Development of Professional Skills Through Group-Focused Social Work Practices

The practical work carried out within the scope of the “Group-Oriented Social Work Practices” course at Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University's Department of Social Work continues to contribute to the development of students' professional knowledge and skills in a field-oriented manner. These studies, planned and implemented under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fikri KELEŞOĞLU, constitute an important learning area that strengthens the practice-based structure of social work education.

Within the scope of the course, students plan and implement group work structured around different thematic headings. In this process, fundamental professional skills such as understanding group dynamics, creating intervention plans, managing and evaluating the group process are actively experienced. The applications demonstrate, with concrete examples, how group work, one of the basic methods of social work, can be functionalized, especially in the context of case management.

The studies conducted show that social work intervention can be effectively carried out not only through individual-centered approaches but also through group-based approaches. In this context, students learn to consider group processes as part of case management; they gain a holistic perspective on the individual's interaction with their environment, social support mechanisms, and empowerment-focused interventions.

These practices, conducted in strong correlation with program outcomes, support students' fundamental competencies such as:

Acting in accordance with professional ethical principles and values,
Working with diverse social groups,
Developing critical thinking and professional evaluation skills,

Developing intervention planning and implementation skills.

In particular, integrating professional ethical principles into the application processes increases students' awareness of issues such as confidentiality, voluntariness, respect, and professional boundaries. In addition, planned activities targeting different age, socio-cultural background, and needs groups contribute to the development of students' skills in working with diversity.

Student feedback regarding the application process also reveals the effectiveness of the course. Students state that reinforcing theoretical knowledge with practice increases their professional self-confidence, provides experience in managing group processes, and enables them to evaluate social work interventions from a more holistic perspective.

In this respect, the "Group-Oriented Social Work Practices" course goes beyond being merely an academic course; it offers a practice-based and high-quality learning experience that prepares students for professional life. As the Department Head, we appreciate the contribution that such application-oriented studies make to the professional development of our students; we congratulate our faculty members and students who contributed to this work, and we strongly encourage the continuation and dissemination of these high-quality studies.