MAPPING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES OF SOCIAL ASSISTANCE COORDINATORS

Abstract

Considering the importance of professional competencies for the effectiveness of social assistance actions, the study aimed to map the essential competencies required for work in the coordination teams of social assistance services within a Municipal Secretariat of Social Assistance in a state in the Southeast Region of Brazil. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted using an original competency mapping instrument, applied via Google Forms. A total of 162 responses were obtained from coordinators, managers, and team members. Regarding the results, the items in the domain “Knowledge about the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS)” were reported as having the lowest frequency. This result highlights the need to invest in promoting actions aimed at disseminating fundamental knowledge about SUAS. The study offers a significant contribution to defining the necessary competencies for the coordinator role and underscores the urgency of training initiatives focused on the principles, guidelines, and policies of SUAS, especially for those in coordination positions, whose performance demands not only technical skills but also solid knowledge of the public social assistance system.