Group Theory and Group Dynamics

The objective of TMA 1

The aim of TMA 1 is to allow you to demonstrate your understanding of setting up a group and the role of a facilitator in group facilitation.

Question 1

Rosenthal Youth Home (RYH) is a step-down care facility for youths at-risk. It functions as a Place of Detention and serves as a Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre for youths who had brushes with the law. RYH also provides a Place of Safety for youths who are beyond parental control and those who are presented with the need of care and protection.

Residents from RYH were mainly referred by the Ministry of Social and Family
Development (MSF) or sentenced by the Youth Court. These youth residents were assessed to be unsuitable for community-based options due to their risks and needs. RYH offers a wide range of rehabilitation programmes such as academic, rehabilitative and holistic development programmes to meet the needs of the youths and their families.

The aims of the home are for the youths to be re-integrated into society as socially responsible persons. RYH at any one point would hold up to 60 residents. They live in dormitories of 20 persons per bunk. Recently, the staff at RYC discovered illicit drugs at the dormitory at Block C when they conducted routine spot checks.

No one in the dormitory admitted to smuggling the drugs into the compounds. As a regimental protocol, disciplinary action was implemented on the Block C section of the youth residents. Their home leave privileges were withdrawn, and the section was tasked with repainting and repairing the broken facilities.

Mr Tan Chin How, the Director of Rosenthal Youth Home was concerned about the discovery of illicit substances. The incident set an impetus for the Home to implement more stringent control measures to prevent further occurrences. However, Mr Tan feels that punitive approaches alone would not be sufficient to adequately educate the youths. He sought out your agency to conduct a youth group programme for the Block C residents. Mr Tan made his intentions clear that he hopes the group programme can achieve the following outcomes:

1) Understand the consequences of drug use
2) Improve overall motivation to change
3) Strengthen the commitment in pursuing future goals

Your agency was provided with the below basic information about the 15 residents involved:
i. All males
ii. Age ranges from 11 to 16
iii. Different lengths of stay, ranging from 1 to 3 years

(a) Present your explanations on the group type that would best benefit this cohort. Provide concrete reasons to support your chosen type of group. Describe the structure of the chosen group type with a clear programme outline.

(b) You came to understand that loyalty is an important factor deeply embedded in the street culture of these youths. This explained why no one would expose the person who brought in the drug. Illustrate how you would facilitate the sessions to build trust with this group of youths, so as to guide them towards opening up honest discussions on drug issues.

(c) The group has reached the Working Stage. Based on your chosen group type, describe how you would execute the group session to achieve the stipulated goals.