By Farid Mammadov, Chairman of the Board, DOST Agency
In post-war Azerbaijan, vulnerable groups, including war veterans, persons with war-related disabilities, and families of the fallen, faced complex and overlapping needs. Accessing support, however, was often difficult, slow, and stressful due to fragmented service delivery across multiple institutions. This raised a critical question: how can social services respond more effectively in times of crisis while remaining truly human-centred?
At the European Social Services Conference 2026, this session will highlight a key message: integration is not optional, it is essential.
A Practical Shift: From Fragmentation to One-Stop Access
To address these challenges, Azerbaijan introduced the Central Coordination Units (CCUs), bringing multiple institutions together in a single, coordinated system. Through the CCUs, individuals can access a wide range of services, including social protection, employment, rehabilitation, and more, without navigating complex administrative structures.
Key features include:
• Coordination across institutions, enabling more efficient case handling
• Use of digital tools, supporting access through multiple channels
• Multidisciplinary collaboration, involving professionals from different sectors
• Accessibility, ensuring services reach people across regions
Such models demonstrate how simplifying access can significantly improve both user experience and system efficiency.
Digital Tools that Strengthen Human Services
Digitalisation plays a critical role, but not as a replacement for human interaction. Instead, digital tools are used to reduce administrative burden, accelerate service delivery, and enhance transparency, allowing professionals to focus on what matters most: people.
By combining technology with human-centred design, services become not only faster, but also more empathetic and accessible.
Why It Matters
The results of integration are tangible:
• Faster and more coordinated service delivery
• Improved user experience
• Reduced duplication and administrative complexity
• Greater system transparency and accountability
These outcomes are reflected in practice. The CCUs currently deliver 26 services across 6 directions and have processed more than 308,000 applications, with citizen satisfaction exceeding 98.9%.
These outcomes are particularly crucial in crisis contexts, where speed, clarity, and trust are essential.
What Participants Will Gain
This session will provide participants with practical insights into designing integrated service models, lessons on cross-sector coordination in complex environments, and reflections on how digital tools can support human-centred services.
Participants will also be encouraged to consider how similar approaches can be adapted within their own national or organisational contexts.
Looking Ahead
As societies across Europe face increasingly complex challenges, the need for coordinated and resilient social service systems is becoming more evident.
Strengthening collaboration across institutions and sectors will be essential to improving service delivery and ensuring that social services remain responsive, inclusive, and effective.
The future of social services depends on our ability to work together across systems, sectors, and borders.
