The social assistance and solidarity foundations in the context of public policies for fighting poverty (An empirical study on the case of Arpaçay)

Since the day mankind emerged, the phenomenon of poverty, which is an individual and social problem, has been experiencing the most severe and deepest period under the influence of many modern developments such as capitalism, globalization, economic liberalism and the ruthless competition conditions created in the modern period. In the world, the role and function of states in fighting poverty can vary from country to country. In terms of our country, according to Article 2 of our Constitution, the Republic of Turkey is a democratic secular and social state of law. In this framework, Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations are a requirement of the Social State initiative and are one of the public institutions with the task of providing social benefits. Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations, with the establisment of the Fund for the Promotion of Social Assistance and Solidarity in 1986 for the first time by the Law for Encouraging Social Assistance and Solidarity, now provide social services as public institutions organized in provinces and districts. The aim of this study entitled Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations in the context of Public Policy for Poverty Alleviation (An Empirical Study in the Case of Arpaçay), as a public policy, investigates the impact of Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations on the fight against poverty. In this context, the study consists of two chapters, conceptual and theoretical framework in the first chapter and empirical study in the second chapter. In the first chapter, with the theoretical and conceptual framework of the phenomenon of poverty, the administrative, legal and financial structure of the Social Aid and Solidarity Foundations which provide services through the Social Assistance and Solidarity Fund and the nature and types of the aids are explained. In the second chapter, the characteristics of the field research subjects, the methodology of the empirical study and the analysis and interpretation of the research data are included. A field study using a semi-structured interview form was conducted in the Arpaçay district of Kars, where open-ended questions were also included. For the field study, a face-to-face interview was conducted to 400 subjects who are currently receiving services and support from the Arpaçay Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation and a questionnaire including open-ended questions was implemented. The points such as whether the local people need more aid, whether they regard social services as a right, whether social assistance has created an addiction relation for them, whether the aid they are receive has relieved their lives and whether they can find this aid is enough were examined with a closed questionnaire. In the same questionnaire, the points about why participants are satisfied if they are satisfied with the aid they receive; if they are not satisfied, why they are dissatisfied, and what their expectations and proposals on the state's struggle with poverty are, were examined with open-ended questions. Thus, in the case of Arpaçay, the role and effect of the Social Assistance Foundations in the struggle against poverty were examined, and the solutions of the problems, if any, were received directly from those responsible for these services. Current problems and their solution proposals were identified directly via those responsible. It is expected that the data obtained will contribute to the academic / administrative, people and institutions dealing with issues such as social state, social policies, poverty, Social Assistance and Consultation Foundations.