lecture 1 Flashcards
Definition of Group
- A group, then, is two or more individuals who are connected by and within social relationships. (Forsyth, 2019)
o Connected – interdependent
Can influence one another’s thoughts, actions, emotions and outcomes
Social relationships - Membership - The actual, imagined or implied presence of other human beings
- Boundaried
5 qualities of a group
o Goals – the purpose, scope and aims of the group is clearly articulation
o Structure – Roles, norms and intermember relations that organizes the group
o Interaction – Group behaviours that is focused principally on the group’s work, plans.
o Interdependence – Members depend on one another; their outcomes, actions, thoughts, feelings and experiences are partially determined by others in the group
o Cohesiveness – The integrity, solidarity, social integration, unity of a group – despite differences
Types of Groups
- Support
- Education
- Growth
- Therapy
- Socialisation
- Self help
Purpose of a support group
To help members cope with stressful life events and revitalize existing coping abilities
Purpose of a education group
To educate and help members learn new information and skills through presentations and discussions
purpose of a growth group
To develop members’ potential, awareness and insight. It focuses on developing members’ capabilities to the fullest.
purpose of a therapy group
Help members change behavior, cope with and ameliorate personal problems, or rehabilitate themselves after physical, psychological or social trauma
purpose of a socialisation group
To increase communication and social skills and improve interpersonal relationships through programme activities, structured exercises, role plays
purpose of a self-help group
To help members solve their own problems. Although they may share many characteristics with support, educational and socialization group, the distinguishing character of self-help groups is that they are led by members who share the problem experienced by the other members of the group
what is social work group work practice?
- “Goal-directed activity with small treatment and task groups aimed at meeting socio-emotional needs and accomplishing tasks. This activity is directed to individual members of a group and to the group as a whole within a system of service delivery” (Toseland & Rivas, 2017)
Advantages of group work practice
- Part of life
- Identical experiences rendering support
- Expanded learning, giving and receiving opportunities
- Positive peer pressure
- Efficiency
limitations of group work
- A life of its own
- Less undivided attention confidentiality concerns
- Complex and expensive
- Unsafe for some
