Knowledge and competencies for social work with older people : doctoral dissertation

Tomašević, Suzana (avtor), Mali, Jana (mentor)

Based on the most recent data, by 2050, one in six people in the world will be older people, and by 2100, the projection is that 61% of the world population will be older people. Social work as a profession seeks answers to the needs of older people and endeavors to create a bridge between older people, services and the community in which they live. An overview of the relevant literature reveals a categorization of competencies as procedural, which relate to direct work with users, and meta-competencies that create the conditions for realizing procedural competencies. Social work competencies and methods should be viewed holistically—complementing and connecting with each other. Social workers should possess a complete knowledge base on how and why to apply a certain method and how, in terms of implementation, to present procedural competencies and meta-competencies. The goal of research in the doctoral dissertation is to identify the competencies of social workers in working with older people and the methods of working with older people, in order to define knowledge of social work with older people and to gain insight into the specific field of social work. In line with the research goal which encompasses three areas—competencies, knowledge and methods of social work—four topics are defined, and for each thesis, a research question is posed. The research was conducted in several phases: in the first phase, 24 interviews were held with social workers; this was followed by the collection and analysis of 15 individual plans; in the final phase, three focus groups were conducted. The contribution of the doctoral dissertation is seen in the importance of including older people in the process of creating new knowledge in social work with older people. The development of new knowledge and methods of work opportunities creates new lifelong learning programs that will contribute to the development of social worker competencies in working with older people.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: procedural competencies, meta-competencies, social work methods, communication, social work roles, critical approach
• Vrsta gradiva: Doktorsko delo/naloga
• Tipologija: 2.08 - Doktorska disertacija
• Organizacija: FSD - Fakulteta za socialno delo
• Kraj izida: Ljubljana
• Založnik: [S. Tomašević]
• Leto izida: 2025
• Št. strani: 250 str.
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-182240
• UDK: 364.4-053.9
• COBISS.SI-ID: 277541379
• Datum objave v RUL: 05.05.2026

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Naslov: Znanje in kompetence za socialno delo s starimi ljudmi : doktorska disertacija

Izvleček

Najnovejše demografske napovedi kažejo, da naj bi do leta 2050 vsaka šesta oseba na svetu spadala v tretje življenjsko obdobje, do leta 2100 pa se pričakuje, naj bi starejši od 65 let predstavljali približno 61% svetovnega prebivalstva. Socialno delo kot stroka ne stremi le k opredelitvi in razumevanju starosti, temveč išče odgovore na potrebe starih ljudi ter skuša vzpostaviti most med njimi, storitvami in skupnostjo, v kateri živijo. Pregled relevantne literature je pokazal delitev kompetenc na proceduralne kompetence, ki se nanašajo na neposredno delo z uporabniki in metakompetence, ki oblikujejo pogoje za izvajanje proceduralnih kompetenc. Kompetence in metode socialnega dela je treba obravnavati celostno, saj se med seboj dopolnjujejo in povezujejo. Za vse navedeno morajo socialni delavci razpolagati s celovito bazo znanja o tem, kako in zakaj uporabiti določene metode ter kako proceduralne kompetence in metakompetence uporabiti pri izvedbi v praksi. Cilj raziskave doktorske disertacije je opredeliti kompetence socialnih delavcev pri delu s starimi ljudmi in metode socialnega dela s starimi ljudmi z namenom opredelitve znanja o specifičnem področju socialnega dela s starimi ljudmi, kar bi omogočilo boljše razumevanje teorije pri praktičnem delu. V skladu s ciljem raziskave, ki zajema tri področja: kompetence, znanja in metode socialnega dela, so bile oblikovane štiri teze, za vsako od njih pa raziskovalna vprašanja. Raziskava je potekala v več fazah: v prvi fazi je bilo opravljeno 24 intervjujev s socialnimi delavci, za tem je sledilo zbiranje in obdelava 15 osebnih načrtov, v zadnji fazi pa izvedba treh fokusnih skupin. Prispevek doktorske disertacije se odraža v pomenu vključevanja starih ljudi v proces sooblikovanja novih znanj na področju socialnega dela. Z razvojem novih znanj in metod socialnega dela se odpirajo priložnosti za nove programe vseživljenjskega izobraževanja, ki bodo prispevali k razvoju kompetenc socialnih delavcev na področju socialnega dela s starimi ljudmi.

• Ključne besede: proceduralne kompetence, metakompetence, metode socialnega dela, komunikacija, vloge v socialnem delu, kritičen pristop