HISTORY OF
GROUPWORK IN
SOCIAL
The Social Group Work over the course of time and how it was adopted to
the social work profession. Four periods of time will serve as a guide:
1
the emergence of informal and recreational organizations
2
the formation of a group work association, 1930s;
the merger into the National Association of Social Workers, 1950s; and
3
4 the rebirth of group work, 1970s.
(Introductory)
• In the midst of rising casework and community work policy, social group work was
introduced as a new method in social work practice.
• Group work became a tool between individual work and community work.
• Recommend that the social group work come up with a social work profession with a
method that is in line with the ideologies and social mission. (Papell, 2015)
• Because its foundation, social work is based on “social reform”; social responsibility,
democratic ideals, and social action also social relatedness in the human attachment
(Lee, 1991)
(1) THE EMERGENCE OF INFORMAL AND RECREATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
• The development of Social Group Work can be traced back to various social agencies that emerged in
the late 19th century and early years of the 20th century.
• Due to post-civil war industrialization, migration, and immigration newfound demands, problems, and
societal needs sprouted.
• Some of these needs were addressed through Group works found in different settlement
houses as well as volunteer and religious organizations.
• Group work was also present in education and recreation movements, informal education, and
youth service organizations.
(2) THE FORMATION OF A GROUP WORK ASSOCIATION, 1930S;
• Mary Richmond in 1920 sees Group work as the “future of social treatment”
• In 1935, Group work’s first formal recognition as part of Social work practice, when the National Conference in Social
Work created a Group section.
• In 1936, Group work is growing to be popular that is why Emory Bogardus set an outlined “Ten
Standards for Group Work”
• 1936, National Association of Group Work (AAGW) was formed for Social group work professional
standards.
• In 1948, AAGW issued a statement regarding the functions of a Group worker
(3) THE MERGER INTO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS, 1950S
• Only in 1950 did the unified organizations emerge permanently and became the Temporary Inter-Association
Council of Social Work Membership Organizations (TIAC).
• Fall of 1947, AAGW called a meeting in order to be unified and become one professional social work
organization.
• In late-1940s, social workers were members of different practitioner organization based primarily on fields of
practice.
• National Association of Social workers was born in 1955
• Group work existed as one of the five primary practice sections along with medical social work, psychiatric
social work, school social work, and social work research.
• Due to the merge, structural changes and Group work to casework clashes of ideas the practice sections
were disbanded in the 60’s.
• Also in the 1960s, Group work services started to decline and because of the pursuit of generalist approach, it
weakened group specialization in schools and the number of professionals.
(4) THE REBIRTH OF GROUP WORK, 1970S.
• In the 1970s, low interest in Group work continued.
• In order to increase practitioners' awareness about Group work, the Group workers throughout US and
Canada held the first Annual Symposium for the Advancement of Group work in 1979
• Through the First Annual Symposium, it also formed the Committee for the Advancement of Social Work
with Groups.
• Ever since then, annual symposiums about Group work have been held.
• In 1981, Norman Goroff, Ruth Middleman, Beulah Rothman, Catherine Papell, Paul Abels, and Paul
Glasser incorporated the Committee.
• In 1985, when the membership voted to become a membership organization, the Committee became The
Association for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups, International (although incorporation as
AASWG took several more years)
REFERENCES:
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-33-6342-7_
https://www.academia.edu/4128447/social_group_work?sm=b
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2765&context=jssw
https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/social-work/social-group-work-theory-and-practice/
https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/social-work/social-work-early-history-of-group-work/
