The importance of leadership is discussed widely in the social work literature. However, little is known about the leadership skills of social work students and factors affecting their development in the environment specific to higher educational institutions (HEIs). This research aimed to find out what skills pre-service social work students had related to leadership and to determine if significant differences existed in terms of such predictor variables as level and form of study, employment status, and involvement in co-curricular activities. The research employed the quantitative approach based on a descriptive cross-sectional survey involving a sample of 158 social work students from three Ukrainian universities. The research group consisted of 88% female and 12% male respondents, aged between 19 and 31. Data were obtained through the Student Leadership Outcomes Inventory, which contained 60 items measuring skills on 8 scales: (a) self-management, (b) interpersonal communication, (c) problem-solving and decision-making, (e) cognitive development and critical analysis, (f) organization and planning, (g) self-confidence, (h) diversity awareness, and (h) technology which served as outcome variables. All items were rated along a 5-point Likert scale, from poor (1) to excellent (5). The results of the research revealed lower than average levels of leadership skills and existing significant differences by outcome variables for the sample population. The findings suggest the need to strengthen the leadership skills of social work students through the implementation of formal and informal developmental activities and recognition of leadership participation within the social work curriculum. Keywords: descriptive cross-sectional survey, leadership development, leadership skills, pre-service social work students, social work.

The relevance of the article is highlighted by the need to introduce integrated social services at the local level in the context of decentralization of power and amalgamation of territorial communities. The purpose of the article is to analyze the existing approaches to the integration of social services and determine the possibilities of their application in the context of decentralization of social services at the local level in Ukraine. It is established that the implementation of an integrated approach to the provision of social services at the local level requires preliminary assessment, planning, and cooperation based on setting of the common goals and objectives, clear distribution of functions, introduction of financial and/or administrative incentives for cooperation, elimination of factors that would cause competition between service providers, and development of social service providers capacity in areas of planning, evaluation and management.

<p>Reorientacja pracy społecznej na poziomie lokalnym świadczenia usług socjalnych, odbywająca się na Ukrainie w wyniku reformy decentralizacji władzy, aktualizuje przygotowania pracowników socjalnych do pracy w danej społeczności. W artykule przedstawiono aktualny stan rozwoju i wdrażania programów edukacyjnych ze specjalizacją w pracy socjalnej w społeczności na różnych poziomach szkolnictwa wyższego. Wyniki badań wykazały, że instytucje szkolnictwa wyższego nie były przygotowane na szybkie reagowanie na publiczne prośby o szkolenie specjalistów w zakresie pracy socjalnej w zjednoczonych społecznościach terytorialnych. Ustalono, że w 2017 r. możliwość uzyskania specjalizacji w pracy socjalnej w społeczności oferował tylko jeden program edukacyjny na studiach licencjackich i cztery na studiach magisterskich. Przeanalizowano straty i korzyści ukraińskich instytucji szkolnictwa wyższego wynikające z wdrażania takich programów. Zrozumienie istniejących barier, a także możliwości, jakie instytucje szkolnictwa wyższego odnoszą z wdrażania programów pracy socjalnej we wspólnotowej pracy socjalnej, jest niezbędne do określenia celowych oraz do prowadzenia systematycznych wspólnych działań na rzecz rozwoju zawodu, społeczności lokalnych i społeczeństwa jako całości.</p>

The increase in the number of veterans/veterans in connection with the full-scale invasion of Russia on the territory of Ukraine has exacerbated the issue of developing effective mechanisms for their social support at the state level. The article offers its own understanding of the content of social support; the results of the study of the available domestic and foreign experience in the organization of social support for veterans in the activities of primary state and communal institutions are highlighted; the work prospects of state and communal institutions of relevant ministries (the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the Ministry of Social Policy) regarding the implementation of social support for veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war and their families were developed and highlighted. It is noted that social support is a set of activities, programs and services provided by local authorities, public organizations and other institutions or organizations with the aim of facilitating the process of reintegration and ensuring a dignified life for veterans/veterans and their family members. It was determined that the primary institutions for the organization and implementation of social support for the specified population category are three institutions: territorial recruitment and social support centers of the Ministry of Defense, territorial departments of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, Centers for the provision of social services/Centers of social services of the Ministry of Social Policy, which are obliged it is necessary to clearly divide powers and take responsibility for the implementation of social support for veterans/veterans and their family members.

ABSTRACT. The paper analyses the key issues related to dual degree social work programs in Ukraine. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed to explore the overall number of programs, the levels and types of degrees they award, Heads of Social Work Departments' perceptions and attitudes towards dual degree programs. The survey results have shown there are no dual degree social work programs in Ukraine, but the majority of respondents (81%) expressed confidence in positive outcomes of implementation of these programs both for students and higher education institutions. Some reservations were conveyed which highlighted difficulties for institutions in implementation and for students in completing these programs. The authors prove that combining social work with other fields of study within undergraduate or graduate dual degree programs is relevant to the labour market's and the profession's demands, and educational needs of practitioners. It also suits the interests of social work programs being one of the ways to address the challenges that higher education reform in Ukraine presents for social work education. The paper offers a platform to further discuss the value and possibilities of dual degree programs' implementation under the current situation in social work education in Ukraine.