Public Sector in Armenia – on its way to build trust and credibility

With regard to the trust, which is a firm foundation for two-way communication and the most important factor in PR departments contributing to long-lasting and successful relationship between citizens and respective state bodies, APSREP (Armenia-Public Sector Reform Project, website: www.gov.am) a lot of work, such as conducted surveys to review the status, capacities and needs of PR units in 36 Governmental Bodies. Also it has undertaken a number of steps to promote and lobby the establishment of PR departments in state bodies, to strengthen communication of RA Government through consulting, and drafting communication strategies.
In April 2004 RA President’s office initiated the process of establishment of PR Departments in ministries. In May 2004 the Government of Armenia approved the “exemplary” charters for PR departments and functions of press secretaries. Following the government’s approval of the charters for PR departments and functions of press secretaries APSREP supported ministries in establishing their PR departments.
In general, the document on public reform program in Armenia includes the following points with regard to the Public Relations, covering the issues of media, resources, and institutional issues:
- Support for Strengthening Public Relations and Media Functions in the Government of Armenia – reviewing the training support conducted in June and July 2005 to press secretaries and staff of public relations departments in 25 government ministries and adjunct bodies. The review describes the context and content of training modules, as well as records key findings and recommendations on the following areas: working more effectively with the media; resources; institutional issues; and working more effectively across government.
- Improving the Public Relations Function of the Government of Armenia. This document contains a collection of notes prepared by the APSREP team to assist the Government of Armenia to improve its Public Relations function. The following areas are covered: issues relating to the management and processing of information by PR units; overview of the international experience in the area of central coordination unit for a government’s PR activities and recommendations to the GoA; review of reporting arrangements, tools and techniques in a number of developed countries, and recommendations appropriate in the Armenian environment; and review of the issues arising in the process of implementation of the PR function and recommendations to overcome those. (www.gov.am)
- Recommendations for Social Ministries for National Opinion Poll , that is a technical note presenting the way the two National Opinion Polls data were used, reporting the feedback from the representatives of public relations departments of the pilot ministries on the appropriateness of the NOP, and reporting recommendations for a third NOP.