rethinking alliances between self help groups and social workers presenting authors: carol s. cohen...
TRANSCRIPT
Rethinking Alliances Between Self Help Groups and
Social Workers
Presenting Authors: Presenting Authors: Carol S. Cohen & Timothy B. Kelly
Social Work & Social Development 2012: Action and Impact
8-12 July 2012, Stockholm Sweden
Introductions Introductions
Welcome to the PresentationWelcome to the Presentation Presenters and Collaborating PartnersPresenters and Collaborating Partners Conceptualizing Self Help Groups and Conceptualizing Self Help Groups and
Social WorkSocial Work Study Methods and FindingsStudy Methods and Findings Preliminary Principles Preliminary Principles Questions and Follow UpQuestions and Follow Up
Collaborating PartnersCollaborating Partners Carol S. Cohen, Adelphi University School of Social Work,
Garden City, New York, United States Geeta Balakrishnan, Nirmala Niketan, College of Social Work,
Mumbai, India Jacqueline B. Mondros, Hunter College, Silberman School of
Social Work, New York, United States Ephrat Huss, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Charlotte B.
and Jack J. Spitzer Department of Social Work, Beer-Sheva, Israel Timothy B. Kelly, University of Dundee, School of Education,
Social Work and Community Education, Dundee, United Kingdom
Siu-wai Lit, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Sonia Spelters, Association for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups, German Chapter, Viersen, Germany
Study MethodsStudy Methods Literature ReviewsLiterature Reviews International Field Experiences International Field Experiences Research Design for Data CollectionResearch Design for Data Collection
• SHG selection and participationSHG selection and participation• Group and individual interviewsGroup and individual interviews• Research protectionsResearch protections• Extended plan for data collectionExtended plan for data collection
Preliminary AnalysisPreliminary Analysis Emerging Principles Emerging Principles
Self Help Groups and Self Help Groups and Social DevelopmentSocial Development
Literature Review & DiscussionLiterature Review & Discussion SHGs are community platforms for SHGs are community platforms for
empowerment and bringing people together empowerment and bringing people together with common concernswith common concerns
Members often gain visibility in their Members often gain visibility in their neighbourhood and are advocates for changeneighbourhood and are advocates for change
Membership often leads to interaction across Membership often leads to interaction across diverse groupsdiverse groups
SHGs support members in accomplishing SHGs support members in accomplishing their individual and group goals, as well as their individual and group goals, as well as the larger community on issues of social the larger community on issues of social change and justicechange and justice
Self Help Groups and Self Help Groups and Social Development Social Development
Literature Review & DiscussionLiterature Review & Discussion
Members increase their collective Members increase their collective bargaining powersbargaining powers
Members increase their self efficacy Members increase their self efficacy through association with others in similar through association with others in similar circumstancescircumstances
Membership helps increase members’: Membership helps increase members’: • Confidence and self relianceConfidence and self reliance• Communication skills Communication skills • Interpersonal and interaction skills Interpersonal and interaction skills • Decision making skills Decision making skills
Self Help Groups and Social WorkSelf Help Groups and Social WorkLiterature Review & DiscussionLiterature Review & Discussion
Foundations of Social WorkFoundations of Social Work
• Settlement houses Settlement houses • Voluntary associationsVoluntary associations• Social justiceSocial justice• Multi-level, multi-method practiceMulti-level, multi-method practice• Working from case to causeWorking from case to cause• International ethics and standardsInternational ethics and standards
Self Help Groups and Social WorkSelf Help Groups and Social WorkLiterature Review & DiscussionLiterature Review & Discussion
Social Group WorkSocial Group Work• Mutual aidMutual aid• Social actionSocial action• Group processesGroup processes
Community OrganizationCommunity Organization• EmpowermentEmpowerment• Issue clarificationIssue clarification• Strategies and tacticsStrategies and tactics
Self Help Groups and Social WorkSelf Help Groups and Social WorkLiterature Review & DiscussionLiterature Review & Discussion
Organizational Practice and Social Organizational Practice and Social Work AdministrationWork Administration• Supervision Supervision Capacity buildingCapacity building• LeadershipLeadership CollaborationCollaboration• TeamworkTeamwork Coalitions & consortiaCoalitions & consortia
Consultation, Technical Assistance, Consultation, Technical Assistance, and Trainingand Training• Teamwork and organizational processesTeamwork and organizational processes• Developmental stages Developmental stages Policy analysisPolicy analysis• Financial operationsFinancial operations Resource generationResource generation
Overview of Self Help Groups Overview of Self Help Groups Participating in this StudyParticipating in this Study
GermanyGermany Hong KongHong Kong IndiaIndia IsraelIsrael ScotlandScotland United StatesUnited States
Preliminary Findings: Preliminary Findings: United States & ScotlandUnited States & Scotland
BeginningsBeginnings Forming RelationshipsForming Relationships Community & Culturally GroundingCommunity & Culturally Grounding Multiple Modes & CreativityMultiple Modes & Creativity Phases of Group DevelopmentPhases of Group Development Social Networks and ResourcesSocial Networks and Resources
Emerging Principles for Social Emerging Principles for Social Workers Working with Self Help GroupWorkers Working with Self Help Group
Social workers build relationships with SHGs out Social workers build relationships with SHGs out of the group’s issues and desires for of the group’s issues and desires for professional consultationprofessional consultation
Social workers focus on needs directly Social workers focus on needs directly
articulated by members, and address these as articulated by members, and address these as critical in a time-sensitive manner. The critical in a time-sensitive manner. The members own their needs – not the worker.members own their needs – not the worker.
Social workers contract and consult through Social workers contract and consult through processes that are locally rooted and responsive processes that are locally rooted and responsive to SHGs to SHGs
Emerging Principles for Social Emerging Principles for Social Workers Working with Self Help GroupWorkers Working with Self Help Group
Social workers are flexible and innovative in Social workers are flexible and innovative in providing consultation, including in relation to providing consultation, including in relation to structures and content for consultation.structures and content for consultation.
Social workers understand and work in Social workers understand and work in recognition of SHG’ stage of development. recognition of SHG’ stage of development.
Social workers are knowledgeable and Social workers are knowledgeable and prepared to assist SHGs in identifying, prepared to assist SHGs in identifying, enhancing, and building social networks and in enhancing, and building social networks and in maximizing resources available to SHGs. maximizing resources available to SHGs.
Proposing a New Model for Proposing a New Model for Self Help Groups and Social WorkSelf Help Groups and Social Work
Social Work
Self-Help Groups
Self Help Groups
Social Work
QuestionsQuestions Your questions?Your questions?
How do these findings and emerging How do these findings and emerging principles fit in relation to your work?principles fit in relation to your work?
What are your ideas about expanding What are your ideas about expanding alliances through practice, education, alliances through practice, education, training and research?training and research?
Thank YouThank You
We look forward to continuing this We look forward to continuing this conversation!conversation!
Carol S. CohenCarol S. Cohen [email protected]@adelphi.edu
&&
Timothy B. KellyTimothy B. Kelly
[email protected]@dundee.ac.uk