130 Helping Group Members with Maladaptive Communication Competency 8 Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities • Critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies. • Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment , person- in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in interventions with clients and constituencies. • Negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and constituencies. Teaching Methods and Skills Beginnings with Groups (Review) Start by reviewing with students the tasks associated with beginnings in group work. As noted in this chapter, many of the problems that workers encoun- ter in group work stem from their lack of attention to the tasks associated with beginnings. 1. Ask students to share challenging group work experiences they have encountered—either as group leaders, coleaders, or observers—that reflect problems with formation. Ask the class to consider how the problems could have been avoided in the first place. If appropriate, have the students dis- cuss how the worker could address and rectify the problems. This requires students to engage in the skill of recontracting: the leader asks members to consider how they might work together in a way that is more helpful and facilitates their achieving the shared goals. 2. Based upon this discussion, divide the class into small groups of four to five students. Have students help each other develop a new group in their respective agencies, taking into account the need to establish a clear sense of purpose, select the type of and time frame for the group, obtain organi- zational sanctions and supports, compose the group, and devise a plan for recruiting members. Ask the students to examine each variable in relation to the extent that their decisions support the development of mutual aid and reduce the likelihood that internal obstacles will emerge. Have each group select one student to present the proposals to the entire class for discussion.