TRANSFORMATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL ROLE OF A SOCIAL WORKER IN CONDITIONS OF WAR (EMPIRICAL EXPERIENCE OF TRAINING-BASED LEARNING)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/humanitas/2026.1.26Keywords:
social work, veterans, trauma-informed approach, communicative strategies, professional burnout, social adaptationAbstract
The article presents a sociological analysis of the transformation of communicative strategies employed by social service professionals in their work with veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The study introduces the author’s training programme “Specific Features of Communication with Veterans and Their Family Members, Including Families of the Deceased”, aimed at developing practical skills of trauma-informed counselling and designing effective support strategies for veterans and their families. The empirical basis of the research consists of the results of a training course involving eighty participants–social workers from the Dnipro and Donetsk regions. The programme focuses on developing skills in stress management, conflict de-escalation, and maintaining the psycho-emotional well-being of the professionals themselves. Based on the empirical data obtained, the study substantiates the limitations of the traditional “service-oriented” model of social work under conditions of martial law. Key professional challenges are analysed, including the risks of secondary traumatization and the complexity of communication in crisis situations. It is demonstrated that an essential competence for specialists becomes the ability to conduct crisis communication and mediation. The scientific novelty of the study lies in introducing the concept of a “mediator of social trust” as a new role model for social workers operating in conditions of institutional distrust and widespread social traumatization. The results of the programme’s implementation indicate an increase in the participants’ professional confidence, the development of emotional literacy, and the acquisition of new case-management techniques that correspond to the realities of wartime. The findings highlight the importance of supporting the professional resilience of social workers as a prerequisite for effective assistance to veterans and for the long-term stabilization of Ukrainian society in the post-war period.
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