Group Work: A Critical Addition to the Social Work Repertoire

Abstract

Groupwork has a long history in the profession of social work. It developed through the Settlement Movement, largely in reaction to the Charity Organisation Society's emphasis on individual casework. It spawned a more radical, structural approach to social problems. However, its radical aspects set powerful voices against it becoming a dominant model in social work practice and its popularity waned in mainstream social work as a result. Today, it is found in many different practice settings, but can be used for ameliorative or adaptive strategies as well as those critical of existing social relations. This chapter examines this trajectory and identifies elements of groupwork practice that are crucial in mobilising communities seeking to improve their life circumstances - as it was in the Victorian era in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Keywords: groupwork; feminist groupwork; history of groupwork; Charity Organisation Society; The Settlement Movement