The Power of Training: Attitudinal Shifts Among Social Workers Supporting Forced Migrants in Cyprus and Lithuania

Valentina Demidenko () and Edita Štuopytė
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Valentina Demidenko: Department of Social Work, Kauno Kolegija Higher Education Institution, 50468 Kaunas, Lithuania
Edita Štuopytė: Faculty of Social Science, Arts, and Humanities, Kaunas University of Technology, 44249 Kaunas, Lithuania

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-22

Abstract: Modern social work is inseparable from the provision of timely and practical assistance to vulnerable populations, including forced migrants. In the context of increasing geopolitical instability and the growing influx of displaced people, social workers are increasingly required to serve this group not as exceptional but as regular clients. However, significant barriers—such as restrictive social policies and the inadequate preparation of social workers—limit forced migrants’ access to quality support services. This article examines the strengthening of core social work competencies in the learning process (e.g., through developing intercultural communication skills and applying experiential learning and trauma-informed methods). The article presents the results of an empirical study implemented within the Erasmus+ project “Improved Social Workers” in Lithuania and Cyprus. A mixed-methods research strategy combining observations, psychodiagnostic techniques, and reflexive analysis was employed in this study. Quantitative data revealed an increase in social workers’ communicative tolerance and a reduction in ethnocentrism. At the same time, qualitative analysis highlighted significant growth in both professional and personal aspects of the participants’ lives. Following training, both Lithuanian and Cypriot social workers reported improved intercultural communication, increased sensitivity to trauma, and enhanced professional skills. The findings underscore the importance of training social workers to effectively address the complex needs of forced migrants.

Keywords: forced migrants; social workers; trauma-informed care; social services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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