Virtual Symposium Presentations 

Please scroll down to view symposium presentation descriptions or download our printable session schedule. Most presentations will be recorded and available for registered attendees to view after the symposium. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

View Pre-Symposium Institute offerings on Tuesday, June 14th and Wednesday, June 15th.

Thursday June 16, 2022

Welcome Gathering - Thursday, 9:00am to 9:20am ET

The opening reception of the 2022 IASWG Symposium will include a welcome from IASWG President Barbara Muskat and an overview of the symposium events.

The Sumner Gill Memorial Plenary - Thursday, 9:30am to 10:30am ET

Session 1 // 30-minute Presentations - Thursday, 10:45am to 11:15am ET

1 Thursday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
Interactive Drama with Adolescents: An Innovative Way to Challenge Social Isolation and Cyberbullying
Francine Mendelowitz, New York University, New York, NY (USA)
This presentation describes the ways that an innovative drama-based group intervention can foster empathy and prosocial behavior amongst adolescents exposed to cyberbullying. Participants will view a partially improvised scenario and engage in a discussion to further explore the benefits of drama-based programs that target growing social issues such as cyberbullying.

2 Thursday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
(EN>SP) Advocacy through Online Action Groups: The Impact of Student Fieldwork Projects in a Hong Kong Community (TRAINING TRACK)
Kai Chung Lo, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam (Hong Kong)
This session will describe projects initiated by fieldwork students utilizing an online action group to mobilize local residents concerning macro issues and policies in a Hong Kong community. Macro social work practices will be reviewed and their implications to how action groups can curate an advocacy strategy with residents and stakeholders will be explained.

3 Thursday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
Mobilizing Groups to Achieve Social Solidarity by Employing an Intergenerational Group Reflecting Technique
Issie Jacobs, North-West University, Potchefstroom (South Africa)
This presentation describes how the intergenerational group reflecting technique (IGRT) can be used to obtain insight into how important information between group members is transferred and the relational dynamics between members of different generations. Specific attention will be given to how the IGRT can be implemented to help groups who often are in the same context but who have different needs, values, and expectations achieve social solidarity. Attendees will be able to reflect on ways to employ the IGRT in their work with different groups.

4 Thursday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
Learning to Become an Orchestra: Experiences of the IASWG Lithuanian Chapter
Jorūnė Vyšniauskytė Rimkienė, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Zaneta Serksniene, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Inga Žalnierauskienė, Kinder garden, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Vitalija Lyska, NSDGA, Vilnius (Lithuania)
This presentation will discuss how two years of preparation for the IASWG Symposium changed the roles, dynamics, and group culture in the Lithuanian Chapter. Participants will be introduced with what challenges the chapter encountered and what opportunities occurred during the “trip.” The metaphor of an "Orchestra" will be a leading concept of the presentation. Participants will be introduced to an "Orchestra" metaphor in group practice and its application to their own personal and professional group settings.

5 Thursday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
(EN>SP) Virtual Mutual Aid Group Work with LGBTQIA+ Adolescents: Facilitating Support and Connection  (MUTUAL AID TRACK)
Kelly Carter, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD (USA)
Joan Pittman, University of Maryland-Baltimore, Baltimore, MD (USA)
This experiential session will highlight group work strategies within the mutual aid framework to promote inclusivity and support for LGBTQIA+ adolescents. Participants will learn about group activities and engage in preparatory exercises to have a greater understanding of how a group leaders’ identities and experiences may impact the work. Presenters will facilitate discussions on strategies for overcoming common challenges in leading groups with LGTBQIA+ adolescents and strategies for increasing student group work experiences.

6 Thursday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
The Graduate Grind: The Importance of Self-Care Groups in Graduate School  (MUTUAL AID TRACK)
Julia Farnung, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ (USA)
Tara Ferejohn, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ (USA)
Rosemary Asencio, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ (USA)
Alexander Reszutek, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ (USA)
Graduate school can mark highly stressed and volatile environments for students and their mental health. Some students seek counseling services, but these services can be difficult and/or expensive to access. To help address this need, several current MSW students developed the “Graduate Grind,” a group focused on self-care. Through interactive activities and provided educational resources, presentation participants will better understand the benefits of, and how to implement, self-care-oriented practices and groups for graduate-level students.

Session 2 // 30-minute Presentations - Thursday, 11:30am to 12:00pm ET 

1 Thursday, 11:30am - 12:00pm ET
Interpersonal Classroom Model: Training Students for Field Groupwork Experiences
Tee Tyler, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX (USA)
This presentation describes how to use the Interpersonal Classroom Model (ICM) approach to prepare social work students for group opportunities at field internships. The presenter will review data collected from students about how their group courses prepared them for groupwork opportunities at field internships, specifically data comparing field groupwork experiences of BSW students who attended and did not attend an ICM group class.

2 Thursday, 11:30am - 12:00pm ET
(FR>SP) Intervenir auprès des couples: une démarche de travail social de groupe axé sur l’aide mutuelle avec des couples vivant avec une déficience visuelle (MUTUAL AID TRACK)
Myriam Cayer, CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de l'Ile de Montréal, Montréal, QC (Canada)
Najla Noori, Fondation Inca-Montréal, Montréal, QC (Canada)
Cette présentation exposera la problématique des personnes adultes et aînées vivant avec une perte de vision et celle de leur partenaire, la démarche de travail social de groupe auprès de couples inspirée de ces besoins, la combinaison de modèles multifamiliaux et d’aide mutuelle utilisés ainsi que les résultats obtenus. Une réflexion critique sur les particularités et les défis associés à une intervention avec des couples sera amorcée. Une discussion et un échange suivront.

3 Thursday, 11:30am - 12:00pm ET
Educators’ Preferences Regarding the Content of a School Bullying Program
Marie (M.J.) Ubbink, North-West University, Potchefstroom (South Africa)
Charlretha Brooks, North-West University, Potchefstroom (South Africa)
Bullying is a worldwide phenomenon and is increasingly receiving wide-reaching attention. Educators are usually the first to observe bullying behavior and therefore have a duty of care. This presentation will explain findings from a research study to discover essential elements of a school anti-bully group for educators, students, and parents by speaking to primary school educators in South Africa. A comprehensive framework of bullying, effective programming models, and implications to practice will also be shared.

4 Thursday, 11:30am - 12:00pm ET
A Covid Support Group to Boost Feelings of Ability to Cope (MUTUAL AID TRACK)
Rhonda Morgan, Long Island University, Brooksville, NY (USA)
This presentation describes a group developed for a social work practice class to identify and address clients’ needs at students’ internship placements. The goal of the virtual group was to reduce feelings of isolation and increased stress during the pandemic and provide support to adult clients receiving behavioral health services at a nonprofit agency outside of New York City. This session discusses the project creation, feedback from participants, and presenter’s reflections of the group.

5 Thursday, 11:30am - 12:00pm ET
Building Structure and Support in Music-based Activities in Group Work
Brian Kelly, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
In this session, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the historical and current uses of arts and music-based activities in group work. They will be asked to consider and explore how music-based activities provide members with opportunities to access and develop their talents, strengths, and interests. Some of the challenges encountered in these practices, as well as a discussion of implications for group work education and research will be discussed.

6 Thursday, 11:30am - 12:00pm ET
The Use of Vulnerability by Social Work Group Practitioners: Inviting Connection in Troubling Times  (RESEARCH TRACK)
Jutta Hofmann-Powell, Barry University, Miami Shores, FL (USA)
Mark Smith, Barry University, Miami Shores, FL (USA)
Heidi Heft-LaPorte, Barry University, Miami Shores, FL (USA)
This presentation engages participants in discussion of the presenter's recent research regarding the intentional use of vulnerability in order to enable cohesion and connection to develop among group members. Relevant scholarship is explored and a theoretical foundation is presented for re-conceptualizing intentional disclosure and shared vulnerability of group facilitators.

7 Thursday, 11:30am - 12:00pm ET
An Online Community of Practice for Group Work Educators
Roshini Pillay, Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg (South Africa)
Namoonga Chilwalo, University of Namibia, Windhoek (Namibia)
This presentation shares the experiences of two group work educators from Africa as they facilitated a group for educators teaching group work during Covid. Learnings from this community of practice group will be discussed, including effective strategies for teaching groupwork online to undergraduate social work students, best practices for field instruction, and the personal impact of the group promoting ongoing growth and improvement.

(EN-SP-FR-G) Poster Presentations - Thursday, 12:15pm to 1:30pm ET

The Relevance of Group Work in the Correctional Service Facilities: A South African Case Study
Andrew Spaumer, IASWG Africa Chapter, Tshwane (South Africa)
The South African Correctional Services Facilities (prisons and jails) utilizes group work interventions to address the needs of inmates. This  presentation explains the relevance of group work as experienced by both the social workers (group facilitators) and the inmates. The presentation will further show how diversity is addressed through group work within this system.

Working Group: Aprendizaje de las competencias teórico-prácticas del trabajo social de grupo, una construcción colaborativa
Belén Parra, University Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain)
Experiencia docente y colaborativa con profesionales y personas usuarias de un servicio de rehabilitación comunitaria de salud mental, para el aprendizaje de las competencias necesarias para la conducción de grupos. Es un proyecto de innovación docente de la Universidad de Barcelona. Tiene la duración de dos años y se lleva a cabo en la asignatura de Trabajo social de grupo del Grado de Trabajo social, en 4 grupos de 60 estudiantes por grupo.

Using 12-Step Peer Support Group: Voices of Recovering Social Workers
Azahah Abu Hassan Shaari, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Bachok (Malaysia)
Bernadine Waller, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY (USA)
Muhammad Azim Abu Hassan Shaari, Kolej Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Ismail Petra, Kota Bharu (Malaysia)
This poster describes recovering social workers’ insights about the use of 12-step peer support group to manage the complex process of personal recovery while working in addiction treatment agencies. Participants shared valuable accounts related to participation in 12-step peer-support group as an important and significant aspect of their recovery process. For instance, the social networking with other peers was a crucial component in 12-step that significantly helped guiding participants in their recovery.

Benefits of a Support Group for High Schools Students Returning After a Mental Health Related Hospitalization
Evan Kafka, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
Emily Balentine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
This poster explains how a support group helped encourage students to successfully transition into the high school environment after a recent mental health hospitalization. The poster describes the structure of the group, introduction of the evidence-based research, and the benefits of the group.

Briser le silence et l’isolement des familles ayant un enfant qui vit avec de problèmes de santé mentale : la contribution des pratiques de groupe
Penelopia Iancu, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB (Canada)
Isabel Lanteigne, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB (Canada)
Les résultats préliminaires d’une recherche qualitative exploratoire sur le vécu de parents ayant un enfant avec des problèmes de santé mentale seront présentés dans cette communication. Une vingtaine de parents Néobrunswickois ont participé à l'étude au sujet de leur expérience d’accompagnement lorsqu’ils ont reçu des services pour leur enfant. Nous explorons donc le rôle que le travail social de groupe peut jouer pour promouvoir la solidarité entre les familles, les intervenants et les communautés.

(Re)constructing Positive Self: Group Work in Community with Persons Suffering from Mental Illness
Dovilė Daugėlienė, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Mental illness is a challenging experience that can destabilize personal, professional, and social life. This poster shares experiences and insights about process of (re)building positive self-image through group work to develop social, emotional, and professional skills for people with mental illnesses.

Using Community-based, Psycho-educational and Skills Support Groups to Help Individuals Reenter Society
Elliot Ash, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
This poster describes ways into which community and psychoeducational support groups can help to lessen recidivism rates. Such groups like trauma-focused support groups and skills-based groups were found to foster a sense of community. Case examples from Chicago, IL will be explained.

Therapeutic Group Intervention for Muslim Women Surviving Domestic Violence
Tamara Alshoweat, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
Muslim women are often underrepresented in the therapeutic setting. This poster addresses the lack of representation of Muslim women in therapy. This poster will also touch on the need for more research on groups for Muslim women and the most effective way to set groups for Muslim women. This poster will mention the group process, therapeutic factors, gaps in literature and suggestions for further groups.

Session 3 // 60-minute Presentations - Thursday, 1:45pm to 2:45pm ET 

1 Thursday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
Co-Creating Virtual Teaching Strategies: Interactive Round Table Discussions (TRAINING TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Ann Bergart, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
Namoonga Chilwalo, University of Namibia, Windhoek (Namibia)
Jennifer Currin-McCulloch, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO (USA)
Donna Guy, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Rotorua (New Zealand)
Neil Hall, Western Sydney University, Penrigth, NSW (Australia)
Kristina Lind, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
Barbara Muskat, IASWG, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
Mamadou Seck, Cleveland State University, South Euclid, OH (USA)
Shirley Simon, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
Greg Tully,  West Chester University, West Chester, PA (USA)
Members of an IASWG mutual aid educators’ group will lead small group discussions on a range of topics related to student and teacher engagement, motivation, and overall well-being. Using a round table format, this session will offer social group work educators the opportunity to engage in small group discussions about their salient concerns as social group work educators during Covid. New knowledge and advice will be generated to enhance each attendee’s teaching practice.

2 Thursday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
La voix des images : Utiliser l'art en travail social pour briser l'isolement et développer la résilience des femmes immigrants en contexte urbain
Alexandra Tanguay-Verreault, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC (Canada)
Ce projet d’intervention-recherche a pour but d’explorer l’utilisation de l’art comme intervention psychosociale pour briser l’isolement social et développer la résilience auprès de femmes majoritairement immigrantes qui fréquentent un organisme communautaire à Montréal. Sous forme de groupes de soutien, 11 femmes ont été invitées à échanger et à créer des œuvres artistiques sur des thèmes déterminés tels que : la féminité contemporaine, le trauma, la diversité corporelle, le deuil, les violences interpersonnelles, etc.

3 Thursday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
Experts by Experience: A Group for Adult Survivors of Childhood Maltreatment (RESEARCH TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Avital Kaye-Tzadok, Ruppin Academic Center, Emek Hefer (Israel)
DeJon Knapp, Haruv USA at the University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK (USA)
This session will provide attendees an overview of the ideas and research behind partnering with adult survivors of child maltreatment viewed as "Experts by Experience," to improve the education and professional development opportunities of professionals in the field of child maltreatment. Providing a unique group space, "Experts by Experience" builds community based on shared experiences and shared resilience of over-comers, during Covid, bringing together survivors in a time of social isolation. This session will inspire attendees to make a commitment to involving "Experts by Experience" in the training of students and professionals, as well as in services at large, and explore ways to implement this type of intervention in their own communities.

4 Thursday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
Using Group Facilitation Modeling Techniques to Reduce Anxiety and Burnout in Students during Covid (TRAINING TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Erin Nau, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ (USA)
Julia Tracy, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ (USA)
Mackenzie McDonald, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ (USA)
Alexa Correa, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ (USA)
Alina Cabrera, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ (USA)
During the fall semester of 2021 students expressed a higher level of burnout and stress and anxiety due to the Covid pandemic. The professor of an undergraduate social work and group course decided to model group facilitation by facilitating a group on burnout, stress, and self-care in her class. This presentation will involve the professor and BSW students sharing their reflections about this experience.

5 Thursday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
Lending Support: Mobilizing Solidarity Communities through Mutual Aid Support Groups  (MUTUAL AID TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Dorlisa Minnick, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA (USA)
Christina (Tina) Zeigler, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA (USA)
The personal is political and the political is personal. Transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming folx are marginalized through policy, programs, and everyday queerphobic actions. This session will focus on the process of building solidarity through a mutual aid group that mobilizes to drive towards social change. Participants will be taken through the planning and implementation steps of a mutual aid support group in south-central Pennsylvania for partners and families of trans* identifying folx, and learn strategies for mobilizing members of mutual aid support groups for social change in their local community.

6 Thursday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
What’s Conflict Got to Do with It? | CE-eligible Presentation
Karla Herrera, Clinical Social Worker, Brooklyn, NY (USA)
Over the past two years, our socialization modes have changed, from Zoom meetings to Telehealth, we have adjusted and managed. As we return from social isolation, one aspect we must pay attention to, is how we as group workers manage and use conflict, in therapeutic settings. This presentation will explore the effects the pandemic has had on the role of conflict and how we engage with it as we are coming back from social isolation.

7 Thursday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
Leading Interprofessional Task Groups to Advance Institutional or Structural Change | CE-eligible Presentation
Padraic Stanley, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (USA)
This presentation will discuss how social workers can lead interprofessional task groups to promote institutional and structural change, breaking down silos necessary to create large scale change in quality and ethics. The presenter will share his experience establishing an interprofessional task group to advance immigrant health at a large healthcare institution, providing a guide for others to form similar task groups. Social work skills for recruitment, retention, collaborative goal setting, and meetings will be discussed.

8 Thursday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
Strength-based, Culturally Sensitive, Transformative, and Capacity Building Group Process in Providing Consultation to Community Reentry Programs | CE-eligible Presentation
Brent In, Chicago State University, Chicago, IL (USA)
Thomas Kenemore, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
The presenters will demonstrate a group process aimed at facilitating small reentry programs’ initiation and development of effective evaluation protocols for provided services they provide. Using a participatory action perspective, the presents will explain how they sorted through various noises that have been their vocalization of their passion for social justice. The group process is managed to explore, share, elucidate, and mutually edify the stakeholders.

Session 4 // 60-minute Presentations - Thursday, 3:00pm to 4:00pm ET 

1 Thursday, 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET
Build It and They Will Come: Group Work as a Bridge to Connection and Healing in Various Environments | CE-eligible Presentation
Tanya Freeman, Yeshiva University, New York, NY (USA)
Sari Skolnik, Yeshiva University, New York, NY (USA)
Beverly Kaplinsky, Yeshiva University, New York, NY (USA)
Dalia Garih, Yeshiva University, New York, NY (USA)
Joanna Greenberg, Yeshiva University, New York, NY (USA)
This presentation will discuss the opportunities, challenges, and creative approaches to develop groups to meet the needs varied client populations in diverse settings. These settings include school-based group work, virtual group work at a private practice, and a housing program for domestic violence survivors and their families. As group work practice majors in an MSW program, the presenters will contrast theory and practice in the field, share reflections on their experiences, and highlight creative approaches employed in developing group work programs during the pandemic.

2 Thursday, 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET
Joining Nondeliberatively and Virtually: How Virtual Activities Can Be Used to Bring Groups Together | CE-eligible Presentation
Christian Itin, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Denver, CO (USA)
The pandemic has forced many to experience increased social isolation as a results of physical distancing. It has also forced many groups to move to virtual platforms. This highly experiential session will allow participants to play with joining together through purposeful activity in a non-deliberative approach. The theoretical and philosophical underpinning of experiential group work will be explored, and participants will be engaged in activities that can be used in classes, meetings, and clinical contexts.

3 Thursday, 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET
The Neurobiology of Safety and Belonging in Groups | CE-eligible Presentation
Ruby Jo Walker, Private Practice, Durango, CO (USA)
This presentation will use the lens of the nervous system to understand the neurobiology of safety and belonging and its impact on group development. Participants will learn to identify states of safety based on behavioral and emotional indicators, as well as learning skills to support a deeper sense of belonging. Through experiential and mindfulness exercises, participants come away with a compassionate understanding of the role that physiology plays in groups and human interactions and how this inform their facilitation of future groups. This presentation will not be recorded.

4 Thursday, 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET
Let’s Take It Outside! Fighting for Group Work at a Shelter for Unhomed New Yorkers During the Covid Pandemic | CE-eligible Presentation
Rebecca Hoffman, Social Groupworker, Brooklyn, NY (USA)
Nathan Shane, Breaking Ground/East Flatbush Safe Haven, Brooklyn, NY (USA)
“Coffee in the courtyard with Nathan and Rebecca. Residents and staff welcome!” A voice rings out over the walkie-talkies around Breaking Ground’s East Flatbush Safe Haven, a transitional housing shelter in Brooklyn, NY. Rebecca Hoffman, Clinical Coordinator, and MSW Intern Nathan Shane are partners in crime, nurturing that community spirit that groups provide. Join us to learn how we are keeping groups alive during the pandemic, and to discuss how you can do it, too.

5 Thursday, 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET
Peer Support Groups: The Power of Connection in Times of Disruption  (MUTUAL AID TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Carrie McManus, Sagesse, Calgary, AB (Canada)
Amy Munroe, Sagesse, Calgary, AB (Canada)
Times of disruption and crisis call for unique methods for creating connection and community engagement. This presentation will explore how peer programming within a social work group framework has helped to created social connection and solidarity during the Covid pandemic. Interactive activities will provide participants with the skills and knowledge of how to engage in peer programming within their jurisdictions during disruption facilitates unique opportunities for connection and reduced social isolation.

6 Thursday, 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET
(FR>SP) L'immersion en nature avec les jeunes souffrant d'anxiété: Se connecter à soi, aux autres et à la nature
Julie Reid, Le Versant, Labelle, QC (Canada)
La simplicité et l'accessibilité de l'immersion en nature en font un outil efficace pour outiller les jeunes à mieux gérer leur anxiété : Du temps de qualité en nature, entouré par des pairs vivants des difficultés semblables, soutenu par des facilitateurs utilisant des approches innovantes. Pour mieux développer entre autres la résilience, la confiance en soi, la coopération et la communication. Un projet actuellement offert à des jeunes de 6 à 17 ans sera présenté.

Friday June 17, 2022

Session 5 // 60-minute Presentations - Friday, 9:30am to 10:30am ET 

1 Friday, 9:30am - 10:30am ET
A Practitioners' Mutual Aid Group: The Experience of Connection, Meta-reflection, and Skill-building during the Pandemic (MUTUAL AID TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Mary Frances (Mitzi) Beno, IASWG Greater Illinois Chapter, Green Bay, WI (USA)
Willa Casstevens, Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, IA (USA)
Será Godfrey-Kaplan, IASWG Massachusetts Chapter, MA (USA)
Moe Karroumi, Child and Family Services, New Bedford, MA (USA)
Joan Letendre, University of Connecticut (Retired), Hartford, CT (USA)
​Lynn Meir, JBFCS/Pride of Judea (Jewish Family and Children’s Services), Douglaston, NY,​ (USA)​ 
Kelsey Tevik, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, Welcoming Center, Chicago, IL ​(USA)
Deirdre Weliky, Private Practice, Queens, NY​ (USA)​
This presentation focuses on a virtual practitioner group during the pandemic that demonstrated the importance of mutual aid and how much it is needed in times of societal stress. The group reflected on experiences and learnings through lenses of three models (the Boston Model, Relational Model and Experiential Learning Model) to better understand its progression through various stages. The presentation aims to help participants embrace social support through peer mutual aid and meta-reflection.

2 Friday, 9:30am - 10:30am ET
Adherence vs. Skillfulness | CE-eligible Presentation
Kathy Pjura, Southern Connecticut University, New Haven, CT (USA)
Mark Cameron, Southern Connecticut University, New Haven, CT (USA)
Fast paced lives that include the demands of a rigorous work life can often lead students and practitioners alike, to make automatic socially normative practice decisions. This presentation will present theoretical evidence supporting this tendency while helping to create a greater awareness into what drives our practice decisions and how we can promote greater instrumentality within ourselves, in our groups and classrooms, and with our clients.

3 Friday, 9:30am - 10:30am ET
Exploring the Experience of Loss and Grief during the Pandemic: The Heightened Need for Connecting in Groups (MUTUAL AID TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Donna McLaughlin, Boston University, Boston, MA (USA)
How is the experience of loss unique due to coinciding with this event? Join us for a time of support, connection, and learning while exploring experiences of grief during the pandemic. Discover and discuss the multi-layered phenomenon of loss experienced by group members and facilitators alike. Share your thoughts and feelings from personal experience to inform the benefits and challenges of facilitating and participating in groups focused on grief during the pandemic.

4 Friday, 9:30am - 10:30am ET
(FR>EN) Retisser un lien social : le groupe ouvert et ses potentialités
Ginette Berteau, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC (Canada)
Jean-Martin Deslauriers, Université d’Ottawa, Ottawa, ON (Canada)
Eric Gascon, Université du Québec à Montréal, Québec, QC (Canada)
La présente communication explore les potentialités du groupe ouvert dans le contexte actuel où nous assistons à une désaffiliation de certaines populations plus vulnérables ou isolées. Les avantages et les enjeux spécifiques d’un groupe ouvert seront abordés de même que les stratégies d’intervention à privilégier et favorables à la solidarité et à l’aide mutuelle.

Session 6 // 30-minute Presentations - Friday, 10:45am to 11:15am ET 

1 Friday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
The Role of Groups in Teaching Critical Reflection on Practice to MSW Students (TRAINING TRACK)
Stephanie Baird, King's University College, London, ON (Canada)
Laura Béres, King's University College, London, ON (Canada)
Jane Sanders, King's University College, London, ON (Canada)
Rosemary Vito, King's University College, London, ON (Canada)
This presentation will discuss the process of teaching and utilizing critical reflection on practice (CRoP) with MSW students, and how the group process influences the use of CRoP with MSW students. Attendees will engage in discussion surrounding the application of critical reflection with MSW students and their use of CRoP in group settings. The presentation will incorporate lecture style and think-pair-share methods to facilitate promoting the knowledge and awareness of the critical reflection process.

2 Friday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
Evaluating E-meeting and Web Conferencing Systems for Online Social Group Work (RESEARCH TRACK)
Andres Astray, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid (Spain)
David Alonso González, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid (Spain)
Iria de la Osa Subtil, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid (Spain)
Linda Ducca Cisneros, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid (Spain)
Juan Brea Iglesias, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid (Spain)
Online social work, previously almost nonexistent for most social institutions, has become, at least temporarily, the norm. This scenario has highlighted the need to make decisions about which environments for online interaction are the most appropriate for social work practice. To this end, GrupoLab (the Social Work with Groups Research Laboratory at the Complutense University of Madrid) has developed the Online Group Work Systems Questionnaire (OGWSQ) to evaluate the suitability of most common e-meeting and web conferencing systems to work with online groups. This presentation describes the OGWSQ, its main characteristics, and areas of usefulness in evaluating common groupware e-platforms.

3 Friday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
Showing Social Solidarity Through a Brief Support Group for Mortuary Workers in Namibia  (MUTUAL AID TRACK)
Janet Ananias, University of Namibia, Windhoek (Namibia)
Zelda Rukambe, University of Namibia, Windhoek (Namibia)
In response to the third wave of the Covid, a support group for mortuary workers was formed to create a safe space where group members could share their experiences and gain some form of solidarity with, and learn from, one another. The group assisted members in coping with stressful life events, and in particular, work-related stress due to increasing number of Covid-related deaths. This presentation explains this brief group work project from the formation stage until its termination and highlights practical aspects to consider when working with mortuary workers as frontline workers.

4 Friday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
Measuring Synchronization in Group Work with Immigrant Women  (MUTUAL AID TRACK)
Erum Agha, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (USA)
Anita Frohlich, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (USA)
Groups provide a safe space to immigrant women to interact with their peers, give and receive support, make new connections, and enjoy a sense of belonging and solidarity. Group cohesion is associated with enhanced group performance and is the ultimate desired outcome. We propose measuring an additional component of “group synchronization” as a precursor to group cohesion. This presentation will discuss how synchronized groups are more likely to have higher levels of group cohesion among members and how to develop this component in your own groups.

5 Friday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
Acudetox and Mutual-Aid Group Work: Promising Avenues for the Participation of Street-involved and Unhoused Youth
Sara Todd, La maison bleue, CIUSSS Centre-Ouest de l'île de Montréal, Montreal, QC (Canada)
This presentation shares the findings from a group with street-involved youth in Montreal, using a mutual aid model and integrating Acudetox, a simple ear acupuncture technique recognized for its positive effects (e.g., physical, mental, and spiritual). Through an analysis using mutual aid group work theory, feedback from participants, and the presenter's observations, this presentation will explain how Acudetox contributed to the youth's participation in the group--despite multiple barriers--fostering mutual aid and setting the stage for empowerment.

6 Friday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
Group Work for Domestic Violence Prevention in Post-disaster Situation
Masoomeh Maarefvand, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran (Iran)
Domestic violence increases in post-disaster situations. Women who lived in the flood-affected area participated in a group that was facilitated by a social worker and took steps to reduce domestic violence in their own family and other families in the community. This presentation shares the experience of teaching group members about violence, and types and the cycle of violence to then develop solutions to reduce domestic violence.

7 Friday, 10:45am - 11:15am ET
(FR>SP) Récit d’une expérience d’organisation communautaire dans la Commune de Markala, région de Ségou au Mali
Oumar Traore, Institute National de Formation des Travilleurs Sociaux du Mali, Bamako, (Mali)
Cette communication a pour objet une des expériences d’organisation communautaire dans la commune de Markala, au Mali, enseignées dans le cadre de la formation des étudiants. Face à la détérioration des conditions de vie, consécutive aux aléas climatiques ayant affecté la région, un processus d’organisation communautaire est mis en route avec la création par l’Etat d’une « Fondation pour le Développement de Markala», dans une démarche participative pour aboutir à la création d’une Association villageoise.

IASWG Honoree Recognition - Friday, 11:30am to 11:45am ET

Each year the IASWG Board of Directors honors an individual who over their lifetime has made substantial contributions to IASWG and global group work. We look forward to announcing this year’s honoree during the Beulah H. Rothman Plenary.

The Beulah H. Rothman Plenary - Friday, 11:45am to 12:45pm ET

​(SP-EN-FR-GER) Trabajo Social con Grupos en Argentina y España: Pasado, Presente y Futuro | CE-eligible Presentation
Andres Astray, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid (Spain)
Linda Ducca Cisneros, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid (Spain)
Yolanda Domenech-López, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante (Spain)
Bibiana Travi, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina)
En muchas ocasiones, las etiquetas hispanoamericano y latinoamericano se utilizan de forma genérica para describir realidades que son extremadamente heterogéneas y diversas. Este es el caso del trabajo social en general y del trabajo social con grupos en particular, en los que existen enormes diferencias de un país a otro y hasta en el interior de cada país. En esta presentación plenaria pretendemos ofrecer una primera caracterización de dos realidades muy próximas, pero al mismo tiempo muy diferentes: las del trabajo social con grupos argentino y español. El primero, con una larga e idiosincrásica tradición. El segundo, fue casi inexistente hasta décadas recientes. Ambos, pensamos, con un gran futuro. Describiremos mínimamente sus antecedentes históricos, la realidad de su práctica actual y lo que puede deparar un prometedor futuro.

Session 7 // 30-minute Presentations - Friday, 1:00pm to 1:30pm ET 

1 Friday, 1:00pm - 1:30pm ET
(SP>EN) El trabajo con grupos en los Servicios Sociales de Atención Primaria de Alicante (España)
Yolanda Domenech-López, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante (Spain)
Victor Giménez-Bertomeu, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante (Spain)
Esta presentación tiene como objeto presentar las principales conclusiones y propuestas sobre el Trabajo con Grupos en los Servicios de Atención Primaria, basándonos en una investigación realizada en los Servicios Sociales del ayuntamiento de Alicante (España) dentro del marco del Laboratorio de Servicios Sociales de Alicante, creado mediante un convenio marco entre el Ayuntamiento de Alicante, la Generalitat Valenciana y la Universidad de Alicante.

2 Friday, 1:00pm - 1:30pm ET
(GE>FR-EN-SP) In Beziehung bleiben - auch in Zeiten der Pandemie / Staying in Relationship - Even in Times of Pandemic
Ulrike Overs, IASWG German Chapter, Aachen (Germany)
Soziale Arbeit lebt von der Begegnung, dem Kontakt und den Beziehungen. Wenn dieses nicht möglich ist, stellt das insbesondere Menschen, die in herausfordernden Lebenssituationen sind, häufig vor großen Probleme. Nach einer kurzen Vorstellung des Stadtteilnetzwerkes Netzanschluss für alleinerziehende Eltern,werde ich Ihnen praktische und kreative Methoden vorstellen, die uns dabei unterstützt haben, in Beziehung zu bleiben. Bei einem anschließenden Fachgespräch besteht die Möglichkeit, einen Transfer zur eigenen Arbeit herzustellen bzw. eigene gelungene Erfahrungen einzubringen.

3 Friday, 1:00pm - 1:30pm ET
(EN>SP) Accessing Your Community: Catalyzing the Promise of Group Work Practice with Transgender and Gender Diverse People
Hannah Kia, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada)
Transgender (trans) and gender diverse (TGD) populations continue to experience prominent expressions of stigma and discrimination across healthcare and social service settings. Drawing on findings from a qualitative community-informed study, this presentation will describe strategies to leverage the strengths of critical group-based interventions to address issues and needs of TGD populations. This presentation will not be recorded.

4 Friday, 1:00pm - 1:30pm ET
Witnessing and Honoring Cancer Narratives in Groups: Empowerment Through Sharing "My Cancer Story"
Susan McDonald, Private Practice, Kingston, PA (USA)
Molly Piazza, Private Practice, Kingston, PA (USA)
This presentation showcases an innovative and creative opportunity using narrative medicine and how to apply this knowledge when working with patients diagnosed with cancer in a small group setting. Through the practice of reflective writing and story telling, patients are able to externalize their cancer in a therapeutic context, feel empowered and give voice to their experience, and gain validation from others. This presentation will provide examples of how art was incorporated into each group session and how activities can be applied to one's own practice.

5 Friday, 1:00pm - 1:30pm ET
Intervention en contexte de pandémie en milieu institutionnel : le Plein air urbain pour optimiser des habiletés reliées au quotidien auprès de jeunes adultes présentant une déficience physique (langagière, auditive et/ou motrice)
Eve Dutil-Paquette, CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montréal, QC (Canada)
Rosalie Sylvestre, CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montréal, QC (Canada)
Cette présentation mettra en lumière la mise sur pied d'une intervention de groupe Plein air urbain pour une clientèle jeunes adultes ayant une déficience physique et ce, en temps de pandémie. Cette approche vise principalement à optimiser les habiletés de la vie quotidienne dans la vie en communauté et le bien-être. Il serait pertinent d'envisager le transfert à d'autres clientèles. Les résultats et évaluations de cette première expérience semblent montrer un bon potentiel.

6 Friday, 1:00pm - 1:30pm ET
Not on Our Watch: Using the Arts to Amplify the Voices of Survivors of Human Trafficking
Jennie Ann Cole, East Carolina University, Raleigh, NC (USA)
Stories are the instruments used to construct meaning and explain who we are to one another. Photography is a universal language. This art form can build bridges across language, class, literacy levels, and captures the lived experience of groups on the margins of society. Not on Our Watch is a body of work using photography to tell the stories and hear the voices of survivors of human trafficking. This presentation will engage participants in an interactive activity to understand how the arts and group work can be used to provide a road to recovery for victims of human trafficking.

Session 8 // 60-minute Presentations - Friday, 1:45pm to 2:45pm ET 

1 Friday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
DIRT GROUP WORLD: Exploring Timely Implications in Practice and Research for Social Work with Groups, and the Neuroscience of Safety and Connection in Children's Mental Health, Youth Development, and Education (RESEARCH TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Kenny Turck, DIRT GROUP Global, Litchfield, MN (USA)
Grounded in theory and trauma-responsive neuroscience, DIRT GROUP is an award-winning children's mental health application rooted in social and emotional learning in the context of a gardening, farming, foods, and creative arts project. In March of 2020, DIRT GROUP successfully pivoted and sustained a 100% virtual format. This presentation will explore timely and meaningful implications for practice and research for social work with groups in children's mental health, youth development, and education.

2 Friday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
Empowering Older Adults through Groups to Improve Health Systems and Communities | CE-eligible Presentation
Grisel Rodriguez-Morales, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (USA)
There is a need to provide competent care to older adults, a population that is rapidly growing, and the optimal way to do so is by learning from the older adults themselves. Attendees will learn how to create programs for older adults, implement patient-centered clinical interactions, and ultimately create an age-friendly community by prioritizing voices of older adults. The presentation will also include groupwork skills to cultivate a reflective and empowering environment.

3 Friday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
(FR>EN) Modèle d’aide mutuelle auprès d’hommes victimisés selon une approche genrée et sensible au trauma  (MUTUAL AID TRACK)
Jean-Martin Deslauriers, Université d’Ottawa, Ottawa, ON (Canada)
Cette communication porte sur les résultats d’une recherche menée auprès d’hommes ayant participé à un groupe centré sur l’aide mutuelle mise en perspective avec une recension des écrits. Des liens seront établis entre leurs propos, les dynamiques d’aide mutuelle, les habitus des hommes en lien avec leur socialisation et une approche sensible au trauma. Enfin, un échange aura lieu sur les pratiques prometteuses en travail de groupe, tenant compte de ces dimensions.

4 Friday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
Virtual Group Work Camp: From Separation to Solidarity in a Virtual World | CE-eligible Presentation
Lorrie Greenhouse Gardella, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT (USA)
Mary Frances (Mitzi) Beno, IASWG Greater Illinois Chapter, Green Bay, WI (USA)
Ann Bergart, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
John Genke, IASWG NY Red Apple Chapter, New York, NY (USA)
Donna Guy, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Rotorua (New Zealand)
John Lukach, IASWG Minnesota Chapter, Saint Paul, MN (USA)
Meryl Nadel, Iona College, New Rochelle, NY (USA)
Group Work Camp engages practitioners, educators, and students in building skills and community through nondeliberative practice. From 2009 to 2019, IASWG sponsored nine Group Work Camps in three countries until camping was halted by Covid-19. A pilot Virtual Group Work Camp was held in March 2022. Could a virtual campfire sing-along generate learning, social support, and hope? Join us in sampling a camp activity, evaluating Virtual Group Work Camp, and considering possibilities for the future.

5 Friday, 1:45pm - 2:45pm ET
How is the team feeling? A Presentation of Emotions, Their Regulation, and Team Effectiveness in Primary Care Clinics | CE-eligible Presentation
Dana Wickwire Cheek, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (USA)
This session focuses on the emotional aspects of teamwork in outpatient health care: the impact of emotions, their regulation, and team effectiveness. Participants will be introduced to key concepts of team emotions and steps that team members can take to strengthen team emotional functioning. Participants will also identify strategies that they can bring back to their own practice settings. After a long period of social isolation, preparing for healthy team functioning is timely.

Session 9 // Invitational Workshops - Friday, 3:00pm to 4:30pm ET 

1 Friday, 3:00pm - 4:30pm ET
(EN>SP) Waka tētē: An Indigenous Group Work Intervention | CE-eligible Presentation
Donna Guy, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Rotorua (New Zealand)
Social justice is an intrinsic component of social work practice. Interventions grounded in social justice are those with the ultimate goal of enabling transformational outcomes for marginalized and oppressed individuals, groups and communities. Waka tētē offers a group work experience in a traditional Maori canoe during which participants are immersed in an approach which prioritizes Māori culture as the dominant discourse. Videos shared will enhance understanding of this intervention immersed in Māori values and beliefs. An experiential activity will enable participants to increase understanding of therapeutic elements in this approach. Reflection and discussion will support participants to make connections to theoretical approaches when working with other marginalized and oppressed populations.

2 Friday, 3:00pm - 4:30pm ET
Linking Continuing Education for Social Workers to Climate Resiliency: A Case Study and Generational Analysis of Group Planning, Process, and Outcomes (TRAINING TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Renee Rawcliffe, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY (USA)
Kelly Smith, Institute For Social Work and Ecological Justice, Garden City, NY (USA)
Climate instability threatens the loss of social justice and equality gains, making it the most universal problem facing social workers today. This case study highlights a university-based social work continuing education program and an ecological justice organization partnership, focusing on the generation of group planning, process, and outcomes, with the overarching goal of mobilizing groups of social workers with the professional capacity and knowledge to summon resources for replicable and transformative ecological change.

Saturday June 18, 2022

Session 10 // 60-minute Presentations - Saturday, 9:30am to 10:30am ET 

1 Saturday, 9:30am - 10:30am ET
Ride the Line: Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities in Teaching Group Work Online | CE-eligible Presentation
Heather Burack, City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY (USA)
We group workers can embrace teaching groupwork online! Teaching at a New York City University’s graduate program designed for adults who are often seasoned professionals with busy lives, I faced unpredictable situations like a student logging in from their commute home, a new mother going off camera to pump milk for her newborn baby, or dealing with background noise of family members. Students also shared that they would have not enrolled in classes if they were in-person because of their need to work and care for their family. Online learning has created more access and perspectives. Through anecdotes and activities, this presentation will explore the challenges and provided potential in teaching group work online.

2 Saturday, 9:30am - 10:30am ET
Practical Strategies for Using Group Work Standards and an Inventory of Group Work Competencies to Engage Students and Guide Learning (TRAINING TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Joan Pittman, University of Maryland-Baltimore, Baltimore, MD (USA)
Mark Macgowan, Florida International University, Miami, FL (USA)
Jennifer Currin-McCulloch, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO (USA)
Carol Cohen, Adelphi University School of Social Work, Garden City, NY (USA)
Peace Yuh Ju Wong, National University of Singapore (Singapore)
This presentation will focus on learning practical strategies for using IASWG Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups and the Inventory of Foundation Competencies in Social Work with Groups to engage students and guide learning in social work courses. Participants will have opportunities to practice using the Inventory and brainstorm about innovative ways to use the Standards to engage students and assess competencies and areas of growth.

3 Saturday, 9:30am - 10:30am ET
Using Movies to Support Groups | CE-eligible Presentation
Carolyn Tice, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD (USA)
John Belcher, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD (USA)
Movies combine images with dialogue, music, and sound effects to entertain, educate, and indoctrinate. Whether viewed in a theatre or streamed, movies nurture conversations that bridge culture and diversity. They can inspire social change by increasing awareness and calling for action. In light of worldwide events and life challenges, this presentation details the benefits of movies to improve mental health and well-being for individuals and group members and how they enhance social connectivity critical to group formation and maintenance.

4 Saturday, 9:30am - 10:30am ET
Why is the climate emergency not on our radar? | CE-eligible Presentation
Helene Filion Onserud, Group Work Practitioner, Brooklyn, NY (USA)
How do we strike a balance between despair and hope in relation to the continuous degradation of the planet and the disappearance of so many species? Participants will get to explore their own feelings connected to the climate crisis so they are in a position to think more clearly about ways in which they can start integrating this topic in their practice. This presentation will also discuss ways in which social goals can allow us and our group members or students gain a more positive outlook in relation to the crisis, think about an action we could take, and offer each other mutual support.

Session 11 // Invitational Workshops - Saturday, 10:45am to 12:15pm ET

1 Saturday, 10:45am - 12:15pm ET
(EN>SP-FR) Strategies for Recruitment, Implementation, and Retention for Virtual Groups with Older Adults (TRAINING TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Padraic Stanley, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (USA)
Jeaneane Quinn, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (USA)
This presentation will discuss best practices and tested strategies for recruitment and retention in virtual groups for older adults. Presenters will speak from experience, data, and literature, and will engage participants with real examples, case studies, and a small group activity. While these presenters implement evidence-based chronic condition management and fall prevention groups for older adults, the strategies outlined in this presentation could be utilized for recruitment, implementation, and retention of many community-based groups.

2 Saturday, 10:45am - 12:15pm ET
(EN>SP-GER) Applying Critical Race Theory: Examining Critical Aspects of Group Interactions to Address Harm | CE-eligible Presentation
Charles Garvin, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (USA)
Robert Ortega, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (USA)
Group workers and writers on group work have sought to commit group work to efforts to fight racism, discrimination, and oppression. In our own work, we have strongly advocated for socially just practices in groups. Recently, Critical Racial Theory (CRT) has contributed greatly to the goals of socially just practice. Unfortunately, there is much misunderstanding of what CRT is and how it seeks to resist oppression. This presentation will increase the participant’s understanding of CRT and how it can help members and group workers to work together to confront oppressive conditions.

Session 12 // 30-minute Presentations - Saturday, 12:30pm to 1:00pm ET 

1 Saturday, 12:30pm - 1:00pm ET
Increasing Student Engagement and Strengthening Campus Well-being with Peer-led Groups
Sofia Fernandez, Florida International University, Miami, FL (USA)
Victoria Gray, Florida International University, Miami, FL (USA)
Kelly Sydnor, Florida International University, Miami, FL (USA)
Jennifer Abeloff, Florida International University, Miami, FL (USA)
Mary Helen Hayden, Florida International University, Miami, FL (USA)
To meet widespread student needs during Covid, the FIU School of Social Work collaborated with different departments across this minority-serving institution to implement remotely delivered, peer­-led, support groups. A panel representing department directors and faculty facilitators will discuss the formation of the groups, the impact of these groups on students and the campus community, the importance of institutional support, and implications for the future.

2 Saturday, 12:30pm - 1:00pm ET
(EN>SP) It Takes a Global Village: Lessons Learned from Cross-Cultural and Community-Led Interventions for Survivors of Domestic Violence in Uganda
Betsy Miles, Friends of Kisoro, Kisoro (Uganda)
Charity Musimenta, Friends of Kisoro, Kisoro (Uganda)
Nancy Murakami, Friends of Kisoro, Kisoro (Uganda)
Moses Iraguha, Friends of Kisoro, Kisoro (Uganda)
During Covid, rates of domestic violence (DV) drastically increased in developed and developing countries alike. This session shares lessons learned by Ugandan and American social workers who collaborated in the development of the Family and Community Wellness Group, a manualized intervention for DV survivors and their families in southwestern Uganda. The presenters will discuss their use of cross-cultural, community-led and anti-oppressive frameworks to develop a group intervention that brings people and communities together to support survivors and their families during the pandemic.

3 Saturday, 12:30pm - 1:00pm ET
Subgroups, Conflict, and Group Cohesion - A Group Work Perspective on The Beatles: Get Back
Charlotte Tenszen, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada)
The new documentary series The Beatles: Get Back offers a rich case study into how subgroups and group approaches to conflict impact the cohesion, and therefore progress and ending, of a task group. The Beatles demonstrate a unique form of a task group that is plagued by the shackles of fame and family-like closeness. This presentation will integrate theoretical perspectives on social work with groups and encourage participants to consider how, as a social worker, they may approach issues that appeared during The Beatles’ album recording process.

4 Saturday, 12:30pm - 1:00pm ET
Critical Thinking as a Transferable Skill: One Factor of Educational Success
Mamadou Seck, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
A successful teaching of critical thinking requires faculty to adhere to teaching strategies promoting effective group work, interactions, and communication. This presentation will discuss how students attending a general education course were able to develop critical thinking skills through group work practice assignments and ultimately achieve a higher grade in the course. Teaching platforms, course objectives, and assignments utilized to teach this skill will be shared.

5 Saturday, 12:30pm - 1:00pm ET
Thriving Together: Improving Doctoral Educational Success with a Mutual Aid Peer Support Group  (MUTUAL AID TRACK)
Sloan Bruan Lorenzini, Florida International University, Miami, FL (USA)
Mark Smith, Barry University, Miami Shores, FL (USA)
Maryam Rafieifar, Florida International University, Miami, FL (USA)
Completing a PhD is taxing and stressful under the best of circumstances. Evidence indicates that weak support systems increase social isolation and interfere with students' ability to achieve a work-life balance. Moreover, the Covid pandemic has limited opportunities to socialize and belong, which are foundational to coping and mitigating loneliness. This presentation describes a peer-led mutual aid group implemented by doctoral students during Covid for students who felt isolated and lacked academic and social supports. Implications of this group and the lessons learned will be shared with the aims of extending implementation and enhancing sustainability in the post-pandemic culture.

Session 13 // 60-minute Presentations - Saturday, 1:15pm to 2:15pm ET 

1 Saturday, 1:15pm - 2:15pm ET
Online Groups to Explore the Use of Object in Social Work | CE-eligible Presentation
Mark Doel, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield (United Kingdom)
Carol Cohen, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY (USA)
Grace Allen
Sarah Clawson
Sotonye Emuchay
Susan Heckler
Jenna Johnson  
Angelo Mancini  
Jolanta Mockuviene
Hedwig Verhagen
Santiago Martinez Jr.
This interactive presentation considers the group processes in three design teams, online groups based in the UK and US that met over a six month period to explore the potential for Object in social work practice. The learning from these groups was incorporated into a practice workbook, Using Objects in Social Work, a handbook for a training programme facilitated by Coram UK. The work integrates material culture theory with narrative theory and identity. Participants will be actively engaged in considering how objects can move participants from social separation to social solidarity through stories evoked by objects. Please come with an object to show the camera to introduce yourself.

2 Saturday, 1:15pm - 2:15pm ET
Use of the Labyrinth in Group Work | CE-eligible Presentation
Olga Molina, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (USA)
George Jacinto, University of Central Florida (Retired), Orlando, FL (USA)
Labyrinth walking is a centuries old practice that has been used by many diverse cultural groups for spiritual growth and self-awareness. In the last few decades, labyrinths have been used in hospitals, schools, prisons, and churches for psychotherapeutic purposes. Today social workers and mental health practitioners, to aid in counseling, use the finger labyrinth, wherein participants use the index finger to trace within lines of a paper labyrinth. This session is to introduce the use of the finger labyrinth in group work practice and how this technique can be incorporated into a variety of settings.

3 Saturday, 1:15pm - 2:15pm ET
(EN>FR) Online Group Work Practice: The New IASWG Standards Are Here! | CE-eligible Presentation
Mark Macgowan, Florida International University, Miami, FL (USA)
Barbara Muskat, IASWG, Toronto, ON (Canada)
Lorrie Greenhouse Gardella, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT (USA)
Reineth Prinsloo, University of Pretoria, Pretoria (South Africa)
This session will present the updated IASWG Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups with considerations for online group work as a resource for facilitating social solidarity in a changing world. The session will review the collaborative project to enhance the Standards so they are relevant for online social work with groups; highlight continuity and adaptations to the Standards; and review examples of considerations for online social work with groups.

4 Saturday, 1:15pm - 2:15pm ET
Strategies to Facilitate Group-based Interventions during the Covid Pandemic (TRAINING TRACK) | CE-eligible Presentation
Katie McCormick, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (USA)
Samira Ali, University of Houston, Houston, TX (USA)
Shared learning communities bring diverse individuals together to learn about a specific topic from a subject matter expert through highly interactive, multi-session gatherings. LEARN Harm Reduction is a six-month hybrid shared learning community that aims to build capacity, enhance collaboration, and strengthen community networks among HIV service providers in the Southern United States. This presentation offers practical strategies and considerations for those embarking on collaborative, community-based intervention development and implementation.

The Joan K. Parry Memorial Plenary - Saturday, 2:30pm to 3:30pm ET

(EN-SP-GER) Des mecanismes de l’exclusion sociale au groupe comme moyen de construction d’une citoyennete sociale africaine / From Social Exclusion Mechanisms to the Group as a Means to Building African Citizenship
Moustapha Mbodj, École Nationale des Travailleurs Sociaux Spécialisés, Bambey (Senegal)
Les groupes, structures de solidarité par excellence, se présentent comme des externalités, qui ont permis la prise en charge des problèmes sociaux des populations de l’espace social noir africain francophone, durant toute la pandémie mondiale. L’intention, de cette présentation est de montrer l’incurie des dispositifs institutionnels de protection sociale face aux attentes sociales, mais également et surtout la capacité des groupes de tâche et des groupes transactionnels initiés par les populations à faire face aux problèmes individuels et sociaux.

Groups are solidarity structures par excellence that appear as externalities. Throughout the entire global pandemic, they have allowed for the management of social problems among populations in the Black African Francophone social space. In this paper, the intention is to show the negligence of institutional social protection systems in the face of social expectations and, most importantly, the capacity of task and transactional groups initiated by populations to confront individual and social problems.

Closing Gathering - Saturday, 3:30pm to 4:00pm ET