Group work

Group work is a form of cooperative learning. It aims to cater for individual differences, develop students' knowledge, generic skills (e.g. communication skills, collaborative skills, critical thinking skills) and attitudes.

Specifically in psychotherapy, "group work" refers to group therapy, offered by a practitioner trained in psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, counseling or other relevant discipline.

Social group work

Social work includes all voluntary attempts to extend benefits in response to need which are concerned with social relationships and which avails themselves of scientific knowledge and methods.

There are six techniques in social work:

1. social case work
2. social group work
3. community work
4. social welfare administration
5. social research
6. social action

• social group work may defined as an educational process emphasizing the development and social adjustment of an individual through voluntary association and use of this association as a mean of furthering socially desirable end.
• social group work aims at the development of persons through the interplay of personalities in group situation and at the creation of such group situation as provide for integrated, cooperative group action for common ends.
• we see social group work or process and a method through which group life is affected by worker who consciously directs the interacting process towards the accomplishment of goals which are conceived in a democratic frame of reference
• social group work is psycho social process which is concerned no less than with developing 6 leadership and cooperation than with building on the interests of the group for a social purpose.
• it is distinct characteristics lies in the fact that group work is used with group experience as a means of individual growth and development, and that the group worker is concerned in developing social responsibility and active citizenship for the improvement of democratic society.
• social group work is a method through which individuals in groups in social agency setting are helped by a worker who guides their interaction in programme activities so that they may relate to others and experience growth opportunities in accordance with their needs and capacities to the individual, group and community development.
• group work is a way to serving individual within and through small face to face group in order to bring about the desired change among the client participants.group work is

References

• Traker H B: SOCIAL GROUP WORK:PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE, Association Press N.Y.
• WILBER, I: WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK ? PROCEEDINGS OF NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF SOCIAL WORK
• Joan Benjamin, Judith Bessant and Rob Watts. Making Groups Work: Rethinking Practice, Allen & Unwin, 1997 ISBN 1-86448-304-0