The concepts of this course will allow Missional students to focuses on the development of group leaders who possess both an understanding of group dynamics and effective leadership skills. Missional students will deal with content that addresses both task and treatment groups utilizing an ecosystems developmental framework. Emphasis is placed on understanding, affirming, and respecting groups with diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age, and national origin. Missional students will learn Social work group facilitation through utilizing empirically based theories and interventions to achieve client goals. Missional students will also know how to evaluate the effectiveness of group interventions.
Through participating in this course, students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of social group work and practice related to the strengths, capacities and resources of individuals within groups; Develop skills in identifying group members’ issues, problems, needs, resources, and assets within a framework of group processes, dynamics, and developmental stages; Understand and apply basic concepts of task-oriented group work, including recruiting and selecting members, leadership, group decision-making and problem solving, running an effective meeting, and evaluation of task groups. Understand and apply basic concepts of treatment groups, including group formation, facilitation, and termination (assessment, intervention, and evaluation); Develop tools and techniques for understanding, affirming, and respecting group members from diverse backgrounds, distinguished by characteristics including (but not limited to) race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age, and national origin. Explore what is involved in making real-life ethical choices, establishing a professional self, applying social work values and utilizing the ethical decision making process, as illuminated by the NASW Code of Ethics, to social work with groups (etc.).
Social work group facilitation is done utilizing empirically-based theories and interventions to achieve client goals. This course is need so students will know how to evaluate the overall effectiveness of interventions and processes involved in groups.
Biblical foudations are present within this course relating to peace, resolution, and restoration of harmony within groups.
This course is missional because of the emphasis on providing services beyond the scope of the traditional church setting.
This Course is contextual in support of leadership skills with groups in order to help alleviate critical social problems and enhance group well-being.
This course is Intercultural because it is designed to aide students in being able to conduct groups from a multicultural perspective.
This course has practical application within society.
The course is organized as an experiential skill environment, utilizing small group context for practice, role play, and other experiential activities for student skill development in leading groups.
