Recent News & Past Announcements

IASWG Response to the Hamas-Israel Crisis

Many congrats to IASWG Board Member, April Parker who will be serving in a new professional role at North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Central Regional Hospital, US.

Now Available! - Social Work With Groups, Volume 46, Issue 4 (2023): Origins of Social Group Work by Guest Editor Lorrie Greenhouse Gardella

Group Work at the CSWE Annual Meeting

In Memoriam - Charles Garvin

Register Now for the Fall 2023 Group Work Continuing Education Series offered by Loyola University Chicago

Invitation to a Mutual Aid Action Team: Let’s Reconnect Social Groupwork to the Social Work Profession

Just published - a special double issue of Social Work with Groups featuring 12 articles focused on IASWG SPARC Projects!

Groupwork Call for Papers: Groupwork for Social Transformation

Social Work with Groups - Call for Papers: Collaboration in Social Work with Groups: Implications for Clients, Practitioners, Administrators and Students

NEW! Virtual mutual aid group about the environmental crisis - Contact Hélène at [email protected] to join or for more information.

Support for Our Colleagues in the Ukraine

The African Countries Chapter invites you to a hybrid colloquium celebrating group work on May 25th

Join the Ontario Chapter for an online training on June 2nd - Exploring Non Deliberative Groupwork: Using Experiential Activities with Dr. Christian Itin

Now accepting SPARC Applications until May 25, 2023

Alberta Chapter - Invites IASWG Members to Monthly Community of Social Work Group Practice: Drop-In Peer Support Circles

In Memoriam - Marvin Clifford

Invitation to a Mutual Aid Action Team: Let’s Reconnect Social Groupwork to the Social Work Profession

Just published - a special double issue of Social Work with Groups featuring 12 articles focused on IASWG SPARC Projects!

Groupwork Call for Papers: Groupwork for Social Transformation

Social Work with Groups - Call for Papers: Collaboration in Social Work with Groups: Implications for Clients, Practitioners, Administrators and Students

NEW! Virtual mutual aid group about the environmental crisis - Contact Hélène at [email protected] to join or for more information.

Groupwork Student Essay Prize - The deadline for entries is May 3rd, 2023

Support for Our Colleagues in the Ukraine

The Group Scoop Newsletter - The Group Scoop was created to share with our members what’s happening around our IASWG groupwork community.

Teaching Group Work Online and in Hybrid Models 

Register Now for the Spring 2023 Group Work Continuing Education Series offered by Loyola University Chicago

 

Les invitamos a participar en el próximo Seminario de GrupoLab, que se llevará a cabo el día 24 de marzo (viernes) de las 12:30 a las 14:00 (hora de España) en la Facultad de Trabajo Social de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Campus Somosaguas. En esta ocasión, la ponencia se titulará "Revisiones sistemáticas: una visión general" y será impartida por el Profesor Mark J. Macgowan (Florida International University).

 

Congratulations to Khalfani Mwamba, Azahah Abu Hassan Shaari and Willa J. Casstevens, IASWG members and newest SPARC Program Awardees! The December 2022 IASWG SPARC Report has information about their Projects, news of the special double issue of Social Work with Groups focusing on IASWG SPARC Projects, and other SPARC related info.

 

Alberta Chapter - Invites IASWG Members to Monthly Community of Social Work Group Practice: Drop-In Peer Support Circles

 

Invitation to a Mutual Aid Action Team: Let’s Reconnect Social Groupwork to the Social Work Profession

 

Just published - a special double issue of Social Work with Groups featuring 12 articles focused on IASWG SPARC Projects!

 

Social Work with Groups - Call for Papers: Collaboration in Social Work with Groups: Implications for Clients, Practitioners, Administrators and Students

 

NEW! Virtual mutual aid group about the environmental crisis - Contact Hélène at [email protected] to join or for more information.

 

Good things come to those who wait! German Event Recap: Repair the world - hope, human dignity, democracy - learning from Louis Lowy

 

Groupwork Student Essay Prize - The deadline for entries is May 3rd, 2023

 

Support for Our Colleagues in the Ukraine

 

Join us for our Monthly Member Snack & Chat Hours.

 

The Group Scoop Newsletter - The Group Scoop was created to share with our members what’s happening around our IASWG groupwork community.

 

Teaching Group Work Online and in Hybrid Models 

 

The 2022 Symposium, June 14 to 18, is now virtual. 

In Memoriam - Julianne Wayne

NEW! The Group Scoop Newsletter - The Group Scoop was created to share with our members what’s happening around our IASWG groupwork community.

Massachusetts Chapter presents A Mock Group Film Preview & Discussion on December 1st  - Open to All Members 

The Ontario Groupwork Chapter (OGC) of the International Association for Social Work with Groups (IASWG) and the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW) invite you to Translating Group Norms and Values Online on Friday December 3, 2021.

Register Now for the Fall 2021 Group Work Continuing Education Series offered by Loyola University Chicago

Seeking Participants in SPARC Study - Discover how group work practitioners can utilize diversity to promote group development. 

Seeking feedback via a survey on Standards for Online Social Work with Groups - The Standards have been helpful for many people, but they are missing items about online Social Work with Groups. We need your help! We would like your comments about how group work may be different when done in an online environment. 

Member Networking Events - Starting in January 2022, meetings will occur on the third Monday and Wednesday of every month. All members are welcome!

NEW Publication - Group work applications across the social work curriculum Selected and updated papers from the IASWG Symposium Proceedings Archives - Edited by Carol S. Cohen, Mark J. Macgowan

SOCIAL WORK WITH GROUPS - CALL FOR PAPERS, SPECIAL ISSUE - ​Origins of Social Group Work: Local Stories from Around the World

Teaching Group Work Online and in Hybrid Models 

Webinar GrupoLab: Elementos característicos y definitorios del Trabajo Social de grupo - 11 de Noviembre de 14h a 15h

 

Western U.S. Chapter Educational Session: The Neurobiology of Safety and Belonging in Groups on Tuesday, November 16th at 7 p.m. PT

 

[May 2021] Calling all Group Workers! The IASWG Standards have been helpful for many people, but they are missing items about online Social Work with Groups. We need your help! A subcommittee of IASWG is developing Standards related to online Social Work with Groups.* As part of the process, the Committee would appreciate your comments about how group work may be different when done in an online environment. This survey is available in in English, French, German, and Spanish, and will remain for a limited period of time so please click complete the survey as soon as you can. Thank you for your participation. *Members of the subcommittee include Andrés Arias Astray, Samuel Benbow, Lorrie Gardella, Charles Garvin, Será Godfrey-Kaplan, Ephrat Huss, Cheryl Lee, Mark Macgowan, Barbara Muskat, Andrea Rowell, Mamadou Seck, Shirley Simon, Mark Smith, & Greg Tully.

The Membership Committee is in need of a few more members to help plan programs and activities to stay connected with our IASWG members, support other IASWG committee efforts, as well as recruit new members and organizations.  If interested in joining this committee, please contact Sam Benbow at: [email protected].

North Carolina Chapter (Saturday, May 1st) - Online Workshop on "Recognizing, Preventing and Managing Vicarious Traumatization in Group Work." Free for IASWG members! 

Massachusetts US Chapter (Friday, April 30th) - Online Workshop on "Stepping Out of the Dark: Lessons Learned to Enhance Group Work in the Future." Free for IASWG members! 

Western US Chapter (Tuesday, April 20th) - Online Workshop on "From Military and Substance Abuse Groups to Virtual Groups." Free for IASWG members! 

Call for 2019 & 2020 IASWG Symposia Proceeding Papers

Join IASWG members for the Group Work CEU Series offered by Loyola University Chicago

29-31 March 2021 (Virtual) 6th International Authenticity Action

(April 28) Adelphi University and the Institute for Social Work and Environmental Justice invites you to the 2021 Inaugural Conference on Environmental Justice: Earth to Social Work

Online Workshops offered by the German Chapter on 20th of March 2021. Four workshops will be in German, two in English. The plenary sessions will be translated into English.

IASWG is actively in search of grants and sponsorships to continue its mission. If you are interested in being part of this initiative or know of foundations, grants opportunities or sponsorships with funding initiatives that would be a good fit with IASWG's mission and international educational activities (e.g. symposia), please contact us at [email protected]

IASWG New Member Networking Hour - Meetings will occur on the third Monday of every month via Zoom. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 15th at 8pm ET. 

Teaching Group Work Online and in Hybrid ModelsWe have recently added a section on Teaching Group Work Online. Here you’ll find full syllabi and other resources contributed by IASWG Members. Currently, many of us are moving to online social work education to as an alternative to In Person teaching during the Coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, we are also posting resources that we believe will be valuable immediately. 

Recomendaciones para facilitar grupos de empoderamiento

Groupwork Student Essay Prize, 2021 -  Whiting and Birch are happy to announce the fifth Groupwork Student Essay Prize. Student groupworkers are invited to submit an essay or paper on any aspect of their practice of groupwork. The deadline for entries is May 3rd, 2021. 

CSWE Group Work Track - Please consider submitting an abstract to the US Council on Social Work Education's Annual Program Meeting, taking place in Orlando, Florida from November 4-7, 2021. Visit the APM website for conference and proposal submission details

Llamada de artículos - Número especial: El trabajo con grupos en América Latina - Les Invitamos a presentar contribuciones sobre trabajo de grupo en América Latina. La llamada de artículos completa está disponible a continuación tanto en inglés como en español. Por favor, envíen su resumen a Jane McLaughlin, Apoyo Editorial, antes del 28 de febrero de 2021.

NEW! IASWG Board Members, Brian Kelly, Mark Macgowan, and Barbara Muskat are presenting at the inaugural Singapore Group Work Symposium in January. Co-organised by the National University of Singapore (NUS), The Next Age Institute (NAI) and the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) aims to provide a platform for social workers to share and create new knowledge in group work practice. 

NY Red Apple Chapter Virtual Event (March 3rd) - The Challenges of Creating Community Through Virtual Engagement During the Current COVID Pandemic. More details are forthcoming.

(April 28) Adelphi University and the Institute for Social Work and Environmental Justice invites you to the 2021 Inaugural Conference on Environmental Justice: Earth to Social Work

Online Workshops offered by the German Chapter on 20th of March 2021. Four workshops will be in German, two in English. The plenary sessions will be translated into English.

IASWG is actively in search of grants and sponsorships to continue its mission. If you are interested in being part of this initiative or know of foundations, grants opportunities or sponsorships with funding initiatives that would be a good fit with IASWG's mission and international educational activities (e.g. symposia), please contact us at [email protected]

IASWG New Member Networking Hour - Meetings will occur on the third Monday of every month via Zoom. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 15th at 8pm ET. 

The special issue of Groupwork in French is now published: Échos de la francophonie: Critical Reflections and Innovations in Group Social Work Research and Practice. Groupwork (2020), Vol. 29 (1).

Teaching Group Work Online and in Hybrid ModelsWe have recently added a section on Teaching Group Work Online. Here you’ll find full syllabi and other resources contributed by IASWG Members. Currently, many of us are moving to online social work education to as an alternative to In Person teaching during the Coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, we are also posting resources that we believe will be valuable immediately. 

Recomendaciones para facilitar grupos de empoderamiento

Charles Garvin elected as an NASW Social Work Pioneer!

Groupwork Student Essay Prize, 2021 -  Whiting and Birch are happy to announce the fifth Groupwork Student Essay Prize. Student groupworkers are invited to submit an essay or paper on any aspect of their practice of groupwork. The deadline for entries is May 3rd, 2021. 

The Ontario Groupwork Chapter (OGC) of IASWG and the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW) invite you to join them for Practice Skills for Facilitating Social Work Groups Online on Friday, November 27th from 10am to 12pm EST.

The Massachusetts Chapter is hosting When It Gets Real, film presentation and workshop on December, 2nd from 6:30PM to 8:30PM ET. All IASWG members are welcome to register for this virtual event. 

IASWG New Member Networking Hour - Meetings will occur on the third Monday of every month via Zoom. 

Online 2020 US Council on Social Work Education’s Annual Program Meeting is underway - The Group Work Track has 11 Sessions (for conference registrants only), as well as a Track Meeting, Wednesday, November 18th at 6:00 EST (open to everyone on Zoom). Two of the accepted Track Sessions were selected for “live” presentations, and 9 Sessions were pre-recorded and will be available to conference registrants for a year.  View sessions and links

IASWG is actively in search of grants and sponsorships to continue its mission. If you are interested in being part of this initiative or know of foundations, grants opportunities or sponsorships with funding initiatives that would be a good fit with IASWG's mission and international educational activities (e.g. symposia), please contact us at [email protected]

NEW! President's Pen by Barb Muskat

Western USA Virtual Chapter invites all IASWG members to attend a special presentation on Diversity in Groups by our own IASWG member Dr. Ken Saldanha on Tuesday, November 17th at 7pm PCT.

The Massachusetts Chapter is hosting When It Gets Real, film presentation and workshop on December, 2nd from 6:30PM to 8:30PM ET. All IASWG members are welcome to register for this virtual event. 

IASWG New Member Networking Hour - Meetings will occur on the third Monday of every month via Zoom. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday November 16th at 8pm ET. 

The IASWG North Carolina Chapter invites you to attend the Carolinas Group Psychotherapy Society's October Virtual Workshop: "Facilitating Effective and Meaningful Psychotherapy Groups" on October 17th - 18th. To register, please visit CGPS's website.

SPARC Application Deadline is November 13 - To "spark" IASWG members' innovative practice, education, training and research projects through endorsement and small grants to advance the IASWG mission.

The special issue of Groupwork in French is now published: Échos de la francophonie: Critical Reflections and Innovations in Group Social Work Research and Practice. Groupwork (2020), Vol. 29 (1)

Call for Group Work and the Pandemic Stories - Tell You Pandemic 2020 Group Work Story: The Social Work with Groups journal is inviting narrative essays of 5 to 9 manuscript pages, about group work practice and the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. Your story can take place in any setting and with any population in response to the pandemic. For more information, click here.

Call for Editors: Proceedings of the IASWG Annual Symposia have been published continuously for 42 years as a resource for group workers throughout the world. We invite you to apply for the position of editor or co-editor of the next volume in this esteemed series, the 2019/2020 IASWG Symposia Proceedings, which will be published as a double issue. For more information, click here.

Teaching Group Work Online and in Hybrid ModelsWe have recently added a section on Teaching Group Work Online. Here you’ll find full syllabi and other resources contributed by IASWG Members. Currently, many of us are moving to online social work education to as an alternative to In Person teaching during the Coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, we are also posting resources that we believe will be valuable immediately. 

Recomendaciones para facilitar grupos de empoderamiento

Georg Nebel Memorial - On the 18th of March 2020, Georg Nebel died. Georg was not only one of the founding fathers of the German chapter of IASWG, but also of the “German Way” of social work with groups. He served for 7 years on the board. Until his death, he was an active chapter member, contributing constructively to the chapter. 

Marty Birnbaum Memorial - It is with great sadness we share that Martin Birnbaum passed away on Saturday, May 9th. Marty was a life member of the IASWG board of directors. We welcome you to share your memories, stories, and photos of Marty by emailing [email protected] or by submitting your recollection to then be shared with our community.

NOW ACCEPTING PROPOSALS: We invite you to submit a presentation proposal for the IASWG International Symposium, June 17 - 20, 2020

Seeking Participants in SPARC Study: Reconceptualizing the Role of Diversity in Group Development

PRACTICE TIP! Tips for Facilitating For Empowerment in Groupwork Practice 

Call for Papers (Special Issue: The Creative Practitioner) The Social Work with Groups Journal is inviting articles about the use of psychodrama, sociometry, and group psychotherapy. Manuscripts should have been received by the Guest Editor by December 15, 2019.

Illinois Chapter Event (November 6) - Information Session: Presenting at the 2020 IASWG Symposium 

Minnesota Chapter (November 8) - Somatic Therapies for the Clinician: A Bottom-Up Approach for Exploring and Expressing Your Authentic Self in Clinical Work

NY Long Island & NY Red Apple Chapter Event (November 11) - Using Objects to Tell Stories of Groupwork facilitated by Mark Doel

Massachusetts Chapter Event (November 13) - Pivotal Moments

TRGN Chapter Event (November 15) - When It Gets Real: Navigating Challenging Moments in Group Work

Southern California Chapter - Establishing a Group Work Coffee Chat pilot program

SPARC Information and review is available in English, French, German, and Spanish. The deadline for the next review cycle is October 31, 2019. 

Call for Papers (Special Issue: The Creative Practitioner) The Social Work with Groups Journal is inviting articles about the use of psychodrama, sociometry, and group psychotherapy. Manuscripts should have been received by the Guest Editor by December 15, 2019.

NY Long Island & NY Red Apple Chapter Event, co-sponsored with Adelphi University (November 11) - Using Objects to Tell Stories of Groupwork facilitated by Mark Doel

CSWE APM Attendees - View the Group Work Track & Consider volunteering at the IASWG Booth

South Africa Chapter Event (17 October) - Establishing Rapport in Groups Using Arts & Crafts

Central Florida Chapter Event (October 28) - The Use of the Labyrinth in Mutual Aid Groups

Minnesota Chapter (November 8) - Somatic Therapies for the Clinician: A Bottom-Up Approach for Exploring and Expressing Your Authentic Self in Clinical Work

TRGN Chapter Event (November 15, 2019) - When It Gets Real: Navigating Challenging Moments in Group Work

Passing of Sonia Abels (October 2019) - IASWG mourns the passing of Sonia Abels. Sonia was a social worker who had a long association with IASWG. She joined the organization from its inception and made many presentations at symposia. She wrote several social work books, notably “Balanced Soul: 52 Holistic Practices For Personal Evolution”; “Ethics in Social Work Practice: Narratives for Professional Helping”; “Spirituality in Social Work Practice: Narratives for Professional Helping” and “Understanding Narrative Therapy: A Guidebook For The Social Worker”, which she co-wrote with her husband Paul Abels. Sonia was married to Paul for many years, who was a past president of IASWG and a Professor of Social Work at University of California , Long Beach. Sonia is survived by Paul, three children and six grandchildren. Funeral notice

Passing of Maeda Galinsky (September 2019) - It is with heavy hearts that IASWG shares the news of the passing of Maeda Galinsky, a long-time board member of IASWG, and its North Carolina Chapter, an accomplished group work academic, author and researcher, and mentor and friend of countless group work academics and practitioners. Maeda was honoured at the IASWG Symposium held on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in June, 2015, just one day after the celebration of her retirement from the UNC School of Social Work, as Keenan Distinguished Professor Emerita. Maeda worked closely with Jan Schopler and Charles Garvin, among other group work colleagues.  Maeda was also the proud mother of three children and devoted spouse to her late beloved David. Maeda’s support, boundless energy, sharp wit will be greatly missed. The group work community has lost a shining star. View a tribute written by her social work colleagues at University of North Carolina School of Social Work.

Southern California Chapter - Establishing a Group Work Coffee Chat pilot program

Seeking Participants in SPARC Study: Reconceptualizing the Role of Diversity in Group Development

PRACTICE TIP! Tips for Facilitating For Empowerment in Groupwork Practice

We congratulate the chapter of IASWG based in Germany on the celebration of its 25th Anniversary.  The anniversary was celebrated in Herzogenrath, on March 15-17, with 100 attendees who participated in workshops and celebratory events. We all send our best wishes to our colleagues in Germany who continue to offer excellent training and support to group workers!
New Book! Group Work Stories Celebrating Diversity - Inspired by a dialogue on diversity initiated by the IASWG Board of Directors, Andrew Malekoff, IASWG Board member and revered editor of Social Work with Groups, recently published a book entitled Group Work Stories Celebrating Diversity. (It is also published as a special 40th anniversary issue of Social Work with Groups.). The book includes many entries addressing diversity written by IASWG social group work practitioners, students, and academics. In her recent review of the book, Shantih Clemans, well-respected academic and longtime IASWG member, included these remarks: "With its accessible style, Group Work Stories Celebrating Diversity, also published as a special 40th anniversary issue of Social Work with Groups, is a thoughtful, instructional volume that may spark necessary conversations among teachers and group workers to the beauty and struggles of diversity, in all meanings of the word....As a whole, the 31 essays illuminate powerful, timely, relevant, and often nuanced diversity themes, for example, empathy, self-awareness, and self-understanding, questioning prior assumptions about the world, belonging, connection, and an ongoing search for meaning. As a teacher, I recognized in particular the essays that emphasized critical thinking around diversity, specifically the power and challenges of learning about diversity, as a teacher, student, group leader, or group member...One of the outstanding aspects of this book is the international perspective, which is likely rooted in part to the broad membership of the International Association of Social Work with Groups (IASWG) and among readers of Social Work with Groups. This emerged as a striking departure from the black/white dichotomy of U.S. conversations about diversity and reminded me of the importance of taking a broad and expansive view of diversity in our consideration of human lives and experiences." Read the full review here.

Le dossier du travail social de groupe, dans le cadre du projet en partenariat avec l'OTSTCFQ est maintenant disponible en ligne! Allez y jeter un oeil pour voir tout le travail que le comité du Chapitre francophone y a fait pour mettre en valeur l'intervention de groupe en travail social.

The International Association for Social Work with Groups is pleased to announce the creation of the Martin Birnbaum Special Projects Fund. The Martin Birnbaum Special Projects Fund will be used to provide funding support for IASWG chapters seeking to produce a special project, as well as for any IASWG event such as an IASWG Group Work Camp being held globally. The Martin Birnbaum Special Projects Fund was created with the generous support of Martin Birnbaum, Professor Emeritus of Social Work and Group Studies at Yeshiva University, and lifetime member of the IASWG Board of Directors. 

NEW TIP! Le groupe d’une seule rencontre en travail social de groupe

Special Interest Groups held in July at the SWSD2018 Conference, in Dublin, Ireland - Groupwork in Social Work Education, Practice and Research: Being and Joining Together

Thank you for wonderful 2018 symposium in South Africa!

Join us in Lithuania for the Group Work Camp (October 12 – 14th, 2018).

Update on the 2018 Board of Directors Election

NYC Red Apple Chapter Event - November 16th

NC Chapter Fall Conference - December 2nd

TRGN Chapter Event - December 7th 

Groupwork: Édition spéciale en français - Appel à contribution: Les articles devront être soumis pour le 30 mars 2018

Practicing Group Work Strategies: Aligning our Group Work with the IASWG Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups

Call for Papers: Groupwork invites you to submit papers that critically address the use of groupwork in all aspects of working with people who have experirenced political oppression. To learn more Groupwork with people who have experienced political oppression, learn more here. Deadline January 1, 2018.

Camp d'expérimentation du TSG 1 du 7 au 9 juillet 2017: Plein de belles photos du site, des gens et des activités du camp 

Thank you for a memorable 2017 IASWG Symposium. Presenters from the 2016 & 2017 symposia, please consider submitting a paper for proceedings

Tennessee Chapter will present "Multicultural Social Group Work Ethics in Social Work Practice" for a Social Workers Conference at a nearby hospital on October 6, 2017. 

JULY 2017

JUNE 2017

  • Annual International Symposium - Thank you for a memorable 2017 IASWG Symposium. Presenters from the 2016 & 2017 symposia, please consider submitting a paper for proceedings.

APRIL 2017

Dr. Olga Molina, LCSW, IASWG Board Member, Associate Professor at University of Central Florida, School of Social Work

Group work with Pulse survivors inspires UCF professor’s new research in NSM TODAY | After assisting Pulse survivors in a Spanish-mutual aid group, a UCF Social Work professor is now conducting a qualitative study on the factors that influenced the Orlando community’s resiliency following the Pulse nightclub shooting. Associate Professor Olga Molina, along with UCF School of Social Work Director Bonnie Yegidis, will be interviewing social service providers to obtain their perspective on the community’s response to the shooting. In July, Molina and Yegidis will be presenting their findings in Zagreb, Croatia. Molina, who is of Cuban heritage, said she felt directly impacted by the shooting, as most of the survivors and the victims were Latino. “It hit my community,” said Molina. “It also hit the LGBT community, which is a very vulnerable community within the Latino community, and so, I felt that I needed to get involved in helping in whatever way I can.” To read more, click here.