The need of support for social workers experiencing changes in professional activity: perspective of supervision

The article analyses the complexity of social work as a professional collaboration. The changing nature of social work components presumes the issue of social workers facing the changes in professional activity. The goal of the article is to reveal the purpose of supervision by analyzing the need of support for the social workers experiencing changes in professional activity. The data presented in the article is the analysis of representative quantitative research carried out by means of a written survey. It assesses the need for structural, informational and supportive actions that social workers experience in the process of change as well as analyses the real situation of supportive collaboration in the dynamic social work process. Research data shows that social workers in the completing stage of faced change on the regular basis often experience lack of information in the agency as well as the loss of professional identity, accomplished work significance and changes in collaborative relations with their colleagues. Respondents in the research – orientation stage mostly emphasize the lack of support. While the respondents in the stage of beginning of a new activity usually face the lack of information and the lack of involving to the agency structure as well as the clarity of procedures. However, there is a will to act; respondents make commitments, take responsibilities and master new professional competencies. The analysis of collaborative support revealed that when facing the issues dealing with existence the emotional support is mostly expected and is further determined by both the position held in the management structure of the agency and the peculiarities of professional activity. The internal and external resources for consulting are often related to the emotional support from colleagues with the great part of the respondents expecting the emotional support from the leader.[...]Klaipėdos universitetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta