In my bachelor’s thesis, I analyse how competent the students at the Faculty of Social Work are in their work with young people. The aim of my research was to find out which competencies pertaining to the work with young people the students acquire during their studies and the means by which they do so. My interest was also in whether there is a difference in the competence of students who are finishing their undergraduate programme in the Social Work with Young People module, and those who have already finished their postgraduate programme in the Social Work in Education module. I also did further research into the level of confidence the students feel when they interact with a child or an adolescent. The research results show that during their studies the students have acquired diverse qualifications, be it for work with clients or such that help them work on themselves. Most qualifications were gained during their mandatory work experience, where the unique quality of the working relationship between them and their clients is what they are crucially aware of. What I found was that postgraduate students possess more knowledge on the topic of children and adolescents and the way with which you should establish a relationship with them. The results also indicate that undergraduate students are acquainted with the curriculum’s requirements and use the acquired competencies to a large extent, while postgraduate students know the importance of their own self-awareness and empowerment of their clients. Students feel equipped with the right knowledge in carrying out conversations with a child or an adolescent, however, there is still a need for more practice, reflection upon conversations and professional self-confidence.
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