Department of Social Work

The Department of Social Work offers bachelor’s degree programme in the field of social work, “Social Work and Psychosocial Counselling”, and master’s degree programmes in the field of social work, “Social Work”. The Master’s degree programme in Social Work is offered at VMU since 1993 and it is the first study programme of this level in social work in Lithuania. The Bachelor of Social Work programme, which is implemented since 1997, is one of the first Bachelor of Social Work study programmes in Lithuania. Both programs aspire to provide the advanced social work studies since based on the global definition of social work, on the integration of research and practice, on the lecturers’ long term and extensive local, national and international experience, their research experience and active involvement in the implementation of social policy, as well as on their practical experience in the fields of social work, human rights, counseling, and social work supervision. The unique and distinctive Bachelor of Social Work programme combines theories and practice of social work and psychosocial counselling within various fields (social services, healthcare, education, law enforcement), with an emphasis on human rights and principles of social justice, and the development of critical thinking. The Master of Social Work provides for innovative models of social work with families, linkage of international human rights law, social policies and social work practice, global social work in collaboration with Loyola University Chicago through joint online classes, personal and family counselling, group therapy techniques, social work supervision and research. The Department of Social Work develops themes of child and family welfare, gerontological social work, human rights and rights of people with disabilities. Informal studies on professional supervision are carried out together with social partners. National and international projects are being implemented  with active cooperation with social partners, including with municipality social services and non-governmental organizations.

Assoc. Prof. Dr.  RASA NAUJANIENĖ

e-mail: rasa.naujaniene@vdu.lt

Research interests: child and family welfare research, gerontological social work, development of social service organizations and human resources, social work supervision.

SONDRA SAPIEGIENĖ

e-mail: sondra.sapiegiene@vdu.lt

Tel. +370 37 327 847

Prof. dr. JONAS RUŠKUS

e-mail: jonas.ruskus@vdu.lt

Research interests: disability studies and human rights, social inclusion and the development of educational enabling environments, participatory action research methodology and practice.

Prof. dr. NATALIJA MAŽEIKIENĖ

e-mail: natalija.mazeikiene@vdu.lt

Research interests: gender in social work, feminist and critical social work, theories of social work, international and intercultural social work, application of qualitative research methods (autobiographical research, autoethnography, narrative inquiry, grounded theory) in social work.

Assoc. Prof. dr. JORŪNĖ VYŠNIAUSKYTĖ RIMKIENĖ

e-mail: jorune.vysniauskyte-rimkiene@vdu.lt

Research interests: social work in education and care system, social skills training technologies and research, social work with groups, families and youth, professional training of social workers.

Assoc. Prof. dr. DŽIUGAS DVARIONAS

e-mail:  dziugas.dvarionas@vdu.lt

Research interests: social welfare, social policy, child and family welfare, development of community-based social services, social economy and civil society, social entrepreneurship and community-based social work management.

Lecturer Dr. GEDAS MALINAUSKAS

e-mail: gedas.malinauskas@vdu.lt

Research interests: family members’ experiences in the migration process, reconstruction of experiences using narrative methodology, integration and empowerment of people with disabilities (community-based social services for people with disabilities).

Lecturer Dr. JULIJA EIDUKEVIČIŪTĖ

e-mail: julija.eidukeviciute@vdu.lt

Research interests: social work students’ educational practice, child and family welfare research, child protection, child custody, child’s voice in the child protection system, social work supervision, social worker’s professional identity.

Lecturer Dr. LINA DANUSEVIČIENĖ

e-mail: lina.danuseviciene@vdu.lt

Research interests: integration of social and health services, social gerontology, long-term care, patient centered health care, creativity and design thinking service development, supervision, interprofessional relations in an organizational context.

Lecturer Dr. DOVILĖ JANKŪNAITĖ

e-mail: dovile.jankunaite@vdu.lt

Research interests: social gerontology, gerontological social work, social work in health care, mental health, formal and informal care for people with dementia, ageing and social identity.

Lecturer Dr. ROBERTA MOTIEČIENĖ

e-mail: roberta.motieciene@vdu.lt

Research interests: research on the analysis of psychosocial factors in social institutions; research on the practice of social work with families; research in the field of social services.

Lecturer. LINA BARTUSEVIČIENĖ

 lina.bartuseviciene@vdu.lt

Research interests: research on the need for supervision, options for family crisis support

Research interests: gender studies, feminist philosophy, post-socialist societies, political anthropology, decolonial studies and collaborative research.

Read more about the professor here:

https://www.vdu.lt/en/person/katherine-tyson-mccrea-2/