Social Work for Sociologists: Theory and Practice

Working with Groups ● 99

Irrespective of the type and purpose of groups, facilitators should adhere to
the best practices of working in groups. Best practice not only requires good
generic knowledge about group work and the tasks involved at various stages
of a group’s development but also requires that facilitators have knowledge
of and closely attend to the cultural perspectives, needs, and goals of people
making up the group. A high degree of reflexivity is necessary to understand
the nuances of the behavior and attitudes of Pacific people in groups, col-
lectively and as diverse individuals, building on all members’ strengths and
“promoting service user capacity for self-determination, equality and respect
for difference” (Healy 2012, 140–141).
This chapter has highlighted the important considerations of group work,
specifically in relation to groups comprising young Pacific people. While
demographic information, such as Pacific background, provides pointers to
likely important considerations, demographic information can only ever pro-
vide guidance; the uniqueness of all group participants and their contexts
must be borne in mind.

Conclusion

The purpose of this chapter has been to introduce group work. Generic
concepts of group work stages and tasks need to be adapted to more spe-
cific contexts—this was illustrated in a discussion of group work with Pacific
young people in New Zealand. While the chapter has covered group work
processes and facilitation skills and techniques, it has not discussed in any
detail theoretical considerations or group work evaluation, both of which are
adequately discussed in the available literature. The chapter presents group
work as part of the broader consideration of supporting applied sociology at
universities. Imbuing students with group work knowledge and skills helps
them to make the connection between theoretical concepts and practice and,
in doing so, better prepares them for the world of work.
The contribution of social work and community development, the two
main disciplines that influence the nature of group work discussed in this
chapter, in no way devalues students’ sociological knowledge. This sociologi-
cal knowledge does, however, need to be supplemented by knowledge of how
to apply practice theories. The very nature of today’s globalized world means
that graduates who are knowledgeable and skilled in the application of theory
to practice have the best chance of securing employment and effectively
contributing to prosocial change.
Introducing group work to sociology students continues to be a somewhat
bold initiative, because it moves away from pure theoretical teaching into a
more public sociology (see also chapter 1). Such a move requires disciplinary