Brian L. Kelly

Exploring Nondeliberative Practice through Recreational, Art, and Music-Based Activities in Social Work with Groups

ABSTRACT This article reviews the history of recreational, arts, and music-based activities in social work with groups, providing a nondeliberative practice context. The article begins with an overview of nondeliberative practice, then presents various uses of recreational, art, and music-based activities during the Settlement House and Recreational Movements, in mid-20th-century group work practice and in present practice. The article concludes with a review of current projects in the Chicago land area and highlights their potential to decrease young person on young person violence.

Using Audio Documentary to Engage Young People Experiencing Homelessness in Strengths-Based Group Work

Little information exists on the use of audio-based activities in groups as a means to engage young people’s strengths. This article presents findings from a study that employed a coconstructed audio documentary group to explore homeless youths’ experiences in a music studio, their attached meaning, and whether studio and group involvement engaged youths’ strengths. Four young people and the author met over the course of 12 sessions to collaboratively develop, record, and produce an audio documentary. Young people successfully produced a coconstructed audio documentary and their involvement in the studio and the group engaged their strengths.

Homophobia within schools of social work: The critical need for affirming classroom settings and effective preparation for service with the LGBTQ community

Abstract Social work programs must effectively meet the needs of their diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) student populations as well as effectively train all students to work with minority groups including the LGBTQ community. While many undergraduate and graduate social work programs provide open, supportive, and affirming experiences for LGBTQ students, there remain ongoing challenges related to hostility, stigma, heterosexism, and homophobia within classroom settings across programs in the US and Canada. This study examines classroom experiences of homophobia among 1,018 social work students. Qualitative data associated with three optional open-ended questions were analyzed utilizing grounded theory. Main qualitative findings identified several major themes associated with social work student experiences of homophobia in the classroom including: (1) Coming out; (2) Faculty inaction; (3) Implicit and explicit content; (4) Direct language and actions; and (5) Religious rationalizations and non-affirming positions. Conclusions and recommendations for social work education are discussed that center around creating safe and affirming classroom settings; the vital role of out faculty, students, and allies; impactful integration of diversity content within curricula, policies, and accreditation standards; ongoing training and mentorship; understanding the role of power and oppression; and a call to action among social work educators and the profession.

Music-Based Services for Young People Experiencing Homelessness: Engaging Strengths and Creating Opportunities

This study explores a music studio in a transitional living program for young people experiencing homelessness. Using an ethnographic approach, data were collected to explore: (a) young peoples experiences in the music studio, (b) the meanings they attach to their experiences, and (c) whether involvement in the studio engages their strengths. Study findings present a compelling narrative that supports the use of music-based services for young people experiencing homelessness as a way to engage their strengths and foster important opportunities for connection, engagement, and creative expression. Findings highlight the importance of challenging prescriptive notions of homeless youth and developing services that engage their strengths.

Positive Youth Development: Developing, Implementing, and Sustaining Music-Based Services for Emerging Adults Experiencing Homelessness

Research suggests that comprehensive services that consider the complex and interconnected needs of emerging adults experiencing homelessness may be more effective than interventions with a singular focus. There is little research that demonstrates how agencies that implement programs for individuals experiencing homelessness develop and sustain meaningful services for emerging adults, especially under conditions of increasing austerity. This study targets this gap in the literature by investigating how one transitional living program for emerging adults experiencing homelessness developed a music studio. Specifically, this study examines the factors and processes that were involved in developing, implementing, and sustaining the music studio. Findings suggest an ongoing organizational commitment to Positive Youth Development plays an important role.

Exploring Group Dynamics in Activity-Based Group Work with Young People Experiencing Homelessness

ABSTRACT This article explores the development of group dynamics in an activity-based group comprising four young people experiencing homelessness and one group facilitator. Over the course of 12 sessions, the group produced a coconstructed audio documentary. Nine group sessions were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for patterns of group dynamics, including communication and interaction patterns, cohesion, social integration and influence, and culture. Findings suggest that the task-oriented nature of coproducing the audio documentary facilitated the development of interpersonal dynamics, provided young people with opportunities for personal growth, and provided them with opportunities to engage their strengths as well.

Preparing social workers for practice with LGBT populations affected by substance use: perceptions from students, alumni, and service providers

Abstract Trends in the field of service among those with alcohol and other drug addictions highlight the urgent need for schools of social work to effectively train students to serve clients with substance use disorders, and have cultural humility to effectively serve disproportionately affected LGBT consumers. Online surveys and interviews examined perceptions of graduate social work students and alumni in a certified alcohol and drug counselor program, along with several service providers within an urban setting in the US. Results indicated that students and alumni did not feel adequately prepared through coursework to practice with LGBT populations affected by substance use, while feeling more clinically competent to practice with LGB individuals, than with transgender consumers. Similar findings related to unique differences associated with perceptions of faculty support, along with field preparedness to practice with LGB individuals when compared to transgender individuals. Service providers noted an overall commitment and to serve LGBT consumers as well as positive perceptions of students and alumni to do the same. Implications examine the role of faculty in addressing challenges related to preparation of social work students to practice with LGBT consumers affected by substance use disorders, along with suggestions for curricular changes, and ongoing field trainings.

Forensic Assertive Community Treatment: Recidivism, hospitalization, and the role of housing and support

ABSTRACT While Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is considered an evidence-based service model, there is limited evidence regarding the effectiveness of an adaptation of the model, Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT), for persons with serious mental illness who also have significant criminal justice system involvement. Using a multimethod approach, this article combines quantitative and qualitative data to review baseline information and nine-month follow-up recidivism, hospitalization, and housing outcomes for individuals enrolled in a FACT program. Findings suggest substance use, housing, and FACT team members’ support played an important role in clients’ prison reentry experiences.

The invisible classroom: Relationships, neuroscience, & mindfulness in school by Olson, K.

The Invisible Classroom: Relationships, Neuroscience, & Mindfulness in School is an accessible and engaging text written for those who work in the school system. At the heart of the book lies Dr. Kirke Olson’s assertion that there are two interrelated forces at play in every classroom, and those are the visible and invisible classrooms. He describes the visible classroom as the space focused on the standardized and measured elements of education, primarily instructors imparting information on students and students demonstrating comprehension and mastery of that information. The invisible classroom on the other hand consists of what exists beyond competencies and test scores, specifically the interpersonal connections within the classroom, including the behavioral, emotional, and relational elements that create the contextual environment in which learning occurs. Grounding the text in theories and findings from neuroscience and the subfield of interpersonal neurobiology, Dr. Olson provides a compelling and thoughtful argument that these two spaces are highly interrelated. He argues that students’ overly prioritized performance in the visible classroom is highly influenced by the interpersonal connections at play in the often ignored invisible classroom. He contends that it is up to all parties involved in the school system, including administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and students, to create a school culture that is attentive and responsive to the behavioral, emotional, and relational elements that influence the teaching and learning environment. Dr. Olson further contends that the best way to do so is through the application of strengths-based approaches to relationship building with students and parents and the implementation of mindfulness practice in the school system, and more specifically the classroom. The book is divided into eight chapters. Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of the key principles guiding the text and their role in learning. These principles include neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology, relationships and the importance of relating to students in ways that engage and foster their strengths, and the implementation of mindfulness practice, that Dr. Olson says, brings nonjudgmental attention to the present in the