Training of Future Social Workers for Youth Sexual Education

Abstract

This article substantiates the need for the purposeful and systematic organization of youth sexual education, which has a direct impact on an individual’s psycho-emotional resilience, fosters a responsible attitude toward personal health, and contributes to overall social well-being. The authors highlight the importance of training qualified social workers capable of providing educational, consultative, and preventive services in the area of sexual education at a high professional level. The aim of the article is to identify the core competencies required for effective professional activity in this field, based on an analysis of the content of training programs for future social workers. Methods. The study employs methods of analysis and synthesis to examine international standards of sexuality education, a review of scholarly literature to explore academic approaches to the issue, as well as methods of comparison, generalization, and documentary analysis of Ukraine’s higher education standards in specialty 231 Social Work. Additionally, content analysis was used to identify key concepts, emphases, and trends in the professional training of future social workers. Results. An analysis of current academic approaches to sexuality education demonstrates that insufficient training among parents, educators, social workers, and psychologists results in a low level of sexual literacy among young people. The content of Ukraine’s higher education standards for specialty 231 Social Work (I10 Social Work and Counseling) at both undergraduate and graduate levels was reviewed, revealing a lack of competencies related to sexual education. A comparative analysis of sexuality education systems in European countries and the United States is presented, along with an examination of international documents regulating the training of social workers for youth sexual education. Based on this, the key components of professional training in this area were identified: theoretical, methodological, practical, psychological-pedagogical, communicative, and research-analytical. Conclusions. The findings confirm the urgent need to introduce specific educational components or content modules into Ukraine’s higher education system to strengthen the training of future social workers in the field of youth sexual education, taking into account age, gender, cultural, and other contextual factors. The study emphasizes the necessity of revising Ukraine’s higher education standards in specialty I10 Social Work and Counseling in accordance with international best practices in sexuality education. Such efforts will facilitate the integration of Ukraine’s educational space with that of European countries.