Spring 2025 SOWK 487w Week 13 - The How To's of Running a Group

Spring 2025 SOWK 487w Week 13 - The How To’s of Running a Group

title: Spring 2025 SOWK 487w Week 13 - The How To’s of Running a Group date: 2025-04-15 23:01:32 location: Heritage University tags:

• Heritage University
• BASW Program
• SOWK 487w presentation_video: > “” description: >

Week 13 looks at activities done as a part of a social work group and how to facilitate them. The reading for this week is the second half of the report we read during week seven, and you can find the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (2014) Section 2 there. We spend time talking through some tips offered by the International Association for Social Work Groups. The agenda for the session is as follows.

• Using Activities
• Prevention Groups and Public Health Model
• Examples of group exercises

Agenda: Week 13 for SOWK 487w

• Using Activities
• Prevention Groups and Public Health Model
• Examples of group exercises

The Keys to Staying on Track

Spatial Requirements: Classroom with moderate space required
Activity Type: Movement/group Grades: 3-12
Group Size: 10 or more
Time: 30 minutes
Introduction: Individuals involved in self-defeating behaviors do not understand the impact they have on themselves, their family, their co-workers, their school, and on society. Self-defeating behaviors are easy, but doors will open to the person who takes the harder but worth it track and strives to achieve ambitions, dreams, and goals. Opportunity, freedom, and self-respect will follow. This activity demonstrates that what is not always easy is worth it in the long run.

Materials:

• 30 3x5 cards with the same number on both sides (from 1 to 30)
• Masking tape
• Timer/stop watch
• Whiteboard and markers
• Permanent marker

Activity:

To prepare for this activity, set up a rectangular shape (12’ by 24’) on the floor with the masking tape. Place the numbered 3x5 cards on the floor in random order with the even numbers placed on one half of the rectangle, and the odd numbers placed on the other half (as shown in the chart on the following page). Set this up in an area where the group cannot see it until they start the activity. Make a start/finish line 20 feet away from the rectangle with masking tape. Explain the activity in another room by drawing the rectangle with a few numbers inside on the whiteboard as an example. Do not tell them that there are 30 numbers. Tell the following story to set the stage for the activity:

Your group has been selected to compete for a contract to build a railroad to connect the tip of South America to Alaska. The people awarding the contract have come up with an activity to test your ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, work as a team, and solve problems. Each member of the group needs to touch the numbered cardstock (the cardstock represents railroad ties) in numerical order (1 through 30). One player runs in and touches the # 1 and comes back out. The second player runs in and touches # 2 and comes back out, etc. Each member of the group needs to touch at least one of the numbers. There can only be one group member inside the rectangle at a time. A 10-second penalty will be added for: a number touched out of order, two people in the rectangle at the same time, or a person in the group not touching a number. In order for the group to get the contract, they need to do the activity in less than one minute and 25 seconds. They have four attempts to get the contract. Give the group three to five minutes to plan the activity without you in the room. After the planning is over, bring the group to the starting line and ask if there are any final questions. Start the group and start the timer.

Notes to the facilitator:

As the group is going through the activity, keep track of penalties. Stop the timer when the last person in the group is over the starting/ending line. Give the group their time and penalties, and allow three to four minutes to process. Start the processing by asking the group what they learned and what they can do better. Continue for three more attempts. After the fourth attempt, or when they get under the 1:25, process the activity.

Processing the Experience:

• What were some of the challenges of the task?
• Did you make the same mistake more than once? What was it?
• What mistakes did you correct in the activity?
• What type of teamwork was displayed in the activity?
• By accomplishing your goal, what kind of opportunities were opened up for your group?
• What consequences came as a result of penalties?
• What would have happened if a member of the group said, “This is stupid and I am not going to do it?”
• What motivated you to stay with the activity and not quit or give up?
• How do our choices in life affect others?
• What challenges do you face in your life?
• What were some of the principles that helped you accomplish the task?
• How would these principles help you on the path to opportunity, freedom, and self-respect?

Planning for and Using Activities: Questions to Consider

We don’t just use activities in our groups to use activities. They should always have a purpose and rationale. The following questions can be helpful when considering an activity and including.

• How prescriptive should the activity be? (i.e., is it a free-wheeling activity like a game of tag or one that requires detailed instruction like chess?);
• How is the activity regulated or controlled? (i.e., does the activity allow for some autonomy and control among the members, or is it purely leader-controlled?);
• What are the relationship demands or levels of interaction required? (i.e., is it a side-by-side arts and crafts activity or a face-to-face intense role-playing exercise); and
• What is the level of competence required? (i.e., is it an activity that will leave anyone feeling incompetent or inferior, or does everyone have a reasonable chance at feeling they have successfully participated; or is it an activity that might frustrate a bit in an attempt to help members in part, to develop greater frustration tolerance, for example).

Relate it to previous activity (e.g., keys to staying on track)

(International Association of Social Work Groups & Malakoff, n.d.) https://www.iaswg.org/assets/docs/group_work_tips_from_andy_malekoff.docx

Clarity of Group Purpose

a clearly defined purpose is the powerful ally of group workers and members alike. It is crucial to the success of the groups with which we work. (Kurland & Salmon, 2006, p. 107)

• The purpose of the group can be stated clearly and concisely by both clients and the worker
• The stated purpose is the same for both clients and the worker, even if they might express it in different words
• The purpose is specific enough to provide direction and implications for group content
• The purpose is specific enough so that both clients and the worker will know when it has been achieved

Common Mistakes of Practitioners: Related to Sharing Purpose

(Kurland and Salmon (2006) describe six common mistakes that practitioners in leading groups related to sharing purpose.

• Practitioners promote a group Purpose without adequate consideration of client need. (consider not allowing the group to flow were needed)
• Practitioners confuse group Purpose with group content. (confusing the means and the ends. Think about getting to the root of the problem and knowing reasons verses what going to do.)
• Practitioners state group Purpose at such a high level of generality that it is vague and meaningless and, therefore, provides little direction for the group. (does not provide focus or structure)
• Practitioners are reluctant to share with the members their perceptions and ideas about the group’s Purpose. (it is ok to share and help guide the group.)
• Practitioners function with a hidden Purpose in mind that they do not share with the group. (manipulative. Don’t be afraid to come right out and share what is going on.)
• Practitioners do not understand Purpose as a dynamic, evolving concept that changes over the life of the group. Instead, they view Purpose as static and fixed. (it is a dynamic process that grows)

(p. 108)

A Risk and protective Factor Sculpture

Taken from Guiding Good Choices session 1.

We are going to be talking about risk and protective factors later today. I wanted to start with an activity to see how they interact.

• Obtain volunteers for each protective factor
  • Adolescent, parent, grandparent, coach, minister, friend
• Have form a circle of protection around the adolescent joining hands
• Obtain volunteers for risk factors
  • convenience store operator, other friend, brother, school board president
• Instruct people representing risk factors to try to “get to” our adolescents through the circle of protection without causing any bodily injury. After a minute or so, help participants debrief what they saw or heard happening.
• _______ is pretty well protective here. We could form a group of parents to tell the convenience store operators they’ve had enough and will not allow the sale of alcohol to minors. They will picket the store, etc.
• Bring person into circle too Feedback

Prevention in Public Health

The public health framework is a method for creating change at various levels using the following key ideas:

[Whole Class Activity] Relate each key idea to PDC and coalition work.

• Defining the target: A identified area of focus.
• Understanding Risk and Protection: Through research-based knowledge, finding corollary or casual ways to relate things to the target. Risks are the factors that play a causal role that have a perceived negative, whereas protective factors are those that are perceived as positive.
• Interrupting Risk and Building Protection: Develop interventions to interrupt risk or promote protective processes.
• Assessing the Effectiveness of Prevention: Assess level of change.

PDC Logic Model

Show and talk about the target, risk and protective factors, interventions, and evaluation that is done related to the logic model

DBHR CPWI Framework

Discuss the similarities of Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative (CPWI)’s through DSHS Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) planning framework to the generalist intervention model.

Universal vs Selective

Prevention groups can choose to either do universal prevention or selective prevention.

Universal is focused on things provided to everybody. Selective is where a group is specifically targeted.

-> Next Slide

Universal vs Selective

Selective practice can be related to some of the following considerations:

[Whole Class Activity] Elicit examples of each.

• Person-Environment Fit: groups using a cognitive behavioral approach to improve a person in the environment fit (i.e., group addressing beliefs about condom use and how to get a partner to use)
  • Focus on individual change or group change
  • Can be skill building (role play)
• Human Development: Interventions should be built on research-based knowledge of human development.
  • Built on needs that are presented
  • Reviews developmental transitions Culturally Competent Practice: Cultural Humility They can also have indicated services, which are focused on needs that have been demonstrated or require a higher level of support. These indicated needs are often performed by an outside professional or persons with more specific training.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Pyramid

The idea of universal vs selective fits in very well with the PBIS Tiered Intervention Model.

Discuss each component and how what it looks like.

Types of Exercises

The exercise needs to be appropriate for the age and experience levels of participants to ensure that participants have sufficient developmental resources to benefit from the experience. Congruence between the dimensions addressed in the didactic component and the dimensions experienced in the exercise is essential. (p.38)

• Self-assessment
• Cognitive restructuring
• Role-playing
• Imagery
• Body awareness
• Homework

String Paint and Stories

• Description: Sometimes when wanting to talk about deeper more difficult issues, it is helpful to give group members something else to focus on while they talk. One thing that you can do is give them a piece of paper with a string and some paint. They are instructed to make a panting with the string while they talk about the day’s topic.
• Purpose: It is sometime easier to share about various issues when you are also doing another mindless task (such as painting with string). This allows the member to not be so concerned that everybody else is looking at them.

[Whole Class Activity] Have students divide up into three groups. One student will be chosen as the facilitator. Following a mutual aid model, students will spend time discussing difficulties in being able to implement self-care in their lives or the successes in being able to take care of themselves.

Speed Hating - A Date with Discrimination

Speed Hating: A Date with Discrimination

• Something I was taught by creators at national RHA meeting
• Will have a brief period of time to read the scenario, then act out the conversation

[Whole Class Activity] Have everybody move chairs and tables into speed dating set up…

[Activity] Have everybody complete the speed dating topic.

• Something I was taught by creators at national RHA meeting
• Will have a brief period of time to read the scenario, then act out the conversation

Debriefing

• What did you think of the activity
• Any areas that it made you think differently?