Social Work with Groups

The objectives of this course can be defined in two, the first one being the characteristics and phases of social work with groups, as well as skills and technics as group facilitators throughout different phases of group work, characteristic of participants/clients and individual and group goals. The second objective is related to lectures and workshops directed towards development of skills for planning group work, selection of participants, giving and receiving feedback, directing group discussions, evaluation, preparation for separation and other skills and technics necessary for directing the group structure and dynamic towards the realization of pre-defined individual and group goals.

It is expected that after completing this course students will be able to recognize and understand:
characteristics and importance of social work with groups
specifics of groups structure and dynamic
different types of groups in social work
specifics of different development phases of group social work
skills and technics necessary for social workers working with groups
advantages and downfalls of joint group facilitations (with other social workers or other professionals)

The main topics within this course are organized as following:
Conceptual defining and characteristics of social work with groups
Importance of group work in social work and its relation with other methods in social work
theoretical basis of social work with groups
types of groups om psychosocial work
Structure, facilitation and group roles
Effective facilitation of treatment group in social work
Managing group dynamic in social work with groups
Development phases of working with groups
Planning and preparing for working with groups
Communication in social work with groups
Preparation for separation and evaluation
Effects of therapy in group social work
Applying group social work in different systems and in working with different categories of clients

Lectures and workshops with interactive participation. Interactive group learning. Showing video materials and documentaries. Literature seminars. Written seminars/papers. Oral commenting and short presentations in class. Consultations.