| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Theories and Practices of Group Work |
| Unit ID: | CHSUG2001 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (BSWUG1001 or CHSUG1001 or CHSUG1002 or WELRO1003 or WELSI1001) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (WELRO2104) |
| ASCED: | 090515 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
Working with groups is an important aspect of practice in social work and community and human services. This unit provides students with an introduction to group work practice by exploring what group work actually is. The unit also explores the values and theories underpinning group work; group work models and stages of group development; group dynamics and group processes and will enable students to develop a range of strategies to enable them to effectively plan and implement group programs. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | |  | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Describe different types of groups relevant to community and human services practices. |
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| K2. | Identify and describe the philosophy and practices of various groups in different social work/community and human services contexts. |
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| K3. | Describe the various roles of practitioners within group practice, and articulate role conflicts or ethical dilemmas particularly in relation to working in rural communities. |
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| K4. | Identify and describe principles and strategies for planning and facilitating a successful group, including managing group processes, group dynamics, and the stages of group development. |
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| K5. | Describe the use of group work in a specialised field of practice. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Develop skills to design and facilitate diverse groups in professional practice at beginning competence level. |
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| S2. | Develop analytical and planning skills in group work projects including report writing. |
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| S3. | Demonstrate skills in working with group processes such as planning, decision making, meeting procedures, conflict resolution and taking a leadership role. |
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| S4. | Communicate effectively within a small group context. |
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| S5. | Develop and implement strategies to address and resolve conflicts and /or ethical dilemmas within the small group context. |
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| S6. | Critically reflect on group processes including their own role within groups. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Analyse different group work models and theories and how they are applied to community and human service practice. |
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| A2. | Research evidence to ascertain group intervention effectiveness. |
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| A3. | Apply a range of theoretical approaches to a variety of group interventions and to conceptualise their application to welfare practices. |
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| A4. | Capacity to communicate effectively within a group dynamic and to resolve conflicts or dilemmas within a group context. |
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| Unit Content: |
•Introduction to group work: - Ethics of group work practice - Historical and theoretical developments - Types of groups.
•Introducing group processes: - Group dynamics and Group culture - Leadership and Power - Diversity in group work.
•Practising Group Work: Stages and Models - Beginning the group - Assessment in groups - The middle stages of group work - Ending group work. |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K4, S1, S3, S4, S5, A4 | Design, implement, and facilitate a group activity. | Facilitated role play | 40-50% | | 2. | S6, A4 | Critically self-reflect on your strengths and weaknesses whilst working in a group. | Critical self-reflective journal. | 20-30% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3, A4 | Students work collaboratively to describe, understand and articulate the theoretical and practical aspects of group formation in the community and human services. | Group project proposal | 30-40% |
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