Modernization of Local Governments Activities Regarding Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine

The article emphasizes that one of the important features of effective community development is the participation of all groups of citizens in socio-political life. In turn, social policy should create conditions and invest resources aimed at unleashing enormous human potential, including people with disabilities, and promoting their participation in community life. It is proposed to take a set of joint measures to ensure the implementation of joint practical actions, both by the authorities and by public institutions, in order to improve the legal framework to promote social integration of persons with disabilities, expand their rights and opportunities for community participation, improve working conditions, provide employment and career
development, overcome stigma and inform other members of society about the importance of integrating people with disabilities into society. Analysis of the existing mechanism of local government activities on social integration of persons with disabilities allowed the authors to create a new structure ‒ the Agency for Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities ‒ which at
the local level should coordinate work on social integration of persons with disabilities, based on legislation, new state standards and provide innovative social services. The structure of the Agency, its basic components, purpose, principles, tasks, directions of work, efficiency criteria
and evaluation indicators, as well as the expected results are determined. It has been demonstrated that with the participation of the Agency there will be empowerment of persons with disabilities, which will contribute to the development of local communities, the formation of human capital and will have a positive economic effect in the united territorial communities. A comprehensive mechanism for modernizing the activities of local governments on the social integration of persons with disabilities based on a social approach has been developed. The presented organizational and managerial structure includes a set of local governments, whose activities are aimed at the integration of persons with disabilities. The Agency for Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities is responsible for coordinated interaction and coordinates the actions of the whole set of measures to ensure the social integration of persons with disabilities.