Module-1-Lesson-1-Historical-background.docx

**SW 116- SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH GROUPS** **Module 1** **Lesson 1: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT** ***What is this Module About:*** Social Work in the Philippines can be traced during the Pre-Spanish period (Almazor, 1996). History records that social group work has been associated with play and gam...

**SW 116- SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH GROUPS** **Module 1** **Lesson 1: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT** ***What is this Module About:*** Social Work in the Philippines can be traced during the Pre-Spanish period (Almazor, 1996). History records that social group work has been associated with play and games. The different events which will be discussed in this lesson would show that social work practice with groups has transformed over the years. ***What will you learn?*** At the end of the module, you should manifest appreciation of the historical development of group work and its influence on the growth of group work practice in the Philippines. Specifically after completing this module you are expected to: 1. Discuss history of agency group programs in the Philippines based on developmental, socialization & treatment oriented goals. 2\. Be able to compare group programs and services from the past to present. ***Flow of Instruction:*** **Lesson** **Focus** **Topic** ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ **Social Work with Groups: A Historical Background** **Discuss the historical background of social work with groups** **Group work practice before 60s until the present times** ***What do you already know?*** **LET'S STUDY:** Group work is associated with games and recreational activities as what many people know about it. But though the years of practice in the Philippines, it has changed given the different events encountered. ***[Before the 60's': SOCIALIZATION GOALS:]*** Social Group work may be traced to the introduction of socio-civic movements during the period of American Rule. These movements include YWCA 1911), the YWCA (1926), and the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (1936). They paved the way for the establishment of agencies that used groups for personality development and character-building through wholesome leisure time or recreational activities. Leadership in these groups was initially carried out by volunteers until these movements moved into the training of workers along the different agency's specific programs. The first teachers of group work in the Philippines were formerly employed in these socio-civic agencies. Groups were used for the development of the individual through training in social skills and inculcating social values. Socialization was main goal of group-serving social agencies during the first decades in the Philippines. The image of group work as leisure-time activity persisted until late 50s despite the presence of group serving agencies like Philippine Youth Welfare Coordinating Council using groups for preventive and developmental goals through leadership & skills training for OSY. The Foster Parents Plan also began organizing mother's group to promote responsible parenthood, vocational efficiency, and citizenship training. During the 50s social agencies were organizing groups for socialization goals but not anymore by way of recreational activities only. While Philippine Mental Health Association (1958 to 1959) had community outreach program for the prevention of juvenile delinquency in selected communities in Manila. And implemented parent-education programs that utilized skits and drama presentations focused topics related to problems o of delinquency. ***The 60s: Prevention, Treatment and Developmental Goals*** By the 60's there was an increase of number of agencies using the group method for both preventive and therapeutic purposes. Mental health agencies: Special Child Study center, Inc. -- organized parents to help accept and deal with children's conditions; group therapy sessions, use of psychodrama with emotionally disturbed patients. Group works were undertaken in government housing & resettlement to assist the tenants deal with common concerns and problems and to help integrate into the surrounding community. The Social Workers formed tenants' association in the housing area and after which the members identify their common problems and form small groups which each dealt with problem. Developmental groups were formed. Schools played a big contribution to the development of social group work. First social group workers in government housing community centers came from University of the Philippines who demonstrated developmentally oriented group work. Social welfare agencies were convinced on the relevance of group work, and they embark on innovative programs for student placement for field instruction who could do the work. The Philippine School of Social work (PWU) and Philippine Youth Welfare Coordinating Council fielded students and they worked with youth groups for socialization and developmental goals. UP Department of Social Work (CSWCD) and St Luke's Hospital's field placement program for social work students where preventive & developmental goals with poverty-stricken families being served on an outpatient basis and therapeutic goals with patients in the hospital's psychiatric ward were used. ***The 70s: Emphasizing Developmental Goals*** In the 70s, the Government's Development Plan were reflected in the Department of Social Welfare (which in 1976 became the Department of Social Services and Development) to undertake developmental programs and services for the poor. Emphasis on developmental social welfare was encouraged by United Nation's declaration of the first Developmental Decade in the 60s and Second Developmental Decade in the 70s. These are intended mainly to support increased productivity on individuals, groups and communities where social workers implemented self-employment assistance, leadership training, day care, responsible parenthood, and family life education programs. These efforts were facilitated through barangay approach. The group was used as the main instrument of service. In the late 60s and 70s, groups were used by social workers in juvenile and domestic relations courts to provide aid to legal offenders group experience intended for their socialization and re-socialization like those in the wards of orphanages. These settings were useful to social work students who needed exposures in group work. Though socialization and re-socialization were still important, but it was no longer just through leisure time activities as was in the earlier years. Martial Law (1972 to1981) had major influence on social work education. It elicited high consciousness raising efforts which were intended to help the poor citizens to realize that their problems like housing, unemployment etc. were because of deficits in their social situations. These efforts involved social workers to work with small groups or community group work. (TLM, 2010) **The Present Scene** At present, many social welfare agencies especially in the Philippines recommend some type of group service. Mainly social welfare agencies engage in group service for many purposes like for developmental, socialization/re-socialization and treatment or rehabilitation. Group work also has played an important role in health promotion and assessment and treatment of diseases and disorders within healthcare systems. (Kelly, 2017). The developmental purpose emphasizes human and community resource mobilization. (TLM, 2010). For instance, are public agencies which devote key portion of their funds for support to livelihood programs. These programs engage into organizing groups which would undergo training on leadership and small-scale business management and decide on livelihood projects to be started. Similar example would be day care centers whose staff form mothers into groups and help them acquire knowledge and skills in effective parenting, household management, personal enhancement and the like. The socialization purpose is carried out by organizing groups that are intended primarily to help the members to acquire values, attitudes, and norms of the society of which they are a part (TLM, 2010). Several social welfare agencies are using group mode of service for purposes of values formation e.g., for street children and runaways. For intentions of behavior modification, probations and correctional institutions are conducting group programs for their clientele groups. The treatment purposes centers on the assistance of small groups to aid individuals who already have problems or collapse in their social functioning. As of the present many agencies organize groups of victims of natural calamities, child abuse, adult sexual abuse, and drug abuse. There are also those that serve for therapeutic functions like group programs for terminally ill, the physically handicapped, cancer patients and those undergoing dialysis. But because of complex problem situations of group members, the social workers working with groups also focuses on comprehensive case management activities that concentrates on socio-economic concerns and problems. (TLM, 2010) References: 1. Mendoza, T.L (2003) Social Work with Groups. Megabooks Company. 2^nd^ printing 2. Almanzor, A. C. (1966). The Profession of Social Work in the Philippines: Historical Background. *International Social Work*, 9(4), 27--34. https://doi.org/10.1177/002087286600900407 3. Kelly, B. (2017). Group work in Health care setting. *Handbook of Social Work with groups 2^nd^ ed.* Guilford Press 4. Wilson G. Social Group work and theory. **[ACTIVITY 1:]** 1. List down social welfare agencies that you know that offer group oriented programs and services. Group them according to goals being pursued e.g developmental, socialization or treatment. Give your comments on the information you gathered. 2. Name social welfare agencies/socio civic movements which introduced group work in the Philippines today. Make a comparison of their programs and services in the past from today. *Note: Please submit output 5pm today August 23, 2023*