Whiting & Birch (E-Journals)
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Providing support to young people through groupwork
Get PDFA key outcome of support work with young people, it is hoped, is increased self awareness and autonomy on the part of the recipient. Engagement in one-toone interventions with youth support workers can enable this process to take place. However, a valuable alternative approach to the work exists, which focuses on helping young people to enhance their personal learning and development (PLD) in a group interaction.This chapter will explore how youth support professionals can facilitate PLD effectively in a group context. It focuses on the following:• Identifying what ‘personal learning and development’ means• Examining how groupwork can enable young people to learn about themselves, develop greater self awareness and make decisions about their lives• Evaluating ways in which being part of a group can lead to positive outcomes for individuals• Analysing the role of the youth support worker in facilitating PLD in the group contextIn addition, the chapter offers a model to inform the planning, preparation and delivery of PLD groupwork with young people
The group as a place of training and universality of the experience of voice hearers
Get PDFThis article presents the results of an evaluative study of two groups as carried out in a psychosocial clubhouse, Le Pavois in Quebec City, with voice hearers. Based on a qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with 12 members who participated in one of the two training and support groups, this article emphasises the benefits perceived by the respondents following their participation in these innovative groups. While these groups are not actual therapy groups, the analysis sets forth six therapeutic factors fostered in the group method: training, universality, belonging, self-disclosure, instillation of hope, and destigmatisation. This study highlights the importance for voice hearers of meeting others with similar experiences so that they can share their experiences, acquire knowledge on the phenomenon and develop strategies to better deal with the voices
The Recovery Model or the modelling of a cover-up?
Get PDFIn this article we present a psycho-social, ‘group-ish’ (Bion, 1961) and philosophically Cynical commentary upon contemporary notions of recovery, well-being and positive psychology. These are, at times, being cynically deployed to address profoundly damaging processes of social traumatisation that give rise to certain forms of mental disease, which we describe as ‘being unwell-ness’, and related psycho-social disease which is being linked to low productivity, under- or unemployment and low social status, and that we describe as worklessness and worth-lessness. We state at the outset of the paper that much excellent work is done by statutory, non-statutory and service user led groups and organisations to engage with these problems. However, in our commentary we will suggest how the language and currency of these initiatives are in danger of being hi-jacked and side-tracked by the vested interests of explicit and tacit political and professional agendas of the in group at the expense of those whom we seek to help
Engagement of men in group treatment programs
Get PDFThe goal of this paper is to arrive at a better understanding of the process of men’s engagement in treatment groups. Given the low perseverance rate of men in such groups, engagement is crucial to program continuance and results. A number of treatment factors and strategies that can influence engagement in group therapy programs are drawn from a review of the literature. To gain a better understanding of the factors and how they interrelate, the literature was reviewed from the perspective of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model. The studies reviewed show that engagement is influenced by various factors associated with the characteristics of the participants, their family environment, treatment program, and cultural and social values. Current knowledge is discussed to highlight the main research and practice issues concerning men’s engagement in treatment groups. The review underscores the importance of exploring the influence of male socialization on men’s engagement, given that some traditional norms may curb their involvement and willingness to invest in group programs
Technology and groupwork
Get PDFThis paper addresses the relationship between social groupwork and technology. It discusses the evolution of online technology—how the technological revolution of the computer, the Internet, and mass access to new communication devices has impacted our lives with unprecedented speed and universality. It acknowledges the natural and understandable resistance of many skilled and renowned groupworkers to the use of these new modalities. It addresses the numerous benefits and challenges that technology brings, and the critical and timely need for groupworkers to make the conceptual shift to embrace these modalities. A case is made for groupworkers’ ability to take a leadership role in the development of effective, efficient and ethical online groups across disciplines and fields, and the need to contribute to the burgeoning scholarly literature on best practices in the development of online communities. An example of the use of technology to facilitate connection and effective teaching among adjunct groupwork educators is offered as one avenue for increasing groupwork’s voice within an academic institution
Developing global citizenship
Get PDFThis article explores an attempt to develop global citizenship through a service-learning experience that placed undergraduate students in community organizations that serve refugee populations. It begins with a discussion of the importance of civic engagement in higher education and how service learning, as a pedagogical method, can advance the goals of civic engagement and community building. It discusses how groupwork in class, with service providers, and with refugees led to increased civic awareness and transformed student dispositions toward diverse community groups