SWM5117 · Assessment and Intervention: Working with groups and communities

Overview

This unit extends your knowledge and understanding of social work assessment and intervention principles developed in the first year of your studies. The unit will provide you with a structured introduction to social work practice with groups and communities, including differences when working with other cultural groups. You will learn how theory informs effective group and community focussed social work practice. The unit will explore social therapeutic, psychosocial educational group work and community level assessments and interventions. Throughout the unit you will be provided with the opportunity to develop and practice group facilitation skills and to demonstrate critical thinking regarding the policy and political context of group and community work.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment in this unit includes hurdle assessment tasks. Failure of any hurdle assessment task may result in failure of the unit.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Articulate major concepts and theories informing group and community work in social work practice.
2. Differentiate between treatment and task-based group work, community development interventions and the implications for social work practice.
3. Use appropriate group facilitation methods in the context of social work intervention at treatment groups, task groups and community development level practice, taking into consideration the cultural make-up of the group.
4. Critically evaluate your role within group settings and activities, including how you manage group dynamics, power relations and conflict in groups.
5. Identify and discuss community development principles, practices, values and contemporary debates used to bring about social change.
6. Use core skills in community development practice to identify community strengths, enhance community empowerment, collective action and plan a community work intervention in ways that consider common community development challenges.
7. Evaluate the impacts of current policy and political context on group and community work.

Workload

12 hours of teacher directed study per week, including a 2 hour lecture and 2 hour tutorial; remaining hours involve directed readings and class preparation, along with guided reflection and consolidation activities. 12 hours per week of self-directed study. Off-campus students: 2 days of on campus workshops, to be advised at the start of semester.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.