Working with Groups

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

24 contact hours

16 hours of class preparation and reading

24 hours of assessment related tasks

= 64 hours total time commitment

= 8 hours total time per week

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It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the University’s courses. Students who think their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Course Coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

This subject is designed to both introduce students to social work practice with groups and to enable students to advance their knowledge and skill development during the course of the subject. To this end, the subject is designed to enable students to learn through a mix of didactic, experiential and supervised skill development through lectures, seminars and presentations by group work practitioners.

On conclusion of this subject, students will have achieved the following basic group work knowledge and skills:

• An understanding of theoretical and practical issues relating to the process of social work practice with groups
• Enhanced knowledge about group work from experiences as group member
• Establishment of beginning group facilitation skills, e.g. defining a relevant purpose, planning a session
• Capacity to work as group leaders in a small group setting
• In addition, students will have opportunities to acquire more advanced group work knowledge and skills as detailed below:
• Familiarity with theoretical base of different approaches to group work
• Increased knowledge and skills in aspects of practice with groups, e.g. working with marginalized populations
• Working with challenges in a group, eg establishing and maintaining a group, managing conflict
• Understanding of the challenges and issues involved in evaluating and/or researching one’s own group work practice

Written essays totalling 5000 words comprising: A 2000 word paper due mid-semester and a 3000 word paper due end of semester.

Charles D. Garvin, Lorraine M. Gutierrez, Maeda J. Galinsky (Editors) (2004) Handbook of Social Work with Groups [Paperback] Guildford Press; New York

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

• critically analyse texts and practices;
• understand recent developments in social work contexts of practice;
• link theory to practice;
• competently communicate in ways relevant to both academic and practice contexts;
• undertake independent research.