Lukamskienė, Vida

Relevance of research. Peculiarities of social care service provision are closely related to the changes in the demographical processes in certain population. Lithuania, as well as other European countries, faces with the demographic problems. The fertility has dropped well below the level ensuring the placement of generation, high rates of mortality, the migration flows and volumes increased, especially after becoming the member of EU in 2004. The changes in fertility, mortality and migration produce immediate changes in the age structure. The aging, as the result of demographic processes, refers to an entire age structure becoming old. The aging of society has impact to all the spheres of the life: to the relationships between generations and of course to the developing of the education, social security, health system. In the article, the authors, follows the notion that the main objective of people is to create such standards of living which would develop all their capacities and dignity. The human dignity becomes a relevant topic in aging society due to cultural (the aging often carry negative stereotypes, population aging has been viewed warily), economical (pensions and other financial issues), political, social (relationships between generations and opportunities of informal care provision) and other issues and changes.[...]

Social work field practice in integrated part of social work education in universities. During social work field practice students develop their professional social work skills, unique practical knowledge, reflect practical situations, and integrate their theoretical knowledge by working individually with clients in a particular organization. These organizations (governmental and non-governmental social service organizations) play an important role in this learning process, because they can be characterized as a context for the formation of professional identity and learning environment. The formation of learning environment in organizations could be described as becoming a learning organization. The conception and characteristics of learning organization are discussed in this article in order to show how organization, which participates in social work practice field, could be recognized as learning organization. It is assumed that these social service organizations are learning organizations, because they are open and flexible, and collaborate with the university for ten or more years in organizing social work field practice. The mentors and other social workers (or managers of organizations) participate in continuing training programs, which are organized by university; also reflection of good practice and researches done by mentors (individually or by contribution) could be characterized as development of competencies.