What Is Meant by Group Work?
Question 1
What is meant by group work?
• A number of people or things gather, placed, or classed together for some purpose”. When we think about working in a group, the key words are “for some purpose”. Group working is a situation where there is a common purpose(s), a shared aim(s) • The benefit of the group is : • Ideas sharing • Tapping into a pool of wider experience • Learning to deal with challenges or criticism • Stimulating thinking and clarifying your own thoughts • Learning to be tolerant and to adjust your own approach/attitude • Helping to keep up morale e.g. all are experiencing the same problems i.e. mutual support- can help each other through any difficulties • Creation of a network of individuals bringing talents, contacts, skills and experiences that one single person would not possess • Particularly useful for complex problems, generating ideas, ideas sharing, reaching difficult decisions • Can increase commitment • Improvement of listening skills- hearing and understanding others’ point of view or frame of reference • Improvement of speaking skills • Improvement of diplomacy/negotiation skills • Promotion of the “ownership” of a solution
Group behaviour must achieve two major objectives: • Group maintenance • Task orientation (purpose)
Group maintenance implies building and maintaining relationships between group members, ensuring that all feel valued and valuable. In informal groups, such as 2 or 3 friends working together on homework, this is not a major issue. In a more formal situation, a conscious effert needs to be made for cohesion to be maintained and any conflicts which develop to be managed and resolved within the group.
Task orientation means that each member of the more formal group will have a certain role to play in reaching a common goal. These roles have to be distributed so that the goal is reached
What is meant by group work?
• A number of people or things gather, placed, or classed together for some purpose”. When we think about working in a group, the key words are “for some purpose”. Group working is a situation where there is a common purpose(s), a shared aim(s) • The benefit of the group is : • Ideas sharing • Tapping into a pool of wider experience • Learning to deal with challenges or criticism • Stimulating thinking and clarifying your own thoughts • Learning to be tolerant and to adjust your own approach/attitude • Helping to keep up morale e.g. all are experiencing the same problems i.e. mutual support- can help each other through any difficulties • Creation of a network of individuals bringing talents, contacts, skills and experiences that one single person would not possess • Particularly useful for complex problems, generating ideas, ideas sharing, reaching difficult decisions • Can increase commitment • Improvement of listening skills- hearing and understanding others’ point of view or frame of reference • Improvement of speaking skills • Improvement of diplomacy/negotiation skills • Promotion of the “ownership” of a solution
Group behaviour must achieve two major objectives: • Group maintenance • Task orientation (purpose)
Group maintenance implies building and maintaining relationships between group members, ensuring that all feel valued and valuable. In informal groups, such as 2 or 3 friends working together on homework, this is not a major issue. In a more formal situation, a conscious effert needs to be made for cohesion to be maintained and any conflicts which develop to be managed and resolved within the group.
Task orientation means that each member of the more formal group will have a certain role to play in reaching a common goal. These roles have to be distributed so that the goal is reached
Bibliography: Corey, G. 2000. Theory and practise of group counselling. 5th edition. Pacific Grove, Calif: Brooks/Cole. Toseland,RW & Rivas, RF.2001. An introduction to group practise. London: Allyn & Bacon. Trecker,HB 1975. Social group work: principles and practices. New York: Associate Press.