Carol S. Cohen

Global group work: Honouring processes and outcomes

This article focuses on the Global Group Work Projects action research study to explore and identify essential cross-national and cross-cultural elements of social groupwork practice, and to provide a model for international research and collaboration. It details study methods, process and outcome fi ndings, analysis and recommendations. The key fi nding of the global themes of being together and doing together in social work groups, as well as the identifi cation of local, indigenous practices contribute empirical knowledge about groupworks international nature, with implications for teaching, research and practice.

“Professors, Why Did You Ask Us to Throw Out All Our Hopes and Dreams?”

Working with multiple languages in group work is a challenge, bringing a host of considerations for members and workers. Although a simple error in translation is at the heart of the episode presented here, we believe this story goes far beyond language fluency and tells how a single phrase would lead to confusion, despair, compliance, courage, and ultimately cross-cultural understanding and expanded competence. This event took place in 2012 as part of a workshop sponsored by the Department of Social Work and Sociology of Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, China. This article continues with the story of what happened. We were fortunate that much of the session was videotaped and we referred to this in writing this report. Following the vignette, our article then discusses what we and the students learned from this experience and how it continues to influence our ongoing partnership. Our purpose is to illuminate some of the common and different aspects of social work with groups and professional education around the world through cross-cultural group work collaboration.

Groups: Gateways to growth by Tully, G. J., Sweeny, K., and Palombo, S.

Groups: Gateways to Growth is a collection of peer-reviewed papers from the 29th Annual International Symposium of the Association for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups, held in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 2007. The metaphor of groups as gateways has brought together 12 chapters that allow entry into the diverse world of group work practice and education. In their Introduction, the editors beckon the reader to “Sit on the AASWG ‘bench’ at the gateway, and turn the pages slowly.” By accepting their invitation, readers will be inspired, informed, and in some ways entranced by the themes and narratives of group work in action. As a gateway, this book includes discussions of how group work practice can be conceptualized, promoted, and enhanced in broad contexts as well as presents intimate examples of the foundation, process, content, and outcomes of particular groups. Thus, there is significant focus on critical issues for advancing group work, as well as illumination of often neglected aspects of practice and education. Readers can begin with their specific interests and in further exploration will be pleased to find a great deal of intersection in the collection. Once in, the entry points and connections widen. Students, practitioners, and educators will find points of resonance and value in advancing their work, and the capacity of groups to effectively serve members and their communities. Among the chapters that are broad in scope is Toby Berman Rossi’s 2002 paper “My Love Affair with Stages of Group Development.” Included as a tribute by the editors, her chapter is a poignant journey of enduring curiosity and contribution that will touch many group workers as they move back and forth through stages of wonderment and delight, to challenge and selfdoubt, and mobilization of knowledge and skills on behalf of members. Next, Dominique Moyse Steinberg and Robert Salmon’s chapter is a robust celebration of survival, as well as a practical and provocative call to promote social group work of high quality in a service environment that often speaks in languages of cost-effectiveness and expediency. In another chapter, Dominique Moyse Steinberg provides a masterful overview of the neglected and perhaps avoided area of small group conflict. Steinberg’s suggested reframing