Course

Group Dynamics and Activity Planning for the Youth Justice Worker

Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Department
Youth Justice
Course code
YJWD 2300
Credits
3.00
Semester length
Flexible delivery ranging from 2 - 15 weeks
Max class size
30
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
In this course, students will explore group theory and develop skills for group design, participation, and facilitation. Students will plan and facilitate developmentally appropriate outcome-focused group activities to promote group development and individual growth.
Course content

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

  • Groups have therapeutic potential.
  • Groups and people are dynamic – they grow and change over time.  Understanding group dynamics and developing group facilitation skills allows practitioners greater competency in their work.
  • Group leadership and involvement helps develop communication, counselling, conflict resolution, feedback, and problem solving skills.
  • Effective group leaders are intentional in assessing how, when, and why various facilitation skills are used and how outcome-focused activities can be used to promote group development. 
  • Group facilitation involves balancing task-centered work (content) with the needs of the group (process).  Groups are successful to the extent that both content and process are attended to.
Learning activities
  • Lecture
  • Demonstration
  • Group discussion and exercises
  • Student presentations
  • Blackboard
Means of assessment

This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations.  

Typical means of evaluation will include a combination of:

  • Written assignments
  • Journals
  • Class presentations
  • Examinations
  • Class participation

This is a graded course.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Explain the therapeutic potential of groups through their experience as members and leaders in counselling, task, and psychoeducational groups.
  2. Define the differences between various types of groups and illustrate the leadership styles and facilitation skills suitable for each.
  3. Describe the stages of group development and demonstrate appropriate leadership skills for each.
  4. Recognize potential obstacles to group functioning and identify flexible and sensitive approaches that may promote group functioning.   
  5. Design, plan, and facilitate developmentally appropriate group activities to promote growth in identified need areas.  

 

Textbook materials

To be determined.

Example: Posthuma, B. W. (2002). Small Groups in Counselling and Therapy: Process and leadership (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.