GENDER-SENSITIVE APPROACH AS A BASIS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR CAREER GUIDANCE AND PROFESSIONALIZATION OF STUDENT YOUTH IN NEW SOCIO-CULTURAL CONDITIONS

Abstract

The article examines the problem of creating a comprehensive gender-sensitive educational space in the general secondary, vocational pre-higher, and higher education institutions in terms of finding ways to improve the quality of educational services for career guidance and professionalization of individuals in the new socio-cultural situation in modern Ukrainian society.
 The main provisions of the article reflect progressive ideas of international organizations and the requirements of Ukrainian legislation on equal rights and opportunities for men and women in all areas of human life, especially in education.
 The purpose of the article is to conduct a gender analysis of spatial and organizational conditions of educational institutions of different levels and substantiate a possibility of introducing a gender-sensitive approach in the general secondary, vocational pre-higher, and higher education institutions as a basis for quality assurance and professionalization of students.
 The study uses a comprehensive methodology of gender audit of educational institutions, which includes analysis of scientific and practical, as well as instructional and methodology literature, documents on the organization of educational process, questionnaires for teachers, monitoring of pedagogical communication, interviews with education providers and students, and preparation of a report and recommendations for improving the quality of the educational environment in terms of career guidance and professionalization of adolescents and youth.
 The results of the gender audit of educational institutions at various levels prove the link between a non-discriminatory environment and the efficiency of preparation of adolescents and youth for conscious and balanced professional choices. They show
 continuity of each level of education in the creation and cementing of gender stereotypes about social roles and division of professions by gender, which hinders successful professional self-determination of girls and boys; specific typical educational cases with latent discrimination and the reasons that cause lowering of the potential in students of both genders are presented.
 It is determined that the creation of gender-sensitive educational space promotes the development of critical thinking of adolescents and youth, rethinking and destruction of gender stereotypes in all participants of the educational process, their motivation for creative and innovative activities, their readiness to accept new ideas, and efficient career guidance. Practical recommendations for optimizing spatial and organizational conditions of educational institutions and providing educational services in the process of career guidance of school and college students have been developed.