Principles of social group work

Principles of social group work

• Recognition and subsequent action in relation to unique difference of each individual

No two persons are alike in all qualities and traits. Every individual in a group is different in its qualities and characters. Therefore, it is necessary to identify individuals and their relationship to other individuals within the group. It would be easy to design activities if the relation of each unique individual is recognized. While working in a group, every individual is important. One member of a group cannot make his/her own decision. S/he can provide an opinion but cannot reject the ideas provided by other members of a group. It is necessary to accept all the ideas and opinion and filter them. The filter ideas can be designed as the possible intervention to solve the problem. Moreover, if we recognized the relation of each individual and set the action subsequently, it would be easy for the group to solve the problem.

For example, there are ten members in a group and all the members are from the different community and are of a different caste. The motto the group is to change the thinking pattern of a community regarding caste system. In this situation, all the group member should listen the ideas uttered and provided by them. Because those ideas could produce effective intervention to solve the problem. Therefore, it is necessary to accept the information provided by each of the unique individuals and should relate them.

• Recognition and subsequent action in relation to the wide variety of groups as groups

It is another important principle developed. This principle recognizes and designs subsequent action in relation to different groups. There might be different groups working for the same issue. However, the way of doing and performing tasks might vary from one group to another group. Moreover, the nature and the structure of the group are never similar. They are different from each other. In the problem-solving process, the group accepts the only homogenous problem and solve them. The problem approached in different groups might be same but the causes may be different. Therefore they must be accepted as separate one. Thus groups must develop the intervention strategy according to the nature of the problem.

For example, if the number of individuals having homogeneous problem comes to a group seeking professional health then those individual most be accepted as a single and unique problem. Even the group had solved the similar problem earlier, it is necessary to accept the problem and identify the causes of the problem and its relation to another aspect of life. To solve the problem, the group must recognize the client, the problem, and its causes. After recognizing the problem, the group should develop subsequent actions. If the problem seems ambiguous one group refers to another group in order to solve the problem.

• Genuine acceptance of each individual with his unique strength and weakness

The aim of group work is to solve the similar problem of individuals who approach the problem to the group. During acceptance, group worker should not be biased. Group worker must accept individual being based on the ethical principle of social work. Accepting the individual as family members, friends and to pay back revenge could lead into nothingness. Therefore each individual with the similar problem must be accepted genuinely. If the process of acceptance is practice in a healthy manner, then group worker could face no problem. They will be able to identify the strength and weakness of those individual easily. Furthermore, a different individual has a different problem and have different strength and weakness. Therefore, group worker should identify the weakness and convert them into strength.

For example, a group of people from same community approaches to the group workers claiming that they are facing the same problem. The problem that their children take alcohol and involve in different ill activities. However, if group worker accepts few individual as their relatives, few as to take revenge and few as a friend, they will never success in gathering genuine information. They will fail to identify the weakness and strength of the client.

• Establishment of a purposeful relationship between group workers and group members

The relationship is key in social work. Without relationship, trust cannot be developed and without trust one fails to gather necessary information. The relationship is the basis of all help. The relationship should develop around the act of helping each other between the group worker and group member. In social work practice, purposeful relationship paves the way to achieve the designed goal. In the same manner, there must be a purposeful relationship between group workers and group members. If the relationship between group workers and groups members is not good then a group fails. Therefore, group worker should have we feeling, work together respecting worth and dignity of each group member. A purposeful relationship will also create the ground for exchanging knowledge, skill, building trust, erasing communication gap and so on.

For example, if a member of the group has a relationship problem with another member of the same group then they cannot work together. They misjudge one another. There will be no notion of trust between them. Thus, creates communication problem and will face various problem while working together in solving the problem.

• Encouragement and enabling of help and cooperative relationship between members

Group members are responsible for a group. Every group member has equal responsibility towards the group and its objectives. To achieve objective group members must work together in a cooperatives manner. Helping group members will help to solve the problem easily. Sometimes group members need encouragement and motivation. At that situation, a group member should motivate their members. This will picture the positive relationship between group members. Therefore, problem approach to group worker could be solved easily.

For example, if a group member has lost his/her documents and s/he feeling uneasy in front of the group members then group member should help him/her. They should encourage telling that you can do it again. This type of cooperative environment will create a sound relationship between group members and thus objectives can be achieved.

• Appropriate modification of group process

Every group work writes their strategies. It is not sure that the intervention strategies said by group workers are suitable to solve the problem. The appropriate modification is necessary according to the nature of the problem and the situation. Group workers aim to provide a possible solution to the problem. They can modify their process mechanism if it is necessary while solving the problem.

For example, if a group had planned to finish their activities of solving the problem in six months taking three cases. However, a group of individual with similar problem approach group worker to help them. Group workers found the problem very genuine, accepted them and extended their working mechanism for eight months with a different approach of intervention.

• Encouragement of each member to participate according to the stage of his capacity and enabling him into more capable

Participation is one of the important aspects to enhance the capacity of the individual. In a group, each member needs to be encouraged to participate according to the stage of his capacity and make him or her more capable. Group workers work in process. It works on stage too. Each group members has his/her own capacity to handle the problem. Therefore, each member needs encouragement to take part in different stages of the problem-solving process according to his/her capacity. This chain of participating helps group workers to enhance their capacity.

For example, if the group members are capable and have strength to handle the serious case, then they must be encouraged to participate in handling the case. This will increase their level of understanding and enhance their capacity too.