The main tasks of team leaders in the social sector are

• Lead yourself
• Others lead
• Plan and ensure the team organization
• Setting goals and ensuring quality

This means that team leaders in the social sector are not too different from other team leader functions. However, specific training takes account of industry-specific circumstances.

The requirements for team leaders in social and socio-medical institutions with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education are as follows:

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (AFPE) or Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) or College of Higher Education in the health and social sector
• and at least 2 years of professional experience (at least 60%) in the health or social sector after completing the training

or

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (AFPE) or higher vocational education qualification (Federal Professional Examination, Advanced Professional Examination or College of Higher Education) or university degree outside the social and healthcare sector
• and at least 4 years of professional experience (at least 60%) in the health or social sector as well as proof of the required industry knowledge

In addition to the above conditions:

• At least 1 year of management experience in the health or social sector
• Required module qualifications (1, 2, 3 and double module 4/5) or certificates of equivalence

The activities of a team leader of social institutions are:

• Managing employees (work allocation, employee induction, job supervision, motivation, target agreements, performance appraisal, supporting employee recruitment, development and training measures, conflict management, health promotion)
• Organizing and improving processes (coordinating collaboration, ensuring team communication, team meetings, analyzing and optimizing processes, ensuring service quality)
• Perform coordination tasks (ensure information flow between organizational management and employees, ensure needs are taken into account, implement own tasks, plan, implement and evaluate team work)

There are the following options for training as a Social Team Leader:

• Leadership seminar
• Certificate course as a team leader for all sectors with a school-leaving certificate or association qualification
• Professional examination for team leader in social and socio-medical organizations

Good social work team leadership requires:

• Understanding of leadership and correct leadership behavior on the part of the team leader
• Goal-oriented leadership in a team
• Organization of teamwork to ensure good quality
• Defining the foundations for team development and collaboration
• Planning, implementation and evaluation of management tasks

As a social team leader, you have to learn the following:

• Own role and understanding of leadership
• Leadership behavior
• Plan and organize teamwork in a goal-oriented manner
• Team development and quality improvement
• develop further in strategic, structural and cultural terms
• Interface design
• Bearing budget responsibility
• Managing an organization according to ethical, entrepreneurial, business and professional principles in a complex environment

As a team leader in the social sector, you should have the following personal qualities:

• Leadership skills
• Social skills
• Interest in social services or healthcare
• Strong sociability and communication skills
• networked thinking and acting
• Sense of responsibility
• Ability to lead employees and work in a team
• Flexibility and willingness to work irregular hours

The following advanced courses are useful after completing the federal professional examination for team leaders in social and socio-medical institutions:

• Courses offered by technical colleges, professional associations, higher technical colleges and universities of applied sciences
• Specialization through certificates or management courses (depending on the industry) for department and division heads
• Specialization through the diploma as a daycare center manager
• Higher professional examination (HFP) to become a certified manager of social and socio-medical organizations
• Higher technical college leading to a diploma in social pedagogy HF, diploma in childhood pedagogy HF or diploma in business administration HF
• University of Applied Sciences for degree programs in related fields, for example Bachelor of Science in Business Administration or Bachelor of Arts / Science in Social Work