COMPETENCE-BASED APPROACH IN THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF SOCIAL WORK SPECIALISTS FOR WORKING WITH WAR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Abstract

The article substantiates the relevance of applying the principles of the competency-based approach in the training of social work specialists for work with war veterans and their family members. The authors emphasize that contemporary social challenges related to providing psychological, social, and material support to veterans and their relatives require specialists to possess not only knowledge and skills but also well-developed competencies that integrate professional, social, and emotional aspects of activity. An analysis of scientific approaches to the concepts of “competence” and “competency” in psychological and pedagogical literature has been conducted. The approaches of both Ukrainian and foreign researchers to defining the content of competency are thoroughly examined. An important component of the study is the description of the conditions for organizing the training process of social work specialists focused on working with war veterans and their family members, taking into account current societal challenges and needs. Key factors for effective training are identified, including the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, the development of interpersonal and communication competencies, the formation of emotional resilience, the ability to adapt under high psycho-emotional stress, and the ability to work in multidisciplinary teams. It is concluded that the competency-based approach allows for the formation of an integrated system of professional, social, and personal competencies capable of ensuring high-quality social work, meeting the requirements of the modern labor market, and developing a competitive specialist ready to face the challenges of wartime and post-war contexts, as well as effectively respond to the social, psychological, and emotional needs of veterans and their families.