Module 7: Social work tools

with individuals and groups

Shirin Kiani and Annie Lafrenière (Technical Resources Division)

Handicap International 2012

Training Kit : Personalised Social Support 2012

Overview

Individual and small group level1. Creating a Sociogram 2. Advocacy: focus on self-advocacy3. Social work with groups

Sociograms

A diagram representing a person’s or group’s social network

Family Sociograms

Pattern of relationship in a family

Content of sociogram

• Circles with names inside: big or small, representing the different members of a family based on the importance they have in family.

• Lines between the circles: solid or dashed lines representing the strong or wear links between family members, can be of different color if link is negative.

• Arrows pointing one or both ways: showing whether relationship is reciprocal or only one-way where one person is providing and other person is not allowed/able to give back.

Mother

Sister

What a sociogram looks like

Like

Dislike

Strong

Weak

Reciprocal

One-way

Mom Grandmom

Me

Dad

Older Brother

When creating a sociogram, think…

• What are the connections between the people in this family?

• Who is the leader?• Who is isolated from the family? • What are the alliances?• Who do they not get along with

who? • Is the family united or divided?

Once again…• Mom is the leader

and connected with everybody

• Dad isolated and only connected with mom

• There is difficulty between dad and grandma which may affect the group

Mom Grandmom

Me

Dad

Older Brother

It’s your turn…

Create a sociogram of your family

Evaluate your sociogram…

• What circles did you draw first?• How do the sizes of the circles compare to

each other? Who is larger, and who is smaller? Why do you think you drew them that way?

• How are the circles placed in relation to each other (close, far away, on top, below, or next to each other)?

• Did you erase or change anything, why?

Follow-up exercise at home

• Ask one member of your family to draw their own versions of the sociogram without seeing yours first.

• Do other people’s versions resemble with your version? Why? Why not?

• What have you learned?

Advocacy

With a focus on self-advocacy

Advocacy

Add+voice = advocacy

• Can happen at individual, local, national, international levels

• Goal is to create new policy, change bad policies or implement policies.

• Not just single action, series of actions (e.g. letters, meetings, street advocacy/strike, press release/media, join committee).

Knowing what you need and being able to ask for it.

• Speak up, voice your opinion• Take responsibility for your equality in society

What is self-advocacy?

More on Self-Advocacy:

• Based on the concept of fairness not want.• Communicating about the importance of an

issue or law to people who are in a position to change it

• Although self-advocacy is a personal quest, the practice of self-advocacy may result in becoming an advocate for others.

• People who effectively self-advocate are also more likely to be

employed,

earn more,

have their

own savings,

and live on

their own.

Self-advocacy and empowerment: go hand in hand

How can a social facilitator encourage self-advocacy in

others?

What is your role?

• Do you understand how your impairment impacts you?

• What has been your experiences with society’s perception towards your disability ?

• Can you explain the impact to people around you?

• Do you know what things help you do a good job or to participate?

• Can you ask for these things from other people? Coworker? Family? Someone in the community?

Help people think about these questions:

Examples: • Asking a public school to have an accessible doorway• Asking the post office to put larger signs • Asking for equal treatment in a health centre• Asking your family to include you when attending social

events

Advocating for what you need:

Feeling quiet and too shy to speak

Wanting to be nice to everybody

Feeling frustrated and ready to explode

Having too many thoughts and feelings, not knowing where to start

Not wanting to draw attention to your needs and be seen as problematic

Thinking no one will understand or care

Barriers to self-advocacy

A successful self-advocate is…

• Aware of his/her strengths and limitations• Has a sense of purpose/sense of fairness or

justice• Can seek out information, resources or

persons• Is organized and can problem solve• Can argue one’s case clearly with controlled

emotion• Knows who is opposed and what people in

power think• Has a clear message and wants a clear

outcome

Social work with small groups

Why work with small groups?

What kinds of groups

How to work with groups

Why work with groups?

What is your role

Individuals vs. groups

• Human beings are strongly dependent on interactions with other humans.

• This often leads to group formation (in/formal)good for individual and social development

Social work practice with groups builds on the important impact of groups on individuals and utilizes group processes to accomplish individual and group goals.

Benefits of social group work

• For the group:– People in a group are mutually

helpful to each other; empowerment through helping others.

– Many individuals may have similar needs/goals

– Links between good group functioning and social functioning

• For individuals: – Development of effective communication skills and coping

skills– Development of problem-solving techniques

• Educational groups

• Socialization groups

• Support / Self-help groups

• Therapeutic groups (*)

Some types of groups…

Social facilitator role, with groups• Facilitate the group (depending on the type of

group chosen)– Help link the group with community resources– Helping promote fairness and good group functioning– Help group manage conflict and continue to move

forward– Provide group tools and methods to achieve goals.– Etc.

Groups characteristics

• Mixed or similar members• People with and without disabilities• Short term or long term• Focus on therapy or task• Small or large size • Open or closed• Structured or unstructured• Purposes: Information sharing,

self-expression/sharing, achieve goals/activities, socializing, advocacy (upon type of group chosen)

Examples of groups:

• DPOs (disabled persons groups) • Family• Play groups for children• Savings/micro-finance group• Support group for parents of children

with disabilities• Information groups to arrange basic

training/information for members.

Group (long-term and formal) success will depend on:

• Structure/Rules: A FEW, clear and well developed RULES will help the group function better.

• Leadership: that respects others and helps the group achieve its goals, also revolving leadership or shared leadership.

• Purposefulness: a clear idea of why the group exists and what it want to achieve.

How to work with groups

What is your role?

The natural cycle of groups…

Role in forming

• Clarifying the roles (social facilitator’s role mostly supportive, facilitating, leader less often – when necessary)

• Observing group dynamics• Remain neutral• Support group members in defining / understanding

the purpose of the group (depending on type of group chosen), setting realistic expectations, etc.

Role in storming

• Mediate neutrally by showing the different sides of the argument to the group and helping them see the dis/advantages

• Ensure good communication• Promote the language ‘we’ more than ‘I’. • Help work on solving the issues not attacking individuals.• Support the leader (or lead – depending on group chosen) to

know how to manage conflict.• Remind the group that stronger relationships will come out of

this difficult stage.• Identify strengths/weaknesses of members.

Role in Norming

• Monitor and offer guidance needed.• Help support new leadership (if changes)• Encourage constructive criticism• Encourage group independence (depending

on type of group chosen)

Role in performing

• Monitor group as needed and be available for support or information/linkages.

• Make sure a clear plan of the future is present and that the group has a general idea of how to reach their future destination together. (for groups meant to last in time)

Link to practice

* Give participants 10 minutes to answer this question individually on a piece of paper, and then do a roundtable with each person sharing some of their answers.

• Based on what you learned today, what ….is the social work tool that you think will be most useful to you?

• What has been your past barriers to working with a individuals/groups?