SOCIOPROSTIR: the Interdisciplinary Online Collection of Scientific Works on Sociology and Social Work

The system of social protection of the unemployed population as a component of the social policy of a territorіal community

2026-03-11T11:04:34+00:00

The article examines the system of social protection for the unemployed population as a component of the social policy of a territorial community, using the example of the Nosivka Urban Territorial Community of Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine. In the context of socio-economic challenges caused by military actions, migration processes, and labour-market transformation, the issue of effective functioning of local support systems for the unemployed becomes particularly relevant. The aim of the research is to analyse the organisational and legal foundations of social protection for unemployed citizens, assess the effectiveness of the activities of local authorities and employment centres, and determine ways to improve the community’s social policy in this sphere.

The results of the study showed that in Nosivka community there operates a comprehensive system of support for the unemployed, which includes provision of financial assistance, services in professional training, re-qualification, and employment. At the same time, a number of problems were identified, in particular insufficient integration of local employment programmes with regional initiatives, limited funding, and inadequate use of digital services in work with citizens. The following directions for improving the efficiency of the system of social protection for the unemployed were proposed — expanding partnerships with employers, implementation of electronic employment platforms, development of social entrepreneurship, and activation of youth employment programmes.

An effective system of social protection for the unemployed at the level of a territorial community is an important prerequisite for enhancing social stability, reducing unemployment levels, and ensuring the sustainable development of the region. For the Nosivka Urban Territorial Community the strategic task remains the creation of a flexible, person-oriented social policy system, based on the principles of partnership, transparency, and digital innovation.

Social dialogue and settlement of collective labor disputes: the experience of the Kharkiv region

2026-02-28T18:09:43+00:00

The article is devoted to the analysis of the activities of the National Service for Mediation and Reconciliation (NSMR) in the Kharkiv region to ensure effective social dialogue and the settlement of collective labor disputes (conflicts) under martial law. The relevance of the topic is due to the critical role of social dialogue in maintaining stability in the social and labor sphere in a region that has suffered significant military and economic losses. The NSPP, established in 1998, is a key state body for the prevention, forecasting, and mediation in the settlement of collective labor conflicts, promoting public peace and preventing the destabilization of labor collectives in Ulraine.

The aim of the study is to summarize the experience of the NSPP branch in the Kharkiv region in two main areas: the development of social dialogue through systematic cooperation with trade unions, employers, authorities, and higher education institutions; and the direct settlement of collective labor disputes.

The first section focuses on describing the partnership with V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (in particular, with the Faculty of Sociology, and from 2025 – with the Educational and Scientific Institute of Sociology and Media Communications). The second area provides a list of typical causes of collective labor disputes in the Kharkiv region and analyzes the main destabilizing factors that lead to them. It also presents case studies demonstrating real-life practices for resolving labor disputes (conflicts) in the Kharkiv region.

It concludes that the model of the NSPP branch in the Kharkiv region is effective thanks to the constructive interaction of all stakeholders, the improvement of legal culture, monitoring, and the promotion of mediation. Only with the involvement of interested parties is it possible to improve social and labor relations, even in wartime. The experience of the Kharkiv region has scientific and practical value for other regions of Ukraine.

Features of social work of the Caritas charitable foundation in Ukraine under conditions of war

2026-02-28T18:09:46+00:00

The article examines the specific features of the activities of the Charitable Foundation Caritas Ukraine in the field of social work under the conditions of the full-scale war in Ukraine. It analyses changes in the organizational structure, key areas of work, and the transformation of the foundation’s social programmes after 2022. Particular attention is paid to the forms of humanitarian, psychosocial, and integration support provided to internally displaced persons, older adults, and families with children. New approaches to social assistance are identified, including mobile teams, digital platforms for beneficiary registration, and the expansion of volunteer networks. The social impact of the foundation’s activities on community cohesion and the development of partnerships between state, religious, and civil society institutions is demonstrated. The main challenges of social work during wartime are outlined: professional burnout among staff, limited resources, and the need for integrating NGO experience into state policy. The article also identifies prospects for the development of a national social support system based on the practices of Caritas Ukraine and the potential for forming a national model of social work in crisis conditions.

Social management in the system of providing assistance to victims of domestic violence: the experience of the Paula Panke Women's Center (Paula Panke e. V.) in Berlin (Germany)

2026-02-28T18:09:48+00:00

The article "Social management in the system of providing assistance to victims of domestic violence: the experience of the Paula Panke Women's Center (Paula Panke e. V.) in Berlin (Germany)" investigates the role and features of management in ensuring the high-quality provision of social assistance to women who have experienced domestic violence.

The relevance of the topic is determined by the severity of the problem of violence against women, which requires systemic regulation and the minimization of serious psychological and social consequences.

The aim of the article is to define the role of management in ensuring effective assistance to women who have suffered from domestic violence and to analyze management practices using the German center Frauenzentrum Paula Panke e.V. as an example.

The author establishes that quality management is a fundamental prerequisite for forming a clear system of procedures, control, and rules that ensures the effectiveness and transparency of a social organization's activities. Management is viewed as a complex set of functions covering the planning, organization, execution, and control of resources, and it consists of managerial, financial, operational, informational, logistical, investment, and other subsystems.

A special emphasis is placed on the analysis of external and human resource (HR) management. External management is a critically important link that ensures the informing of target groups, feedback, and the adjustment of programs according to clients' needs. The specifics of the center's HR management include the selection of specialists capable of working in a multicultural environment, as well as systematic prevention of staff emotional burnout.

The author concludes that effective management of a women's center must be dynamic, adaptive, and human-centered, aimed at creating a safe environment. The experience of Frauenzentrum Paula Panke e.V. demonstrates that the management system is not just a mechanism for ensuring operations but also a key prerequisite for minimizing harm from violence and the successful social reintegration of women.

Problems of counseling in social work

2026-02-28T18:09:54+00:00

The article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the problems arising in the process of counseling in social work in the current conditions of Ukrainian society. Given the transformational changes caused by socio-economic instability, the consequences of war, and the growing number of clients in crisis situations, counseling activities are becoming particularly important. The article reveals the theoretical foundations of social counseling as one of the key technologies of social work and outlines the approaches that determine professional interaction with the client. A review of scientific sources highlighting the conceptual, organizational, and applied aspects of counseling has been conducted.

The study identifies and analyzes the main groups of problems that complicate the counseling process. These include: insufficient professional training and limited opportunities for supervisory support; high levels of emotional stress and risks of professional burnout; limited resources and uneven availability of social services; ethical dilemmas and conflicts of interest that arise in the practice of social workers. Particular attention is paid to the impact of clients' traumatic experiences caused by military events on the specifics of counseling, as well as the challenges of digitalization, which create new conditions and barriers for online support.

The need to develop areas for improving counseling activities has been substantiated, in particular the introduction of trauma-informed approaches, strengthening interagency cooperation, developing supervisory practices, and improving the professional training and digital competencies of specialists. It is emphasized that solving the outlined problems will contribute to improving the quality of social services, the effectiveness of client support, and the overall strengthening of the social work system in Ukraine.

Supervision in social work during war: a tool for preventing burnout and promoting professional growth

2026-02-28T18:20:02+00:00

The article examines the phenomenon of supervision in social work in wartime as one of the key mechanisms for supporting social workers, preventing emotional burnout, and developing professional identity. It is emphasized that in the Ukrainian reality of war, social workers operate under a double burden: they not only help war victims, but also experience traumatic experiences themselves, which creates a special need for professional and psychological support. It is noted that the phenomenon of professional powerlessness, manifested in the feeling of inability to change the client's circumstances, is a systemic problem of social work in crisis conditions.

It is revealed that supervision performs three interrelated functions: educational, supportive, and managerial. In wartime, the main function is supportive, which allows social workers to reflect on their own emotional states, restore internal support, and maintain contact with professional meaning. The supervision process creates a safe environment where professionals can talk about fatigue, anxiety, doubt, or disappointment without fear of judgment. This contributes to the stabilization of emotional state, the development of empathy, and the formation of self-support strategies.

Special attention is paid to the barriers to the implementation of supervision in Ukraine. These include the formalization of the supervision process, a focus on control rather than support, insufficient training of supervisors, a lack of systematic management support, and the psychological biases of the specialists themselves, who perceive requests for help as a sign of weakness. It is shown that these barriers can only be overcome through the development of a culture of supervision as an ethical norm of professional life, in which care for employees becomes a strategic resource for the stability of the social system.

The article emphasizes the importance of forming a mature professional identity of a supervisor based on reflection, ethical sensitivity, and the ability to create an atmosphere of trust and support. The dual dimension of the role of social institution managers, who are both administrators and supervisors, is revealed.

The experience of cooperation between V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University and the Kharkiv Regional Center for Social Services in creating the advanced training program “Supervision in Social Work” is described. This educational initiative contributes to the professionalization of supervisors, the formation of a community of practitioners, and lays the foundation for the institutionalization of supervision at the national level.

It is concluded that supervision in wartime is of strategic importance as a tool for preserving human resources, professional motivation, and ethical resilience of social workers.

«Silver volunteering» as a direction of social work with the elderly

2026-02-28T18:10:01+00:00

The article considers «silver volunteering» as one of the relevant areas of social work. The author notes that in developed countries, social policy is structured in such a way as to stimulate the active participation of older people in public life, encouraging and supporting them, for example, through relevant programs within the framework of social work. Refusal to treat older people as objects of assistance and care, and instead involving them in the decision-making process that concerns both their personal lives and the lives of the community and society as a whole, are becoming increasingly common practices. The definition of «silver volunteering» is given as the voluntary and unpaid participation of older people in activities aimed at solving current social, cultural, economic, and environmental problems of society, for the implementation of which people apply their own knowledge, skills, and efforts. «Silver volunteering» can be considered from three positions: 1) as assistance from the state and non-profit organizations to older people; 2) as a mechanism for social adaptation; 3) as a means of overcoming persistent stereotypes about the elderly. In turn, volunteering of the elderly can be considered as one of the manifestations of active longevity. Currently, there are three main approaches to understanding active longevity. Within the framework of the first, active longevity is considered primarily as a continuation of the labor activity of citizens, therefore, in active longevity programs implemented in many developed countries, the economic aspect is taken into account first of all. Supporters of the second approach analyze both economic and social factors, in particular, they pay great attention to active leisure. The third approach emphasizes the need to maintain health at a certain level and ensure self-control and independence as a necessary condition for active longevity. Therefore, the introduction of «silver volunteering» and the development of relevant programs and projects will not only influence the involvement of older people in public life, but will also help preserve their health, self-confidence, increase self-esteem, and combat social isolation and loneliness.

Social-pedagogical work on the formation and development of giftedness in children in the out-of-school education system

2026-02-28T18:10:03+00:00

The article reveals the essence of the socio-pedagogical work of out-of-school education institutions as a leading factor in the formation and development of a gifted individual. Attention is focused on the fact that out-of-school institutions, performing a socio-educational function, ensure the creation of conditions for the identification, support and development of the abilities of young students who spend their free time in hobbies.

Theoretical approaches to the definition of the concept of "giftedness" are analyzed, the role of out-of-school education institutions in creating a favorable socio-cultural environment for self-realization, creative development and socialization of young students is outlined.

It is also emphasized that socio-pedagogical activity in this context is considered as a holistic system of organizational and pedagogical influences aimed at the individualization of the educational process and support for the creative initiative of students. It is proven that out-of-school education institutions play an important role in the formation of a favorable socio-cultural space capable of providing various opportunities for self-realization, creative growth and socialization of students.

It is determined that individualization, differentiation and variability of the educational process are the leading pedagogical conditions that contribute to the fullest possible disclosure of the potential abilities of students.

The importance of pedagogical interaction as a multidimensional process based on a subject-subject approach and cooperation is emphasized.

It is shown that effective socio-educational work in out-of-school institutions ensures the creation of innovative educational practices focused on the development of critical thinking, creativity, leadership qualities and social activity of students of institutions.

It is concluded that out-of-school education is a significant resource in the system of support for gifted youth, contributing to the formation of their personal and social potential.

The role of the “interaction log” therapeutic instrument in rehabilitation programs for individuals with addiction

2026-02-28T18:10:06+00:00

This article examines the experience of implementing and operating the therapeutic instrument, the "Infraction Log," in rehabilitation centers for individuals with addictions. The instrument is an integral component of an internal disciplinary-therapeutic system designed to foster responsibility, honesty, and self-reflection among residents. The purpose of this article is to determine the influence of the "Infraction Log" therapeutic instrument on the dynamics of group atmosphere and behavioral patterns of individuals undergoing rehabilitation, and to substantiate the efficacy of its use in working with individuals with addiction.

To achieve this objective, a combination of methods was employed: a systematic analysis of scholarly publications concerning the theory-practice gap in rehabilitation; the description, substantiation, and structuring of the proprietary therapeutic instrument; and an exploratory study conducted in four rehabilitation centers within the "Restart+" network. The study utilized surveying, in-depth interviewing, observation of group dynamics, and analysis of log entries over a three-month period. The applied methodology is grounded in the principles of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Social Therapy, and Systemic Group Dynamics.

The findings indicate that the instrument promotes the development of responsibility, honesty, and transparency in a portion of the residents, yet simultaneously elicits resistance from those who persist in destructive thinking patterns.

It is concluded that the "Infraction Log" is an effective sociotherapeutic instrument that successfully integrates disciplinary, educational, and psycho-correctional functions. Its successful implementation facilitates the development of key personal qualities essential for sustained recovery: self-reflection, honesty, maturity, and the capacity for consequence acceptance. A prerequisite for its efficacy is high-quality staff training to ensure a balance between demand and compassion, thereby guaranteeing that the instrument functions as a "group mirror" rather than a mechanism of pressure. Future research will focus on an expanded quantitative analysis of the instrument's influence on relapse frequency.