Seminar In Advanced Social Work Practice With Small Groups Social Work 244 Evaluation of Practice Paper It is assumed that you will have a small group experience of some kind in your field placement this semester. This paper will be based on that group and should address the following questions: Introduction: Describe the group, where it is located, time frame (how often it meets, how many meetings), open vs. closed membership, and your role in the group (member, facilitator, co-facilitator, etc.). Part I. Identify the kind of group and its characteristics as closely as possible (remember Toseland Rivas’ caveat on p. 21 regarding the rarity of real-life groups with only one purpose) by comparing the agency group to the parameters in T & R’s Table 1.2, Comparison of Task & Treatment Groups (p.15); Table 1:3, Treatment Groups (p.22), or Table 1.4 Task Groups (pp.29-31). Describe the group you are workinh with in relation to the following: Purpose Leadership Focus Bond Composition Communication Part II. Leading a group without having explicit theoretical rationale is like flying a plane without a flight plan—although you may eventually get there, you’re equally likely to run out of gas. If you operate in a theoretical vacuum and are unable to draw theory to support your interventions, your groups may not reach a productive stage. Theory is not a rigid set of structures that prescribes, step by step, what and how you should function as a leader. Rather, we see theory as a general framework that helps you make sense of the many facets of group process, provides you with a map giving direction to what you do and say in a group, and helps you think about the possible results of your interventions. (Corey & Corey, 1997, p.8) The theories or models for practice for small groups will vary depending on two primary variables: (1) the purpose or goals of the group (what kind of change is being sought in or by the group members?) and (2) the belief system, values, and ideology of the practitioner/agency regarding the goal of the intervention and how it can be achieved, for example, should the group focus on behavioral change, problem solving, empowerment, education, personality reconstruction, etc.? Theory helps answer the questions. “Which of these interventions works best with which goal?” In this part of the paper, Identify: 1. The theory or practice model on which the group work interventions (methodology) are based, e.g. communication theory, transactional analysis, feminist theory, behavioral theory, social learning theory, systems theory, etc. (See Francis Turner, Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches, esp. Chapter 1, “Theory in Social Work Practice,” and Chapter 24, “A Multi-theory Perspective for practice”; Toseland & Rivas, Chapter 2, and John Longres, Human behavior in the social environment. 2. The methodology (interventions) for achieving the purpose/goals for group? (See T & R. esp. pp. 55-63; A. Alissi. Social group work practice; F. Turner, Social work treatment, 4th. Ed.; Fatout, M. (1992). Models for change in social group work. 3. Briefly describe the following group dynamics (T & R, Capter 3): 91) Communication & Interaction Patterns; (2) Group Cohesion; (3) Social Interaction and Influence: Norms; Roles; Status; and (4) Group Culture. Remember to define these concepts before you apply them to your group. 4. Utilizing evaluative tools relevant to social work with groups (e.g. T & R Chapter 8, Assessment-choose one assessment tool; chapter 13, Evaluation-choose one evaluation tool), discuss the group’s progress in meeting the goals/objectives/purpose of the group. Evaluate your own practice as either worker or group member. Use at least three references (in addition to your class texts from this or any other course) to inform your response to Part II. Check the social work journals—especially the group work journals, e.g Social Work With Groups—for articles, as well as using the bibliographic material provided by the text for the course.