

Secondly, we need a platform where we can collect information about jobs and educational initiatives in one place.

And thirdly, — we must initiate and finance educational programs that will now help Artsakh residents learn and acquire new skills as quickly as possible that will help them soon find a new specialization and a new job.”

Also at the strategic session the results of the Move2Armenia study were presented, which was conducted among 320 internally displaced persons from Artsakh in early October 2023. Among the respondents, 80% — are women, 20% — are men; ¾ of whom are aged from 25 to 45 years.

Zoya Sargsyan, regional coordinator Alliance of Youth Clubs of Artsakh:

“70% respondents have higher education. Work experience over the past three years: 37% — civil servants, 12% in trade, 7% in education, while 61% received a salary ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 drams, among which more than half received from 200,000 to 300,000 drams; only 6% have no operating experience. 97% respondents have dependents. Only 1% plans to emigrate from Armenia.”

Maria Goncharova, PR-manager of Move2Armenia:

“Move2Armenia, throughout its almost two-year history, — has been trying to be a platform of support and dialogue. And if initially our organization was created two years ago to test the hypothesis of creating a concierge service that would help 100 families of repatriates make a turnkey move to Armenia. Then, when, due to the war, tens of thousands of Russians began to come to Armenia in the spring of 2022, our organization focused on helping them adapt to the new country and find work here. When we held job fairs and markets, it became clear that our events were also in great demand among local residents. — Armenians made up more than half of the visitors to Move2Armenia Market, JobHub and then to Move2Armenia Career.

Now we understand how important it is to help those tens of thousands of displaced people who were forced to leave their lives in Artsakh after a nine-month blockade and a long grueling road, literally ended up empty-handed in Armenia and must begin to somehow settle here.

We all realize how important it is now to do everything in our power and even more so that the Armenians of Artsakh remain here in Armenia. To do this, every forced migrant must be provided with decent housing as soon as possible, and then receive all the conditions to feel in demand in the labor market and apply their strongest qualities to work in Armenian companies.”

When preparing the event, the Move2Armenia team studied global practices of supporting the employment of internally displaced persons, its results are available in the brochure.

Participants of the strategic session 3/10/2023