Social Work (e-books)

E-book

Katarína Šiňanská

For a non-governmental organization to be successful, it must focus, among other things, on its main goal of spreading its vision and mission to another area. It can achieve success by increasing its visibility and raising awareness about its activities in society, sending a clear message, and maintaining transparency.

The monograph deals with specific areas in which non-profit NGOs are active, i.e. marketing and fundraising. Both these areas are of key importance for the NGO’s success, therefore they require particular attention. It is well known that NGOs lack proper support in Slovakia and their funding is insufficient given the demand for their services. NGOs therefore search for multiple sources of funding and use marketing as a tool.

The monograph explains the importance of NGOs in the non-profit sector and justifies the tools they employ when navigating the commercial space.

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E-book

Zuzana Dankulincová a kol.

The scientific monograph is the output of the Care4Youth project, which aimed to map the current system of care for adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) in Slovakia. It captures what the care system is and what its possible shortcomings are from the perspective of all those affected (adolescents with problems, their parents, care providers and other institutions involved).

It also looks at the trajectory of adolescents with EBP in the care system, i.e. when and how adolescents with problems enter and leave the care system, or pass from one type of care to another and what impact different trajectories have on them.

Last but not least, the aim of the monograph was to provide expert information on what are the risk and protective factors that will affect their success in the care system or, conversely, that threaten them. All this in order to support the proposal for improvements in the care system that would benefit all stakeholders.

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E-book

Katarína Šiňanská

The presented university textbook deals with various views on the issue of youth work in the non-governmental non-profit sector, with which the area of social work or other helping professions is closely connected. It offers theoretical analysis as a basic theoretical framework of the issue, which is necessary to know during the study and in the performance of the practice in the helping profession.

It also offers an application through practical demonstrations. The area of youth work is frequent in the non-profit sector. Many diverse activities and projects are being developed based on the basic concept of empowerment. Their aim is to involve young people as much as possible in public life. In addition, with a specific focus on those young people who are struggling with some form of disadvantage.

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E-book

Lucia Tóthová - Katarína Šiňanská - Eva Žiaková

Here is the translation of the provided text into English: A guide to oncological treatment was created at a time when the importance of health became even more emphasized, becoming a kind of mega-value for the new modern "pandemic" human. The use of the term "pandemic" person arose, of course, in connection with the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic worldwide, but primarily because other dangerous long-term diseases that threaten contemporary humans are somehow being pushed into the background.

The severity of such diseases (including cancer) does not diminish just because attention has shifted to something more acute. It is very important to realize this and not fall under the illusion that if we overcome an acute danger, then automatically improve conditions for chronic diseases as well. We believe it's quite the opposite; prolonged stress and social negative factors constantly affecting us—among which undoubtedly includes pandemic situations—worsen not only psychological but also somatic states.

The guide to oncological treatment aims precisely at highlighting those psychological and social factors that negatively "support" cancer development in any form and can positively influence treatment and coping with illness. The guide offers opportunities for social engagement with groups of people undergoing similar oncological treatments, allowing them to share psychologically as well as professionally similar situations with those facing similar problems in treatment. The authors hope that this guidebook will reach those who will become more self-sufficient in overcoming such a formidable enemy as cancer.

Authors

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E-book

Lukáš Šutor (ed.)

The current sixth volume of the Doctoral Miscellanea consists of eight contributions from four study programs, with two contributions also involving authors outside of doctoral studies. Given the limitations on the length of individual contributions and the uniqueness of the research, the authors have chosen varying widths and depths in presenting their dissertation topics. Some contributions serve as an introduction to the issues, others provide a summary of previous results, and still others focus on a detailed analysis of a specific problem. These three approaches may not only reveal the stage of research in which the doctoral candidate finds themselves but also their potential research priorities.

The main commonality across all issues of the proceedings remains interdisciplinary diversity, which shows a certain continuity. Specific themes appear regularly. In these cases, alongside alternating doctoral candidates, the key figure is the supervisor (in the role of co-author) and their research focus/project in which the doctoral candidates participate. This development of research continuity is particularly evident in contributions from the field of social work.

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E-book

Magdaléna Hovanová - Dušan Šlosár

The monograph deals with the issue of social protection of the family, where the basis is a view of the family as a natural part of human and social life. The starting point is provided by the institutes that create and structure it, influence its value orientation, the development of social relations within the family, but also relations to the social environment.

In broader contexts, the monographic treatment of social protection provides the results of transdisciplinary knowledge. It deals with the work of helping professionals with functional and non-functional families and families with special needs. It offers problem solving through tailored methods, techniques, procedures and measures used by various helping professions in the field of social protection and social guardianship.

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E-book

Katarína Šiňanská - Dušan Šlosár

The presented monograph deals with various views on of the community issue and community work, with which  area of social work or other helping professions is closely connected. It offers theoretical analysis as a basic theoretical framework of the issue, which is necessary to know in the study and in the performance of the practice in the helping profession. The authors consider community work to be one of the possibilities for fully involving the inhabitants in co-responsible decision-making on things that fundamentally affect their lives.

The monograph characterizes in  fifteen chapters the community and the processes that takes place in it, outlines a brief history and approaches in community work. It offers theoretical background, which is used in community work as a necessary prerequisite for a professional approach practice. The monograph also points to the important position of professional help in community.

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E-book

Vladimír Lichner

The presented university textbook presents a basic overview of statistical theory and practice intended for students of social work, including examples of their use in specific studies. This text deals with the first part of statistical practice, namely descriptive analysis, which we perceive as a basic condition for the processing of any empirical research and is also important in grasping typical statistical principles and concepts.

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E-book

Magdaléna Hovanová - Dušan Šlosár

The monograph addresses the issues surrounding functional families, dysfunctional families, and those affected by crises. It analyzes various determinants that lead to family dysfunction and identifies factors contributing to family crises and the destabilization of family relationships. Special attention is given to working with dysfunctional families, particularly through family rehabilitation, methods, forms, and procedures employed mainly by helping professionals.

Additionally, the monograph explores contemporary forms of couple cohabitation and the factors that have caused changes in this area. Families are examined from the perspective of helping professions, including psychology, sociology, adult education, health care, law, and economics. These various perspectives create a comprehensive view of the examined issues and establish a multidisciplinary space for addressing problems within the family system. A functional family is seen as the foundation of society; therefore, society must create tools to assist families that are unable to resolve issues affecting their functionality.

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E-book

Dušan Šlosár

The monograph "Risk as a Social Category in Adolescence" by Dušan Šlosár was created as part of the VEGA project No. 1-0285/18, which focuses on risky behavior among adolescents as clients of social work due to their loneliness. The monograph explores the issue of risk in a theoretical context and integrates risk as a component of social relationships, contacts, and information exchange. From this theoretical foundation, it defines risk within helping professions. Assessing the level of risk is left to leading managers; however, it currently affects those helping professionals who work with specific client groups, and thus their involvement in assessing the level of risk cannot be overlooked.

The monograph pays special attention to risky behavior among adolescents and discusses the most serious forms of such behavior, ranging from suicidality to crime, substance abuse (both material and non-material), and issues related to sexuality. The conclusion of the monograph consists of three empirical studies that address the topic of risky behavior among adolescents.

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E-book

Katarína Šiňanská - Františka Petriková (eds.)

The present proceedings is devoted to different perspectives on the problems addressed by the field of social work and also the changes in the orientation of social work with respect to the current requirements of society. Proceeding is made up of a wide range of contributions from various spheres belonging to the sphere of social work. Contributions are devoted to the cyber world of social work, supervision, self-care, risk behavior, but also social work in the past.

The cyberspace in social work is elaborated in several contributions, suggesting a new dimension of social work. In the contributions about cybe world, the authors consider “cyberspace” as a new form of counseling and assistance to clients, as the present time is more online-oriented. Proceedings of international conference "What has brought social work 100 years?"

The past and present forms of social work are therefore devoted to various themes, incentives and insights into the benefits of the contribution of social work over 100 years, examining and evaluating past, present but also future forms of social work as a science.

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E-book

Vladimír Lichner

The scientific monograph focuses on the analysis of radical and extremist groups, movements, sects and cults and their activities in the Slovak Republic.

It provides a theoretical insight into the issues of specific organizations and movements that have been characterized in the past, or are currently characterized by belonging to ideologies that we might call anti-social.

It does not focus unilaterally on one type of violent extremism, but focuses on the issue of both right-wing and left-wing religious groups. In the final part it offers a brief suggestion of prevention procedures, which could significantly influence the increase of extremist manifestations especially in young people.

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E-book

Milan Douša - Tatiana Gmitrová - Oskar Tóth - Matúš Vyrostko (eds.)

Peer-reviewed proceedings of contributions from the 5th year of the doctoral students' scientific conference, February 6, 2020

The dynamically evolving contemporary society creates expectations and demands among citizens for public administration to be efficient, reliable, open, professional, and fast. New theories of knowledge, in connection with constant changes, must also include practical application and reflection of these characteristics in the public administration system in practice. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to new approaches from both theoretical and practical perspectives to the application of modern public administration in the conditions of the V4 countries.

Given that public administration is an interdisciplinary scientific discipline that utilizes knowledge from a wide range of scientific fields and thus enables a comprehensive approach to solving problems of modern public administration, the peer-reviewed proceedings of contributions from the doctoral students' scientific conference are divided into three sections: socio-economic, political science, and legal. The sections eruditely respond to current public administration problems from both theoretical and practical perspectives.

PhDr. Milan Douša
Chairman of the Organizing Committee

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E-book

Gabriela Kravčáková - Jana Lukáčová - Taťjana Búgelová

The first study, which concentrates on the characteristics of teachers' work, describes broader theoretical foundations and defines basic concepts related to work.

It also provides an analysis of the work of university teachers, identifying several shortcomings. The research findings revealed significant differences in the time demands of tasks performed by teachers and in the perceived importance of these tasks. Teachers utilize their working time fund beyond 100%, and it can be expected that the teacher population considers their tasks as rather important to definitely important. There is a relationship between the estimated time demands of certain tasks and the perceived importance of these tasks. Based on the findings, conclusions and proposals for intervention measures are formulated, and a construct of key competencies of university teachers is presented, which includes basic, social, pedagogical, research, and managerial competencies.

The second study analyzes the level of satisfaction, self-fulfillment, competencies in teachers' work, and the prestige of the teaching profession in relation to gender, academic rank, seniority, and the specific field of expertise.

The third study, which deals with the topic of teacher career, provides an overview of theoretical foundations of career.

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E-book

Magdaléna Halachová - Vladimír Lichner - Katarína Šiňanská (eds.)

Proceedings of Contributions from the Scientific Conference Held on April 25, 2013, in Košice

The proceedings of contributions from the scientific conference were created as part of the national round of the Student Scientific and Professional Activities event in the field of study 3.1.14 Social Work, which took place on April 25, 2013, in Košice.

The central theme of the proceedings focuses on addressing various problem areas within social work as both an academic discipline and a practical activity. These contributions were prepared by students and young researchers under the guidance of experienced professionals. The topics covered in the proceedings include issues such as social services, field social work, school social work, and similar areas. Additionally, they highlight the dangers of socio-pathological phenomena such as truancy, drug addiction, poverty, bullying, and more.

The presented results clearly demonstrate the importance of social work and other helping professions in working with specific client groups.

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Soňa Lovašová - Katarína Šiňanská - Magdaléna Halachová  - Vladimír Lichner (eds.)

The central theme of the conference is violence in social work. Violence in social work appears in various forms, whether it involves working with clients who are victims of different types of violence or dealing with aggressive clients where the social worker themselves becomes the victim. Violence in society is rapidly increasing, and social work is a science that must necessarily adapt to society; this is its essence. Therefore, managing aggressive situations in any form is an important part of a social worker's personal skill set.

Unfortunately, protecting social workers from violence will gradually become a necessity, and in the future, we may not avoid training in self-defense and reducing aggression as part of professional preparation or lifelong education.

The aim of this collection is to present the issue of violence in social work from various perspectives to both the professional and lay public. We hope that this serious problem will receive increasing attention and that the individual contributions will help readers understand the extent of the problem of violence in social work.

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E-book

Eva Žiaková

Proceedings from the Scientific Conference with International Participation held on November 27, 2015 in Košice

Stress is becoming a part of everyday life in developed societies, which negatively affects both the physical and mental state of individuals. The proceedings from the scientific conference with international participation, titled "Forms of Internal and External Factors in Coping with Stress from the Perspective of Theory and Practice in Social Work," are therefore dedicated to the issue of coping with stress from an interdisciplinary perspective.

It addresses the full spectrum of coping issues, ranging from the most internal, specifically defined factors of the C-system of coping in oncology patients, coping with burnout in helping professions, sociological contexts of oncological diseases, through the level of social support that provides individuals with space for managing stress, to the possibilities of coping with stressful situations in various areas of life.

E-book

Soňa Lovašová

In front of you is a textbook whose main aim is to introduce readers to the issues of methods, methodology, techniques, and research methodology in social work. The book is divided into four main sections, each arranged with a specific purpose. This arrangement is primarily based on the logical progression of the textbook’s content. The first part consists of chapters dealing with professional terminology, the development of social work methodology, and the classification of methods.

The second part focuses on research methods in social work, where the author devotes space to the methodology of social work research. The goal of these chapters is not to provide the reader with a comprehensive methodological minimum, but rather to orient them in the basic types of research and to demonstrate, step by step, how to create a research project. The third part presents an overview of the various forms of social work: social work with individuals, families, groups, communities, and society. Each of these chapters begins with a brief historical introduction to the topic. The final section of the textbook consists of chapters on working with aggression in social work practice and its various forms.

We believe that this textbook will be helpful to students in their studies and that its structure will appeal to readers.

Soňa Lovašová

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