SOCIO-PEDAGOGICAL ASPECTS OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL WORK

Abstract

The article reveals the features of intercultural communication in the professional activity of a social worker in the context of a multi-ethnic region, since the ethnic and cultural diversity of Ukraine requires effective social work with representatives of ethnic minorities in its territory. Proceeding from the analysis of the ethno-national structure of Ukraine’s population, research and publications of national and foreign socio-pedagogical science, the article aims to reveal the basic criteria that determine the successful implementation of the process of intercultural communication in the practice of social work. Relying on numerous scientific studies of the training issues faced by social field specialists in the psychological and pedagogical aspects of intercultural communication and the process of formation of intercultural competence of specialists, the author clearly identifies the insufficient level of research of this topical problem. The paper describes the socio-pedagogical aspects that define the process of intercultural communication on the basis of comparative analysis of the most common definitions of the described concept of «intercultural communication»; it describes the difficulties that may arise in the practice of social work in the context of multiethnic environment, focuses on the totality of cultural and cultural knowledge and the personal qualities that a social worker must possess in order to successfully implement intercultural communication with clients. Significant place in the article is given for the research findings on the preparedness level of future social workers for intercultural communication. Certain shortcomings evident in the training of social specialists, such as: lack of clear orientation on the issues of ethno-cultural traditions of Ukraine’s peoples; lack of awareness of the importance of the features of a multi-ethnic environment for effective intercultural communication with representatives of ethnic minorities; and flawed training programs for social workers are taken into account against the background of intercultural communication in the multiethnic region As a result of the analysis of the data of the open-ended students’ survey, it is confirmed that in the practice of social work with representatives of ethnic minorities there are difficulties that complicate the process of intercultural communication. To ensure an effective intercultural communication in the system of training social workers, the author identifies basic social and pedagogical criteria that determine the willingness of future social workers to engage in a professional activity that takes place in a multiethnic environment: it includes cognitive, content-procedural, motivational, and personality-adaptive aspects. The conclusions state a number of psychological and pedagogical conditions for successful preparation of social workers for intercultural communication. In the context of the research problem, the article outlines the prospects of exploring certain aspects of social work with representatives of ethnic groups in the places of their compact residence in Ukraine.