Scenario: You work in a community health service as a counsellor and advocate. Due to the
demographics of the area, a large proportion of clients are older adults who access the service for
support with medications and long-term medical conditions. Nurses in the centre report that many
older clients seem isolated and lack social support. On a recent home visit, an older client
commented that they don’t feel comfortable driving and have limited access to public transport.
As a result, their visits to the community health centre are one of their few opportunities to leave
the house. Senior management have asked you, as the social worker, to explore the feasibility of a
group program to provide additional support to this group of clients.
Introduction:
1. State to whom the submission is being directed
2. Prove a brief description of the organisation the proposed group will be part of, its
function, the usual population the organisation serves and its philosophical
approach, missions and/or vision
This social group proposal is being submitted to Capital Region Community Services (CRCS)
which is a regional community centre that provides a wide range of services for all age groups of
people who live in this region.The community uses a person-centred approach by community
workers who are professional and flexible in reacting to individual needs while targeting
audiences over 65s. This group program looks forward to being part of CRCS because its
commitment and vision are highly matched with our purpose of the group program.
CRCS, as one of the approved Home Care Package providers in the ACT and NSW, is providing
a number of older adults programs and facilities, it also designs creative solutions to meet the
elderly needs that come naturally. These experiences can be applied into group program
development and assist us to build a mutual aid relationship between social workers and older
adults more effectively. In terms of its existing services and activities for older adults, they are not
only Aged care programs, but also expand to more specific features such as social networking
support, in-home care, gym and fitness and other activities for seniors.
……
Proposal/Submission
1. Name and type of group
1. Group’s proposed name
2. Proposed type of group (e.g., support educational, social action,
etc.)
2. Purpose of the proposed group
1. What is the proposed purpose of the group?
2. Provide a convincing theoretical rationale for the establishment of
the group. Consistent with social work principles, this should
identify broader social justice concerns and explore how these
impact members of the community or communities you seek to
work with. Your rationale should draw on relevant academic
literature and authoritative reports based on research. It must also
demonstrate insight into the experiences of those you seek to
work with. Accordingly, at least two sources must be authored by
people within the community/communities your group program
wishes to recruit from. These may be academic or non-academic
sources (e.g., blogs, first-hand accounts, etc.)
3. Justify group work as the chosen method of practice, referring to
relevant group work literature
3. Goals and expected outcomes of the proposed group
1. State some beginning goals for the group
2. State some possible outcomes that might be expected for group
members
NOTE: It is important to express goals and expected outcomes in
concrete and specific terms to assist the evaluation process
The proposal of the group project is designed for older adults who need medications and have
long term medical conditions and meanwhile focus on their wellbeing and social connections.
CareFree Seniors Program is the group’s proposed name which is easy for the elderly to
remember and also direct to the group theme. The type of group will be a socialisation group that
applies the combination of solution-focused and community development approaches into
practice. This is considering that using two or more social work approaches into one program to
make the achievement more specific and comprehensive.
In this group, we proposed chiefly to improve their social connections by establishing a healthy
and stable group for seniors only so that they can meet new neighbours and know more about
each other. Our group program will offer a social platform and invite those older adults who are
feeling isolated or interested in social life in their neighbourhood to join and share their stories
and worries. Social workers will assist in responding to their needs and concerns, and also
encourage them to attend the program actively. In addition, the program will be a tool of
first-hand research and collect information from older adults, social workers will plan the next
stage of goal for older people after sorting findings which will be more about community
development, including additional medical support, transport support and home care services.
Practical considerations and requirements
1. Group size and membership
2. How members are recruited
3. The time and frequency of group meetings, and duration of the group
4. Venue, staffing requirements, other resources
NOTE: provide a rationale behind each of these decisions e.g., why is the size of
suggested appropriate for the type of group and what you hope it will achieve
We have found the use of small groups to which residents were invited reduced the
stigmatisation at the prospect of seeing an individual counsellor. An additional benefit is that
through the group process, the group facilitator is easily able to identify members who would
benefit from ongoing individual counselling. As well as this, the member is more likely to continue
with counselling as a relationship has already begun to form with the facilitator during the group
process. Participants were all nominated by staff /GPs at the residential facilities as ‘at risk’ of
mental health problems or already experiencing problems with regards to adjustment difficulties
and isolation. We individually assessed each resident for suitability prior to the group. People
with advanced cognitive deficits were excluded amongst other eligibility criteria. (The paragraph
is copy and paste from one of the source: https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/675)
The venue will be at Belconnen Community Centre which offers a variety of spaces for hire
depending on the group sizes and its functions. In the first week, the group session will be held in
the meeting room which is suitable for older people to have comfortable chairs. Then in the
following weekly meeting, the venue may vary according to the activities and topics, including the
art room, gym and community gallery. The staffing requirement will be one social worker who
facilitates the program and two community workers who co-facilitate with the social worker, and
two volunteers who assist older adults during activities or provide additional support before and
after the meeting.
Group content and process 400
1. What is the anticipated content of the group sessions? This should provide enough detail
for the reader to have a clear sense of the content areas likely to be covered during the
life of the group
2. Role and approach of the group facilitator(s) (e.g., amount of structure, direction, etc.)
3. What process issues should be considered for your proposed group? How might social
structures such as class, gender, race and culture, age, ability, sexuality impact on your
particular group? How might you make the group a safe place to be? What particular
strategies might you adopt to ensure socially inclusive practice
