Course Title: Plan and conduct group activities

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2015

Course Code: EMPL5720C

Course Title: Plan and conduct group activities

School: 365T Global, Urban & Social Studies

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5330 - Diploma of Community Services Work

Course Contact : Zaina Nehme

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4552

Course Contact Email:zainaindira.nehme@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Julian Silverman: +61 3 9925 4578

julian.silverman@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 50

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Course Description

This course describes the knowledge and skills required to participate in, establish and lead a range of informal and formal groups in a variety of settings. This course may be applied to group work in a range of community service settings.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCGROUP403D Plan and conduct group activities

Element:

1. Address resourcing issues for group activities

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Plan group activities, including consideration of:
- the purposes, defined according to the identified needs of the client group
- the human, financial and physical resources required
1.2 Where required resources are not immediately and readily available, make appropriate submissions to potential sources of assistance and resources
1.3 Ensure formal submissions meet requirements of funding guidelines and organisation principles and practice
 

Element:

2. Coordinate a group planning process

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Actively seek opportunities for collaborative planning and promotion of group activities with clients and solicit, analyse and prioritise information about group's needs and expectations
2.2 Negotiate the purpose of group activities with the group in a manner that gives sufficient time and space for individuals to articulate their ideas and wishes and create opportunity for input to ownership of group processes
2.3 Translate purpose of proposed group activity into a set of aims and objectives
2.4 Analyse potential impact on group operation of the values and beliefs of both worker and client and clarify with those involved in planning and implementing group activities
2.5 Deal with contributions and suggestions to group planning processes so as to promote continued participation
2.6 Design group strategies that promote effective group operation and take into account specific characteristics of clients who will participate in the activity or program
 

Element:

3. Manage group processes including responding to conflict

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Promote opportunities for open dialogue and active listening between group members
3.2 Encourage and model sensitivity to participants, regardless of their gender, culture, ethnicity, subculture, sexuality and ability
3.3 When conflict threatens or arises:
- implement strategies to prevent it within own role, power and capacity
- identify and reinforce the outcomes of positive conflict
- clarify and confirm relevant principles and practices of conflict resolution and seek agreement to implement them
- encourage acknowledgment of respective rights and responsibilities and perceptions of all participants within the conflict situation
3.4 Offer opportunity to all participants for debriefing, support, mediation, consultation and facilitation throughout conflict resolution processes
 

Element:

4. Evaluate group activities

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Ensure aims and objectives of the group activity provide the basis for evaluation and feedback
4.2 Seek feedback from all group participants on leadership style, group process, achievement of objectives, other achievements and areas for development
4.3 Document evaluation data according to organisation procedures and distribute to relevant people
 


Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate competency in the above elements.


Details of Learning Activities

All learning activities will be supported and complemented by RMIT’s learning management tool "Blackboard". Other essential learning activities will take place during the workshops, and you will also be required to undertake independent studies. Some of the learning activities that you will undertake are: practical skills based training sessions involving staff presentations, small group activities, working through hypothetical situations to develop skills in promoting community based leadership, negotiation, delegation of tasks and developing a team based approached two planning, managing and evaluating community development initiatives.
 


Teaching Schedule

 

Lesson
Topic Content

1

Introduction to Group Work and planning group activities
  • Planning your group work activities with service users and colleagues
  • Working with the group to define its purposes, processes and outcomes
  • Providing the resources the group needs to function effectively
  • Overview of group work implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes
2 Implementing ane enabling group work
  • Skills required for implementing groups
  • Creating a positive group work environment which members can speak for themselves
  • Enabling the group members to “own” the program
3 Managing conflict and evaluating effectiveness
  • Managing conflicts in the group work context
  • Monitoring the progress of our groups in order to ensure the continuous improvement
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of group work activities and programs
  • Writing group work evaluation report
4 Learning from peers & presentations - Part 1
  • Learning from our peers - participating in group work activities provided by our peers
  • Providing feedback to the group work activities provided by our peers
  • Reflecting on our skills and knowledge in providing group work activities
5 Learning from peers & presentations - Part 2
  • Learning from our peers - participating in group work activities provided by our peers
  • Providing feedback to the group work activities provided by our peers
  • Reflecting on our skills and knowledge in providing group work activities


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

No prescribed textbook required.


References


Other Resources

You will be provided with the resources and tools for learning in this course. These resources will also be available through Blackboard. You will also have access to the resources in the library. 


Overview of Assessment

Assessment for this course is based on completing a plan for a group work activity, demonstration of group work skills and evaluation of your group work activity. You will also be assessed through completing written responses to a group work scenario involving conflict resolution and you will be required to provide written feedback on classmates presented activities.


Assessment Tasks

For this course you will be required to complete four assessment tasks:

Assessment 1: Group work plan – You will complete a hypothetical plan for a group work activity with service users in a simulated or actual community services workplace contex.

Assessment 2: Group work skills demonstration- You will facilitate a group work activity negotiated with your facilitator between 5 to 15 minutes in duration in the form of an icebreaker or other work task relevant to the community services context

Assessment 3: Group work evaluation report – You will provide a brief written evaluation report from your own and participants’ perspectives of the activity.

Assessment 4: Written responses to a scenario - Managing conflict in a group work context- You will respond in class, to a performed scenario by providing written responses of intervened to prevent conflict in a group work context.

Assessment 5: Written feedback on classmates’ group work activity - Providing written feedback to each of your classmates’ group work presented activities using a standardised feedback sheet supplied by the RMIT facilitator during weeks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the course.


Assessment Matrix

This program in delivered in accordance with competency-based assessment, grades include:

CA: Competency Achieved
NYC: Not Yet Competent
DNS: Did Not Submit for assessment

Other Information

Assessment Tasks Submission Cover Sheet
You must complete a submission cover sheet for every piece of submitted work, including online submissions. This signed sheet acknowledges that you are aware of the plagiarism implications.

Attendance
It is strongly advised that you attend all workshops in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency.

Feedback
You will receive verbal and written feedback by teacher on your work. This feedback also includes suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your competency. Information regarding student feedback can be found at: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=9pp3ic9obks7

Student Progress
Monitoring academic progress is an important enabling and proactive strategy to assist you to achieve your learning potential. The Student progress policy can be found at:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=vj2g89cve4uj1

Special consideration Policy (Late Submission)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension. Information regarding application for special consideration can be found at: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=g43abm17hc9w

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
RMIT University has a strict policy on plagiarism and academic integrity. For more information on this policy go to Academic Integrity Web site: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=kw02ylsd8z3n

Course Overview: Access Course Overview