Claude Olivier, King's University College, London, ON (Canada)
Laura Lewis, King's University College, London, ON (Canada)

There has been growing interest in the use of the expressive arts in social work, leading both to theory and practice development. This presentation will convey the facilitated group work practice experiences of two social workers who provided expressive arts experiences in their local community and the benefits of these kinds of programs. Theoretical underpinnings of these groups and considerations for the applicability of these interventions to one's home communities will be explained.

Katie Gruhn, Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, IA (USA)
Brenna Horkey, Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, IA (USA)

COVID-19 affected all of us in ways that no one foresaw. Seeing a need for mental health resources on campus, we used our macro practice class to develop and launch a support group to help combat mental health issues among students. This presentation aims to describe how we developed our group, gives examples of successful group activities, and suggests how this type of program can be facilitated on other college and university campuses.

Rachel Minkoff, Yeshiva University, New York, NY (USA)

Social workers and social work educators must be better equipped to share knowledge on guardianship and its alternatives to better support the millions of people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This involves classroom and field education focused on this population, their mental health, and their related services. This presentation will offer recommendations for social work education and group work facilitation to properly prepare social workers to serve and advocate for this population.

Anaïs Fortin-Maltais, Université Laval, Québec, QC (Canada)

Plus que jamais, on parle de proche aidance au Québec. Des politiques existent lors du maintien à domicile d’une personne âgée, mais lorsque son état de santé se dégrade et que l’hébergement devient inévitable, les proches aidants n'ont que peu ou pas de ressources vers qui se tourner. Cette affiche présente donc une intervention de groupe virtuelle destinée aux proches aidants dont l'aîné a récemment été admis en CHSLD.

Nadine Babatounde, ONG, Cotonou, QC (Benin)

L’adhésion au "jardin école" pour bénéficier de la formation sur les techniques de jardinage combinées aux petits élevages est libre et volontaire dans les villages d’intervention du projet. Cette approche permet de regrouper plusieurs catégories sociales et ethniques (holli et mahi, Aizo et wémè) autour d’un même jardin école. Cette affiche discute des mécanismes et processus par lequels le travail social de groupe, tout en contribuant à l’amélioration des conditions matérielles de vie des communautés, permet de jeter des ponts de brassage et de cohésion entre des groupes sociaux isolés par des préjugés et méfiances séculaires que l’on pensait irréductibles. Elle conclut sur les leçons qui se dégagent d’une telle expérience qui méritent d’être portée à l’échelle.

Simran Arora, Canadian Training Institute, Toronto, ON (Canada)

This presentation aims to describe the challenges associated with facilitating virtual psychoeducational groups for youth at a closed-custody detention centre. The poster outlines my experiences as a new social worker and the different ways challenges related to confidentiality, technology, and the COVD-19 pandemic were addressed. Successes resulting from the program and recommendations for future groups and practitioners are also stated within this poster.

Kimberly Zaucha, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
Antonia Stamatoukos, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

This poster examines the availability of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) support groups in Chicagoland high schools prior to and during COVID-19. A survey was administered to predominantly white and diverse high schools to determine the possibility of a correlation between groups offered and racial/ethnic composition of the student body. This poster intends to determine a shift, through survey data, in the numbers of BIPOC groups offered amid a racial and global pandemic.

Erica Fada, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

With an increase in LGBTQ+ individuals within younger populations, and the fact that members of Generation Z already identify with the community during their adolescence, there is a great need for support around queer identity formation in adolescents' lives. However, despite the growing need for LGBTQ+ support, curricula around how to develop groups for these populations is lacking. This poster presents a summary of curriculum development and implementation for groups tailored to LGBTQ+ high school adolescents.

Julie Jensen, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

Due to the emotional nature of the MSW curriculum, students experience triggers, vicarious trauma and extreme stress at a higher rate than other programs resulting in the need for more support. Individual therapy and integrative seminars are commonly provided; however, process groups are rarely offered. This poster presents the findings from a survey of MSW students and the impact they feel process groups would have on their experience.

Willemien Roodt, North West University, Potchefstroom, Swartruggens (South Africa)
Marie Ubbink, North West University, Potchefstroom (South Africa)

A quantitative cross-sectional survey obtained the preferences of primary school learners' parents, on the content of a three-dimensional (parent, learners, and educators) school social group work bullying programme. A descriptive analysis, t-tests, ANOVA and Spearman correlations was done. Data analysis revealed content element rated most applicable and least applicable by parents. Emerging themes was identified in the narrative qualitative question responses. A thematic analysis revealed content that could be added to such a programme.

Michelle Lopez, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

Afterschool programs play an important role in youth development and in keeping children safe outside of school. This presentation aims to analyze the need for and impact of group work practice in the out-of-school-time program setting. Ways in which group work models can improve afterschool programs by supporting social emotional skill development, cognitive development, conflict resolution, and cohesion in schools will be explained.

Matthieu Hammond-Rivard, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC (Canada)

Cette présentation a pour but d’illustrer comment actualiser les spécificités des travailleurs sociaux en intervention de groupe, à contrecourant de la technocratie, de l’individualisme et de la responsabilisation individuelle. Elle dépeint les différentes étapes par lesquelles un groupe cognitivo-comportemental pour hommes portant sur la colère, a pu être transformé en un groupe d’aide mutuelle.

A. Kai Korpak, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

In 2018, with leadership from bisexual community stakeholders, LGBT community organizations, healthcare systems, and researchers, a task force was created to identify and address the health inequities facing bisexual communities in Chicago. This poster will describe the ways in which the task force is working to improve the health of bisexual communities through community-engaged policy and advocacy. Recommendations for supporting bisexual communities will be provided.

Daniela Barrios Morello, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
Laura Sevilla, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

This poster describes the process of developing meaningful group work interventions targeting migrants in transit. Grounded in a transnational partnership between a midwestern university and a shelter in Mexico, it is hoped that this project will promote the development of group work interventions that may be adapted to the needs of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees as a way to help counteract their multiple stressors and support their socioemotional wellbeing.

Samantha Cossen, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
Max Parrella, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)
Michael Awopileda, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

This poster will focus on the outcomes of a small-group for at-risk, adolescent boys at a midwest suburban high school focused on cognition and physical exercise. The poster explores the positive impact of physical exercise on the human brain, provides examples of social emotional activities and groups to increase cognition, and discusses an example of a movement-based social emotional small group for adolescent boys.

Sarah Kelly, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

This poster describes how developmental trauma may impact a person’s ability to participate in group. Additionally, it provides interventions to implement with clients to prepare for group participation. It describes how to determine if a client’s sensory integration, self-regulation, and relational skills are developed so that they can participate in a group and not be contraindicated.

Veronika Kudina, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

The 2020 miles in 2020 challenge is based on philosophy that was established by authors of Run The Edge. They created an exclusive Facebook group to encourage individuals to form social bonds and do their best to complete 2020 miles in 2020. This poster will showcase how the virtual exercise Facebook group was developed and the impact on members as they post their personal stories, interact with one another, and motivate each other to succeed.

Meredith Lewis, UAB Huntsville Family Medicine Residency, Huntsville, AL (USA)
Kaaren Royster, Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, AL (USA)

Diabetes is a major health issue. In the U.S. alone, there are 30 million patients affected with diabetes. This poster will highlight the impact of offering diabetes education groups to patients and how they were pivotal for motivating patients and offering accountability.

Kelsey Tevik, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (USA)

The rapidly changing social landscape of the past 50 years has led to a distinctive social divide between adults and youth within the LGBTQ community. This poster examines potential benefits of utilizing group narrative therapy interventions for fostering cross-generational connection and support among LGBTQ populations. It discusses current literature, as well as identifying need for future research and scholarship. A curriculum for a ten-week LGBTQ narrative therapy group is provided.

Rasa Naujaniene, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Jonas Rušku, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Merja Laitinen, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi (Finland)
Jorune Vysniauskyte Rimkiene, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Julija Eidukeviciute, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Roberta Motieciene, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania)

This poster explains the current practice of child welfare system in the context of Lithuania. Based on statistical analysis generated results from a recent study, the poster will discuss how child neglect and violence against a child is conceptualized, what nature of intervention is dominant, and possibilities for the development of psychosocial services.