Making Joyful Noise

The Art, Science, and Soul of Group Work

This diverse collection of articles by group work professionals who work in the classroom and in the field captures not only the art and science of social work with groups but also its soul, highlighting practice, teaching, and writing ideas that promote the power of group work - and the people who do it. Making Joyful Noise reinforces the value and uniqueness of group work as a positive, optimistic, empowering, and affirming way of working with people.

The articles presented here cover a wide range of age groups, populations, and settings and include examples on the use of activity and discussion in groups: a poetry club for children, the meaning of camp for preadolescents, a boxing group for adolescents who live in the inner city, self-defense classes for adults, and caregiver support for the elderly. The book also steps into the classroom to promote the teaching of social group work and the education of advanced group work practitioners and to encourage practitioners to write about their group work practice. Finally, the book presents and illustrates a number of concepts that are unique to group work and that encourage front-line practitioners to “be bold” and to “stay in the mess.”

While organized as a tribute to the late Dr. Roselle Kurland, Making Joyful Noise is in and of itself an important collection of articles and essays on social group work and one that is certain to provide all practitioners who are interested in group work with a spark, a smile, and some needed inspiration for their important work.

Making Joyful Noise includes:

• essentials for preserving, promoting, and portraying group work practice

• the critical relationship between human and professional ethics in group work

• six common mistakes that practitioners make in regard to group purpose

• using organizational analysis to improve group work practice

• creatively blending activity and discussion in diverse settings

• cultivating collegiality to reduce isolation and enhance practice

• developing a capacity to “stay in the mess” in group work with people of all ages

• skills for effectively working with transitions, separation, and loss in group

• guidelines for practitioners wishing to write for publication

• and much more!

This book is a rich and diverse collection that is required reading for anyone working to promote social work with groups.