USE OF COACHING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF SOCIAL WORK SPECIALISTS

Abstract

The relevance of the research is due to the fact that modern social processes actualize the need to find the latest, effective technologies for working with people, and therefore the training of these technologies for future specialists. One of such technologies in the field of helping people is coaching, which is a fundamental activity of the psychological-pedagogical paradigm (Alina Anghela, Camelia Voicu), a psychological process that leads to a change in behavior (Kilburg, Nowack). Coaching is defined as motivation and assistance in achieving specific goals, as well as independent learning based on cooperation (F. Piven).
The purpose of the article is to analyze the possibilities of coaching technologies in social work and training of social work specialists.
The research methodology is based on the theoretical principles of coaching proposed by foreign researchers M. Atkinson, U. T. Hallvey, M. Downey, S. Cannio, S. Covey, J. Whitmore, et al.; domestic scientists – O. Komar, S. Romanova, O. Rudnytskyi, O. Khmelnytska and others. Scientists V. Zelenin, O. Nezhynska, N. Saiko, O. Tararina, and V. Tymenko studied the use of coaching in the work of specialists in helping professions (psychologists, social work specialists). Since coaching technology is relatively new in Ukraine, it is important to study it more deeply, in particular, in the context of professional training and activities of the future social work specialist.
Scientific novelty. The methodological postulates of social work correspond to the coaching principles of belief in the ability of each client to develop and achieve desired goals. So, social work is based on the following postulates: belief in the value of every human individual; belief in the right of each individual to make an independent choice in life, which is limited by similar rights to other individuals; belief in a person's ability to change (F. Parslow).
It is emphasized that coaching competence in the practice of a social worker is one of the main skills that develops leadership and management skills in social work and allows clients to strengthen responsibility in solving personal problems. The development of coaching competence and in-depth training of social workers is one of the most important phenomena in the practice of social work, which is realized through the encouragement of clients to independently solve their own problems, adapt to the changing conditions of society and integrate into the labor market.
During the training of social work specialists at T. H. Shevchenko National University «Chernihiv Colehium», we use coaching techniques during the study of the educational components «Fundamentals of career guidance work» and «Strategy of personal development».
Conclusions. The practice of social work involves the active use of coaching technologies, because a specialist in social work, exhausting clients, helps to build goals, see hidden opportunities, reveal one's own potential, internal resources. Thanks to the use of appropriate techniques and the acquisition of personal client experience while studying the disciplines of the professional field while studying at the university, a student majoring in social work has the opportunity to practice in coaching, develop critical thinking and reflection, which contributes to deep participation in solving the client’s situation, conscious acquisition of practical professional behavior.
The prospects for further research are in the study of the art coaching potential in the training of students of «Social Work» specialty.