The Community and Generic Services have been created as the Agency felt the need to support the existent specialised services. There are two important elements in this services area - one that provides a long term generic social work intervention, either through a centralised service based at the Appogg premises (the Generic Services); or in the community, namely, in Cottonera (Cottonera Community Services) and in Zejtun (Paolo Freire Institiute).

The Community and Generic Services mainly provide the first contact with potential service users, i.e. people who are in need of some form of assistance from the Agency. This is principally presented through three services - the Customer Care service, which although is not a social work service, receives visitors and callers who are requesting a service; Supportline 179, a helpline service manned by volunteers who receive a large number of calls, with diverse presenting problems. Through the volunteers, service users are able to obtain information, get assistance and have their situation referred to an appropriate service, as well as receive support when needed. The third service is the Initial Response Service (IRS), which is a social work service and is considered the Intake Service of the Agency. Persons requesting social work intervention call or drop in (during the working hours). Their situation is assessed and dealt with accordingly, either through short term intervention, or through referrals to other relevant services, within or outside the Agency.

Along with the above mentioned services, there are 4 more services which are more specialised but all focusing on providing support to families in the various challenging situations that they may be encountering - the Prison Services, providing a social work service to inmates at the Corradino Correctional Facilities and their families; Social Housing, assessing the social needs of persons applying for alternative accommodation; Adolescent Outreach, providing intensive intervention to young persons with behavioural and emotional difficulties and their families; Programm Ulied Darna which is another service provided by volunteers that supports families whose children are at great social risk and require support to prevent crises and other family problems.

The Community and Generic services are intended to support families, parents, children and other individuals at an early stage and in their own settings and communities, with the aim of preventing their situation from deteriorating and resulting into a crises. Generic and Community services offer social work services to these persons in need, but also aim at strengthening community networks such that these too can be useful resources to support persons in need. Working in partnership with families and all other service users, the services aim at improving the quality of life of service users.

It is hoped that, through these services, persons who are in need of assistance, but whose presenting problems are of a more general nature, may also receive the desired service to enhance their quality of life and reduce the risks of social exclusion.