A theoretical analysis of pedagogical, psychological, historical and sociological scientific works proves the relevance of the issue of professional training for human services specialists in today’s pedagogical science and practice. The issue of such professional training in the United States remains open. Also, it is essential to justify the prospects of using the US innovative experience. The thesis contains a content analysis of such key concepts as “human services”, “professional rehabilitation”, “social services”, “social institution”, “social protection” and others. Human services are seen as a set of legal, economic, psychological, educational, medical, recreational and other measures aimed at certain social groups or individuals to improve or recreate their livelihoods, enable social adaptation and return to full life.
The thesis clarifies professional functions of human services specialists. They are related to the following fields: coordination, consultation, social rehabilitation, diagnostic, correction, socialization, recreation, health promotion, management, prevention, career guidance and education, taking into account the vital and professional needs of different categories of the population. The views of American scholars on key competencies of human services specialists relate mainly to management, communication, socialization, leadership, diagnostic and conflict resolution.
Professional training of human services specialists meets the requirements of the current market of social services. It is carried out on an interdisciplinary basis via the integration of universal scientific and specialized knowledge, as well as the widespread introduction of specializations. Besides, it relies on the interrelations between legislative, theoretical-methodological, content-related, technological, diagnostic-effective and prognostic components. The main characteristics of professional training for human services specialists at US universities are as follows: specialization (relatively narrow specialized areas of training); professionalization (dissemination of practice-oriented programmes); being in demand (applied nature of practical training / internship); decentralization (belonging to different structural units of educational institutions); standardization (development of professional competences under national standards); employment in the social and public sector.
In the USA, degree programmes on human services follow the principles of constant updating, flexibility, universality, variability, diversification of practical training, participativity, promising employment opportunities. The content of these programmes involves a system of professional knowledge and skills on current issues of rehabilitation, sociological research methods, sociological statistics, social psychology, developmental psychology and pedagogy, pharmacology and mental health, gerontology, transcultural aspects of health care, criminal justice, social work, physical rehabilitation of people with special needs, social communication.
Methodical training of human services specialists uses three models of training: traditional-didactic, problem-based and facilitative. Preference is given to the last one since it lies in the holistic professional and personal development of human services specialists as the actors in the educational process throughout the period of study and further professional activities. Accordingly, learning technologies are represented by three groups: traditional-didactic (demonstration, surveys, answers to questions), problem-based (discussions, problem-based situations, conversations) and facilitative interactive technologies (“round-table discussions”, “brainstorming sessions”, “case studies”).
The thesis offers some effective ways of implementing the US innovative experience to improve professional training of human services specialists in Ukraine. The findings have made it possible to enhance the content and educational-methodical support for such training in Ukraine. Finally, the thesis further develops the provisions on the concept of “human services” in the global educational space, current trends in the development of human services in the USA, organization and monitoring of educational activities at US universities.
