Human services intervention strategies

Nyadar Baboth
17519292
Introduction
Group of managers from various community/health care professions consisting of community
health care worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, youth development officer and accommodation
support workers from Salvation Army, Mission Australia, Wesley mission and Anglicare
meet every third Thursday of the month. The group has open memberships between the
professionals and their agencies. The group consists of 9 participants who attend meetings
each month. Each member of the group is seen and treated as an equal and theres no
hierarchy within the group seeing that each individual brings their own skills, knowledge and
experiences to the table. This report will describe the purpose and the goals of the group and
it will also discuss the communication dynamics and leadership dynamics.
Purpose
The group members have a main objective and that is to improve the delivery of their
services to their clients (Toseland & Rivas 2005). This is done in two different ways. Firstly
the members of the group share difficult and complex cases that theyre working on in order
to acquire advice or feedback from the other members. This usually results in problems being
solved and mutual aid among the group members, giving the individual who just shared their
case a different alternative or methods to handle the issue. Secondly the participants partake
in sharing resources done in a form of an actual list or distributing books that a person has
brought in.

OHara & Pockett (2011) describes a group as a collection of individuals who are brought
into social relationships with one another. Whilst on the other hand Benson (2011 p.5)
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defines Group work as a number of individuals drawn together for a natural and purposeful
experience involving mutual interaction over a period of time.

There are stages in which a group must go through according to their needs. These
phases/stages are forming, storming, norming and performing. The characteristic of each
stage are unique and different from one another. During the observation the group the group
has reached the middle phases which are the norming and the performing stage. This is
because the group members have settled down, sense more appreciation from the others,
confidence respect from others, are already developed and are achieving the goals theyve
set, this then enhances their self esteem levels (Tuckman, 1977).

Leadership dynamic and communication dynamic
According to Benson (2011) there are three very important traits a leader must possess they
are competency, compassion and commitment. Whereas Johnson and Johnson (2006, p. 216)
explain that the third guideline for creating an effective group is to ensure that leadership
and participation are distributed among all group members.
According to Daft (2005) the most significant trait a leader needs to grow performance, trust,
and integrity in workers is by using human talent. An individual personality plays a critical
part in the way they lead.
The facilitator of the group is Michael (made up name). As observed Michael possesses those
attributes of a democratic leader putting into practice a sense of balance in leading and being
led by the group. McShane & Travaglione (2007, p. 279) state that some team roles are
Human services intervention strategies



Nyadar Baboth
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formally assigned to specific people. For instance team leaders are usually expected to initiate
discussion, ensure that all members have an opportunity to present their views, and help the
team reach agreement on the issues discussed. In the beginning of the meeting Michael asks
the group for an agenda by questioning, what do you want to talk about today? Does anyone
have anything they would like to share? Or needs assistance with? This then leads to open
communication and each person distributing and giving proposition of what needs to be
discussed. In this manner According to Toseland & Rivas (2005) Michael has created a
program and sets the stage for the round robin group interaction where the members take
turns talking. After each member of the group has shared their case the discussion shifts from
round robin discussion to a free floating discussion where each professional assists,
contributes ideas and shares resources to the case sharer in solving the problem in no
particular order (Toseland & Rivas 2005).

Drumm (1990, p. 20) states that one of the principle powers of a group work is the mutual
aid that is fostered among the members. This teams group consultations illustrate the
advantages and the success that can be produced in team work. Michaels leadership style has
formed an environment where the members feel a sense of inclusion and respect because each
person is given an opportunity to make constructive contributions through case or resource
sharing Drumm (1990). Additionally because there is no power structure within the group,
the roles of communication and information giving are equally shared (Toseland & Rivas
2005 p. 74).
Johnson and Johnson (2006) also adds that collaboration is the most essential part of group
efficiency, multi directional communication, outstanding decision making with the utilization
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Nyadar Baboth
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of controversy and conflict resolution and high cohesion. These are what makes a group
function.
This group is effective because all group members were involved in all the decisions made in
which helped them achieve their main objective. This is supported by Johnson and Johnson
(2006), McShane & Travaglione (2007), Hunter (2007) &Benjamin et el ( 1997) all explain
that for a group to be effective decision making must be shared so that members could show
commitment and be able to utilise their skills within the team.

Conclusion
In conclusion this group is not only efficient in its objective, but ideal in the manner in which
it represents the criterion for significant group according to Drumms. This report provided an
insight of ones observation of the group. Cooperation amongst the team members was
essential in order for them to achieve their purpose and receive constructive feedback and
creating an inclusive and friendly atmosphere where each individual expresses themselves
without restraint.






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Refences
Benjamin, J., Bessant, J. & Watts, R. (1997) Making Groups Work:Rethinking Practice.
Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, Australia

Benson,j.f (2001), working more creatively with groups (2
nd edn
), London. Routledge

Bundey, C. & Associates (undated) Group Leadership: A Manual about Group Leadership
and a Resource for Group Leaders.NorthParramatta: Western Sydney Area Health Promotion
Centre

Daft, R. (2005). The Leadership Experience. Toronto: Southwestern.

Drumm, K., Malekoff, A., Salmon, R., & Steinberg, D. (2006). The essential power of group
work. Social Work with Groups, 29(2/3), 17-31. Retrieved August 23, 2013, from Academic
Search Premier Database.

Harms, L (2007), working towards change, in working with people: communication skills
for reflective practice, oxford university press, south Melbourne, Vic, pp3-27

Hunter, D. (2007). the Art of Facilitation. Random House, Auckland,New Zealand
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Johnson, D & Johnson, F. (2006) 9
th
Edition. Joining Together, Group theory and group
skills. Pearson A&B: Boston MA.

McShane, S. & Travaglione, T. (2007), 2
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Edition. Organisational Behaviour on the
Pacific Rim. McGraw-Hill Irwin, Australia.

OHara,J & Pockett, R (2011), skills for human service practice: working with individuals,
groups and communities, 2
nd
edn, oxford university press, south Melbourne, Vic

Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R.F. (2005). An introduction to group work practice. (5
th
Ed.).
Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Tuckman, B.W, & Jensen, M.c (1977), stages of small group development revisited, group &
organizational studies, 2, 419-427.