Introduction to Groupwork Skills

Delivering effective groupwork requires more than facilitation techniques. It involves purposeful session design, moment-to-moment awareness of group dynamics, and conscious use of self as a groupwork leader. This course is designed to build practical groupwork competencies and reflective self-awareness, equipping leaners with the confidence and skills to conduct purposeful and impactful group interventions.

Groupwork is a dynamic, relational intervention that cannot be fully learned through theory alone. Over three days, learners engage in experiential learning, journeying through key stages of group development and core group processes. Through structured activities and guided reflection, they will develop competencies in managing challenging behaviours, strengthening group dynamics, and navigating ethical considerations that support group growth and safety.

Beyond skills acquisition, the course emphasises the leader’s use of self. Learners will deepen their understanding of how their presence, values, emotional responses, and relational patterns influence group processes — a critical foundation for effective group facilitation.

Upon completion of the course, learners will be able to:

1. Define groupwork and distinguish it from other forms of intervention.
2. Explain the rationale for using groupwork as an intervention modality.
3. Describe key theories and frameworks that inform groupwork practice.
4. Identify ethical considerations relevant to group facilitation.
5. Recognise and differentiate the stages of group development.
6. Observe and interpret group processes, dynamics, and member interactions.
7. Use self intentionally as a group leader, with awareness of personal influence on the group.
8. Demonstrate core facilitation skills for effective groupwork delivery.
9. Apply appropriate strategies to manage conflict, address challenging behaviours, and strengthen group cohesion and growth.
10. Evaluate the effectiveness of group work

a) Theoretical Foundations

• Systems Theory: understanding the group as an interdependent system
• Group as a Mutual-Aid System
• Concept of Roles
• Bruce Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development
• Irvin D. Yalom’s Therapeutic Factors

b) Pre-Group Planning and Preparation

• Purposeful group design
• Group composition and member readiness
• Structuring sessions and establishing safety
• Anticipating risks and ethical considerations

c) Group Development Stages: Leader & Member Tasks

Forming

• Leader: establish safety, purpose, and norms
• Members: orient, assess safety, clarify expectations

Storming

• Leader: manage conflict and power dynamics
• Members: express differences, negotiate roles

Norming

• Leader: strengthen cohesion and shared responsibility
• Members: commit to norms, support peers

Performing

• Leader: deepen work and accountability
• Members: engage actively, apply learning

Adjourning

• Leader: guide closure and consolidate learning
• Members: reflect, process ending, transfer gains

d) Understanding and Managing Group Process

• Observing and interpreting group dynamics
• Member roles, subgroups, and interaction patterns
• Addressing challenging behaviours
• Enhancing participation and engagement
• Tools and interventions to strengthen group cohesion and group growth

e)Conflict and Facilitation Skills

• Types and sources of conflict in groups
• Conflict resolution strategies
• Core facilitation competencies

f) The Use of Self as Group Leader

• Developing leader self-awareness
• Understanding personal influence on group climate and process
• Cultivating a whole-person approach to facilitation

g) Ethical Practice in Groupwork

• Confidentiality and boundaries
• Professional responsibility and risk management

h) Evaluation and Follow-Through

• Evaluating group process and outcomes
• Supporting member transition beyond the group

This course is designed for social workers and social service practitioners who are new to groupwork intervention and aim to build the competencies and reflective awareness required for effective and purposeful group facilitation.

Ben Ang has almost two decades of professional experience in social services, specialising in groupwork, engagement of boys and men, family violence intervention, and community-based practice.

He holds MA in Narrative Therapy & Community Work and Professional Counselling, along with a postgraduate qualification in couple and family work and a Diploma in Clinical Supervision. He also holds a Bachelor of Social Work.

Ben previously served as a Centre Director at a Family Service Centre and as a Programme Lead. The programmes under his leadership were recognised with the Family Violence Dialogue Group (FVDG) Appreciation Awards in 2020 and 2022.

He is currently in private practice, providing counselling, training, and consultancy. His clinical work focuses on individuals, couples, and families navigating conflict, relational harm, emotional regulation, and repair. Alongside direct practice, he provides training for social workers, counsellors, and community practitioners.

Ben is also the Founder and Director of Fellowship of Men Singapore (FMS), a non-profit organisation that develops community-based ecosystems of support for boys and men. FMS focuses on cultivating male allies, strengthening personal accountability, and building peer-led support networks that promote non-violence, emotional competence, and healthy relationships within families and communities. His work bridges clinical intervention with community mobilisation, using structured group processes to support boys and men in developing safer relational patterns, responsibility, and pro-social identities.