 LESSON 1:HISTORY :

 Before the Sixties: Socialization Goals

social groupwork in the country can be traced to the introduction of socio civic
movements during the period of American colonial rule. The American colonizers
organized the Young Men’s Christian Association in 1911, the Young Women’s
Christian Association in 1926 and Boy Scouts of the Philippines in 1936. These
movements ushered in the beginning of formal structures of group serving agencies.
Their programs were focused on re creation as a means of character building. Later Boy
Scouts of the Philippines serves as a venue for citizenship training and for inculcation of
positive values.
 The Sixties - prevention, treatment and developmental
Goals
 During this time, there was an increase in number of welfare
agencies using groupwork as a method for both preventive
and therapeutic purposes. Mental health agencies like the
Special Child Study Center, Inc. organized parent group to
help participants understand, accept, and deal with their
children’s conditions.
 The Seventies: – emphasizing Developmental
Goals
 The declaration of Martial Law during this period,
provoke a great deal of consciousness raising efforts
which aim at making rural and urban poor citizens
realize their problem, the basic amenities, low cost
housing and employment opportunity.
Present Scene
 A combination of two or more goals
 According to Grace Coyle, social groupwork is a basic aspect of social work
practice that uses social relationships within group experiences as a means to
individual growth and development.
 According to Wilson and Ryland, social groupwork is a process and a method
through which group life is affected by the worker who consciously directs the
interacting process towards the accomplishment of goals
 According to Harleigh B. Trecker, social groupwork is a method through which
individuals in groups in social agency are helped by a worker who guide their
interaction in program activities so that they may relate themselves to others and
experience growth opportunities in accordance with their needs and capacities to
the end of individual, group and community development.
According to Giselle Konopka: Group work as defined as "as
a method of social work which help individual to enhance
their social functioning through purposeful group
experience and to cope more effectively with their personal,
group and community problems."
 In summary of the foregoing definitions, social group work is defined as a
method of social work through which individuals in groups are helped by a
professional social worker in an agency or community setting through guided
group process /activities to meet their needs for socialization, growth and
development and interests which would ultimately redound not only for their
own benefit, welfare and development but also for their community.
The philosophy of social groupwork is based on the belief that the need for group
experience is basic and universal. This philosophical base has the following
implications or meaning
 That individuals can be helped to grow, change and develop in personality,
attitudes and values through group experiences.
 That persons not only develop in groups but also through groups and
 That each group is dynamic, everchanging and must be accepted by the social
group worker at its level of development.
1.For corrective- this means that social group work supplements what
evert inadequacies the client group may experience and can also
bring back its damaged functioning to its normal level.
2.For Preventive – social group work blocks or hampers personal and
social breakdown where there is danger of deterioration.
3.For Normal growth and Development – social group work
provides opportunities for planned group experiences that are
needed for the growth and development of members of the group.
4.For personal enhancement - social groupwork enhances and
strengthens the social adjustments of the individual group members
and develop the social consciousness of the group.
5.For citizenship responsibility and participation – social
groupwork helps individuals in groups to take responsibility for their
own behavior, relate with others and teaches them to become
participating members of society.
Group is defined as a collection of individuals who have
common characteristics and are pursuing a common goal. It
also pertains to two or more persons in a relationship of
psychic interaction with one another acting as one entity. A
group is at least two people, but usually more, gathered
together with common purposes or like interest in a
cognitive, affective and social interchange in a single or
repeated encounter.
TYPES OF GROUPS
 Today, social workers have a vast opportunity to work with different types of groups
given their employment in an increasingly wide variety of social welfare settings.
Social workers usually deal with the following types of groups.
1.Growth group
 Composed of people who are longing for love, affirmation, freedom, pleasure and
adventure. It serves as the venue of experiencing good human ecology, caring and
communication, honesty and acceptance.
2.Treatment group
 This group is composed of the different type of individuals belonging to the special
group or category of clients such as; unwed mothers, street children, drug
dependents,
TYPES OF GROUPS
*single parents and victims of rape/incest.
 Geared towards helping individuals or members solve their problems in social
adjustment, release, deep seated conflicts, hostilities and depression. Modify anti-
social behavior and attitudes.
3.Social group
 Members is composed of those who are lonely, isolated friendless and those who
have problems in relating with others.it is primarily aimed to provide opportunities
for the establishment of interpersonal relationships and to create a friendly and
harmonious atmosphere to enable group members to comfortably relate with each
other.
TYPES OF GROUPS
4.Interest group
 This group is composed of people who have decided to group together in order to
meet their varied interest that are met at their work place or in their membership
with their other organizations.

5.Play/recreation group
 Members to this group includes individuals who are deprived of pleasurable
activities that are used to modify undesirable behavior. such activities include
games, dances, songs and other leisure time activities that enable participants to
re-direct their attention to more wholesome productive endeavors that would
redound to them ultimate development.
Since social workers use the group approach for many reasons and that there are
many advantages found in this mode of service delivery, let us now find out how
social workers can use groups introduced by Margaret E. Hartford.

1. For effect on participants

 This means that the group is used to effect desired changes on the group members
such as;
a.Acquiring or changing concept of self.
b.Attitude formation and change
c.Formation and modification of values and beliefs
d.Behavioral change
e.Achieving a sense of belonging and support
2.For collective problem solving
 This is related to the formation of groups where
people are helped in their problems or concerns
collectively like:
 Participation of groups in community-wide projects
such as construction of multi-purpose community
center.
 Obtaining resources needed for the maintenance of
income-generating projects.
3.For change in social situation/condition outside
the group
 This means that the group can initiate some
changes in the society/ community which benefit
not only its members but the entire population as
well. Such changes can be achieved through social
action and other collective measures that are
undertaken to foster human growth and
development.
A wide selection of social science
literature tells us how groups bring
about change. Of these, Darwin
Cartwright has three ways of viewing
how groups enter into a process of
change are the most relevant
1.The group as medium of change
 In this view the group is seen as a
source of influence over its members.
2.The group as the target of agent of
change
 This perspective implies that to
change the behavior of individuals, it
may necessary to change the group
leadership, its emotional atmosphere
or its stratification into cliques and
hierarchies. This the group is that
target of influence
3. The group as an agent of change.
 This view emphasizes the active
involvement of the group in efforts to
modify or redirect features in the
social environment which impose
constraints on the group which can
adversely affect its development and
goal achievement. Hence, changes of
behavior can only be brought about
by the organized efforts of groups as
agents of change.
 Thelma Lee Mendoza, Social work with Groups, 1999
 Mendoza, Thelma Lee, Social Work Review Notes, UP Diliman, 2017
 UNP notes
 Kurland (1982) identifies seven general areas that need
to be considered by the worker in planning for a group:
(1) need, (2) purpose, (3) composition, (4) structure,
(5) content, (6) pre-group contact, and (7) agency
context.
 These areas do not comprise a check-list but rather,
each represents a key element of a dynamic process.
These seven interdependent and overlapping
components, which will be discussed in more detail
below, have been found to be critical in the success of a
group
1) Need.
The homeless mentally ill are many different
people with many different needs. Planning a
group for them must involve the identification
of a common need. Usually a concrete, basic
human need such as food, clothing, shelter,
safety, etc., will prove to be paramount and
can be considered as the initial group need.
2) Purpose.
With the homeless mentally ill, the purpose of the
group will be to assist in the identification of
resources (internal and external) to meet these
basic identified needs. For example, if food is the
identified need, a group might be formed for the
purpose of food preparation and food buying skill
development, thereby enhancing self-sufficiency.
3) Composition.
 When considering the formation of a group for homeless
mentally ill men and women, composition is a very
important aspect. Decisions about who is in the group, how
many group members, whether the group is open or
closed, will depend on the nature of the group and the
characteristics of the potential members. Homeless
mentally ill men and women initially appear withdrawn
and reticent, requiring great care in inviting and
encouraging their participation in any type of activity.
Compensation for their participation must be immediately
apparent and the belief system clear.
4) Structure. The degree to which the group is
structured should be reflective of the
successful satisfaction of the three previous
components. Some homeless mentally ill
persons can tolerate more structure than
others. However, homelessness means more
than being without a home, it means being
without a foundation, without a structure;
essential elements in everyone’s life.
4) Structure.
The homeless mentally ill need structure in order to
begin to organize their lives. What will the time
arrangements be? Where will the group meet? How
many meetings will be held? These are all questions
that help to create some structure, albeit limited in
scope. Records and accountability must also be
considered as essential parts of the structure of the
group. Records need not be elaborate, however, some
information must be available to the worker from
session to session and to the agency.
5) Content.
With content, the worker must be creative. Homeless
mentally ill men and women respond most readily to
flexible, consistent, and persistent involvement from
workers. Translation: Don’t plan everything, but do plan
much of it. Too little isn’t enough, too much is
overwhelming. For example, if it is a cooking group, start
out planning the menu with the exception of one item (let
the group members decide which vegetable to have). Buy
all the food items the first few times, eventually the group
members may buy some of the necessary items.
6) Pre-Group Contact.
Where the group members will come from is
very important. Some homeless men and
women live on the streets, or in transportation
facilities and parks; others are clients (guests
and members) of day programs, drop-in
centers, SRO hotels, and shelters.
6) Pre-Group Contact.
People who are living on the streets, “in the
outdoors,” will present very differently than those
from “indoor systems.” This is a very important
element when selecting members and determines
how they will be recruited. Additionally, the worker
must decide what information about each potential
member is necessary to know. Such information
will depend on the purpose of the group.
7) Agency Context.
Does the group “fit” into the agency’s purpose?
What resources are “readily accessible, readily
available” to support the group? This is very
important when considering a group for homeless
mentally ill persons. These men and women have
lived (and are currently living) without resources. If
it is difficult for them to get the necessary support
and materials to meet their needs, they will be very
reluctant to remain in the group.
7) Agency Context.
Initially, immediate gratification is critical.
Agency support must be visible and
consistent. The agency’s support is also
necessary to the worker. Working with
homeless mentally ill persons can be
extremely difficult, frustrating, and trying at
times. The agency must recognize this and
supply the worker with adequate support.