Club forms of activities and creation of educational environment promoting the development of social work students

ABSTRACT

The article presents research on extracurricular forms of club activity as one of the important components of educational activity of social work students at University of Ruse, Bulgaria. The purpose of the research is to identify the impact of this type of extracurricular activity on the formation of positive attitudes towards people of different ethnic background and towards persons with disabilities, stimulating their cognitive, professional and social development. A sample has been formed and research tools have been used that is consistent to the purpose and specificity of the research. The results of the statistical processing of empirical data and their analysis confirm the accepted purpose. They reveal the role and importance of extracurricular forms of club activity to create an interactive learning environment and conditions that form positive attitudes towards the target groups and stimulate students: integrate acquired values, knowledge, skills into curriculum activities with practical experience and detailed information about outside groups; consciously and motivated to includes in equal, tolerant and non-discriminatory interactions in different interpersonal systems; to enhance their cultural competence; to appreciate diversity in the community and society. In synthesis, the presented aspects contribute to the cognitive, professional and social development of social work students.

KEYWORDS:

• Extracurricular activity
• extracurricular forms of club activity
• educational non-discriminatory environment
• interactions in interpersonal systems
• positive non-discriminatory attitudes
• cultural competence
• development of students

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

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Sasho Todorov Nunev

Sasho Todorov Nunev, Assoc. Prof., DSc of Social Work, Department of Public health and social work, Angel Kanchev University of Ruse, Bulgaria. Chairman of the Expert Council on Social Work at Angel Kanchev University of Ruse. Founder of professional direction “Social work” in University of Ruse in 2011 – 2012 year. One of the first professors of social work in Bulgaria since the beginning in 1992–1993. One of the founders of the Bulgarian Association for Education in Social Work. Professor of social work: 1993–1998 at University of Shumen “Episkop Konstantin Preslavski” 1998–2012 at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”; 2012 – to this date Angel Kanchev University of Ruse. Expert evaluator in the Standing Committee on Social and Legal Sciences and National Security at the National Agency for Assessment and Accreditation for the period 2012-2015 year. Professor of disciplines: History of Social Work; Theory of Social Work; Methods of Social Work; Social Work with Children at Risk; Anti-discrimination Social Work. Researches and publications in the fields of anti-discrimination policy and social work; theory of social work; methods of social work; supervision with students in social work; social work with children at risk; foster care and others.