Question

PLANNING MODEL FOR GROUP WORK We have developed a model of planning that can be used for both treatiew Assessing the potential sponsorship and membership of the group This model includes the following: Establishing the group's purpose • Recruiting members Composing the group • Orienting members to the group Chapter Contracting Preparing the group's environment Reviewing the literature Selecting monitoring and evaluation tools Preparing a written group proposal Planning distance groups . This planning model describes an orderly set of procedures to guide workers in ses practice, however, workers may not plan for the group in a systematic fashion In the worker may find that it is necessary to engage in several aspects of planning m neous For example, recruiting, contracting, and preparing the environment an can sometimes be done together. Carrying out one step may also influence bow at at the same time. Similarly, determining purpose and assessing potential membe step is handled. For example, in assessing the potential membership of a com the worker may realize that a budget item for travel is required for certain memb . Thus, the information gained in carrying out one procedure (a membership) influences action taken in another (securing financial arrangements group.

Establishing the Group's Purpose The first and most important question that can be asked about a proposed p What is the group's purpose?" A statement of the purpose should be broad enoug encompass different individual goals, yet specific enough to define the common t of the group's purpose. A clear statement of purpose helps members answer the q bon, "What are we doing here together?" It can help prevent a lack of direction the be frustrating for group members and can lead to an unproductive group experient A brief statement of the group's purpose generally includes information on the p lems or issues the group is designed to address, the range of individual and group gran accomplished, and how individual members and the group as a whole might work t Some examples of statements of purpose follow. The group will provide a forum for discussing parenting skills, each members encouraged to bring up specific issues about being a parent and to provide f back about the issues that are brought up. . The group will study the problem of domestic violence in our community and end . The group will review and assess all proposals for improving services to your member will contribute to a final task force report on how to address the issue from minority communities and decide what projects to fund. .