Working with Sex Offenders: A Social Skills Training Group

Summary The paper presents an account of a group of sex offenders ina local prison. Nine sessions of social skills training weregiven with the aim of facilitating relationships within theprison and possibly after release.     

Supervision to Group Counselors Working with the Bereaved

The large number of casualties suffered in the Lebanon War (June 1982), prompted the Israeli Ministry of Defense to initiate groups for helping war widows and bereaved parents. Experienced counselors were selected and put through a program designed to prepare them for working with the bereaved. Throughout the life time of the group, the counselors experienced personal fears and feelings of professional inadequacy. Special supervisory sessions were held to provide the counselors with continuous guidance and support. These sessions enabled the counselors to internalize their feelings and apply them as another tool for helping the bereaved.     

Social Group Work for Young Offenders with Learning Disabilities

ABSTRACT

Despite the high incidence of learning disabilities among young offenders, research suggests that young offenders with learning disabilities do not receive interventions that address their learning disabilities. Group treatment approaches for young offenders typically utilize a cognitive-behavioral orientation. Cognitive behavioral techniques have been found to be effective with the young offender population by targeting their faulty thinking. However, cognitive behavioral treatment is less effective with youth who have academic delays. Individuals with learning disabilities may have difficulties with the cognitive tasks used in cognitive behavioral treatment. This paper describes a treatment group, with illustrations, adapted for young offenders with learning disabilities, combining cognitive-behavioral and mutual-aid principles.     

Training and Supervision of Counselors at a Residential Grief Camp

Peer-based grief camps, utilizing a volunteer staff, represent one method of mutual aid support for children. Manitou Experience is an example of a week-long residential camp for grieving boys. The recruitment, training, and supervision of Manitou Experience’s camp counselors and clinical team members are explained as they relate to program development and facilitation of positive change in its campers. Strengths and challenges of group processes are explored and discussed.     

Use of Groups in School Social Work: Group Work and Group Processes

ABSTRACT

A survey of 54 school social workers indicated that they use group work extensively in their practice to address a number of student issues. Cognitive-behavioral theories were most commonly used to guide these groups. Workers rarely identified the use of small group theory as a conceptual framework. Groups were less frequent at the secondary level, and sessions were longer. Family change groups were more common at the elementary level. The method of funding the social work position had no effect on kinds or numbers of groups school social workers facilitated. Respondents did not identify use of small group theory as a conceptual framework, but they addressed group dynamics and group developmental stages. They used activities extensively and adapted published curriculum to meet member needs.     

Sex Differences in Associations Between Parental Behaviors and Characteristics and Adolescent Social Integration

One hundred and eight eighth grade students completed self-report questionnaires about their perceptions of parental warmth, structure, and psychological autonomy granting (used to compute a measure of perceived parental authoritativeness) and three measures of social integration: their own connectedness to their communities and involvement in school- versus community-based extracurricular activities. Parents of these students participated in telephone interviews during which they reported on their own relationships with their children's friends and friends' parents, and their own involvement in community activities. Parental community involvement was associated with stronger feelings of community connectedness and higher levels of community involvement among boys and more involvement in school- and community-based extracurricular activities among girls. Perceived parental authoritativeness was associated with stronger feelings of community connectedness and higher levels of involvement in community activities among girls. Parents' relationships with children's peers and peers' parents were associated with greater involvement in school-based extracurricular activities among girls.     

The Group Values of Educational Encounters: Working with Service Users and Students in a Participatory Classroom Environment

This article examines a participatory educational group approach to involving service users in a social work education programme. In particular it focuses on the skills and values that informed the lecturer's management of this group process and the relevance of the International Association for Social Work with Groups Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups to the purpose of the group as well as to how this group was facilitated.     

Suicide Prevention Training Program for Gatekeepers Working in Community Hospice Settings

Gatekeepers in community hospice settings encounter patients and caregivers struggling with suicidal thoughts. Limited guidance is available for training staff on the prevention of suicide in hospice care. This study evaluated one promising, evidence-based, suicide prevention program with a behavioral rehearsal practice session. A pre- and post-, one group design, was utilized to measure the training impact and educational needs of staff working in community hospice settings (N =39). Training increased awareness of the risk factors for suicide, as reported by nearly 80% of participants. Self-efficacy scores showed a statistically significant Increase, t(df = 35), ?9.59, p= .00 (two-tailed), from pretraining (n=36, M=2.21, SD= .65) to posttraining (n=36, M=3.03, SD=.56). Satisfaction and the need for additional devoted time for suicide prevention training were highly rated. Suicide prevention training programs can enhance self-efficacy, knowledge, and skills for gatekeepers working in community hospice settings.     

Group Development and Shared Decision Making Working with Homeless Mentally Ill Women

An on-site Community Support System (CSS) team in a single room occupancy (SRO) hotel worked with homeless mentally ill residents toward rehabilitation through empowerment. The issue of power in the group process over a five-year period of time is described and analyzed.     

The Use of IASWG Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups in Supervision of Group Work Practitioners

This article describes a model for supervision for practicing group leaders. The content and process of the model is participant driven, with the International Association for Social Work with Groups Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups used as a core element to guide development of the model as well as the support offered by the supervisor and participants.     

Group Training for the Management of Chronic Pain in Interpersonal Situations

No abstract available for this article.     

作为科班的晚清北京“堂子”

北京的“堂子”既是“娱乐”的场所 ,也是晚清一百年间培养伶人的重要地方。本文通过相关资料的引述 ,辨析当时北京京剧舞台多数名伶的出身与“堂子”的关系 ,说明常被忽略的“堂子”在近代戏曲史的重要存在     

社会工作专业小组实习教学模式探索——以民工外展服务小组为例

社会工作是集理论、技巧和实务于一体的应用型学科,以实务为基础是社会工作专业的显著特点。专业实习是实务训练的重要途径,在社会工作教学中扮演着重要的角色。由于目前社会工作专业实习教学还面临许多问题,如专业实习机构缺乏、案主资源稀缺等等,笔者将根据社会工作专业发展的现状,结合民工外展服务小组的实习经验,从系统理论视角来探讨本土化的小组实习教学模式。     

The Transformation of the Purpose of a School-Based Supervision Group during Tough Economic Times: Challenges and Considerations for the Worker

This article describes the dramatic change in purpose in a group supervision that was faced with an economic crisis. For 7 years the group flourished, providing clinical and emotional support for social work staff and interns. During a time of economic hardship, the program faced the threat of closing, and, in response the group transformed itself from a clinical supervision group to a social-action task group. This article details the trajectory and transformation of the group's focus from clinical supervision to social action with a special emphasis on (1) group supervision, (2) social action, and (3) the concept of purpose in group work. The complexities, consequences, surprises, and rewards of this process, especially for the group worker, are described. The creative use of supervision groups and worker flexibility and self awareness are discussed.     

Dilemmas in Creating an Intern/Field Instructor Supervision Group in a School Setting: Thoughts on Role and Authority

ABSTRACT

Being guests in a host system, a school-based health program (SBHP), presents social workers with complex challenges that underscores the need for regular, supportive supervision. Group supervision is especially useful in bridging this gap, reducing isolation, and uniting a social work team dispersed across four different schools. This article reports on efforts to strengthen a social work component in a four-unit SBHP through the creation of a bi-weekly supervision group. Due to the hierarchical mixed membership of field instructors, interns and program administrator, this group addressed challenges and opportunities around role, authority, and power dynamics.     

Recognizing Diversity and Group Processes in International, Collaborative Research Work: A Case Study

The myth that most if not all senior researchers who have national prominence can 'successfully' manage international research is alive and well in the academy today. Many researchers believe that research management and consultancy is acquired through a process of trial and error and demands little contemplation or training. The purpose of this paper is to break these myths and to establish various benchmarks for good research management, particularly on an international level. The guiding assumption of the paper is that as research becomes more global, high-quality research management is a necessary resource, which demands sensitivity to diversity as well as an awareness of group processes. This means those issues such as language, race, ethnicity, gender, disability and group work should not only inform our research findings but also guide our research practice in international collaborative settings. Throughout this paper, I use a case study of a large EU-funded project as a way of illustrating key themes.     

Working and caring for a disabled adopted child during a pandemic

Integrating work and family demands can be challenging for families caring for a child with one or more disabilities. The pandemic and its changes to work, schooling and service delivery potentially added to these challenges. This exploratory mixed methods study sought to understand how the pandemic affected adoptive parents' work–life fit and service use. A total of 200 participants responded to survey questions about parenting an adopted child with a disability prior to, and after, the onset of Covid-19. More than half of the parents (59.2%) reported that it was somewhat to very difficult to integrate both work and family demands. Parents with greater access to workplace flexibility and supportive supervisors had significantly less difficulties combining work and family. Families who reported more problems with accessing mental health services, special education and respite care reported significantly more challenges with work–family fit. Parents reported increased stress due to the pandemic changes, but many also shared positive changes such as more time for family. Online services were experienced as effective for some children and reduced time spent driving to appointments. Recommendations for workplace and social service practice and policy supporting adoptive parents of children with disabilities are discussed.     

Group Work vs. Casework in a Group: Principles and Implications for Teaching and Practice

SUMMARY

This paper examines the differences between group work and casework in a group. Examples of both are used to illustrate the distinction. Steps that are essential to maximize the value and benefits of the small group and to ensure that group work takes place are described and discussed.