The Long Island Institute for Group Work with Children & Youth

The mission of the Long Island Institute for Group Work With Children and Youth is to promote and enhance effective group work practice with children and youth through advocacy, education and collegial support.

The Institute's aims are:

• Identify who is working with children and youth in groups and in which settings
• Identify additional settings where group work with children and youth could be developed
• Provide training and support to enhance group work with children and youth in a variety of settings
• Advocate for children and youth group work education in colleges and universities;
• Conduct research on group work with children and youth
• Establish a multimedia approach to the dissemination of information regarding group work with children and youth
  

The Group Work Institute also provides opportunities for collegial support and interaction. Being able to discuss what works and what doesn't work is invaluable in group work practice. Too often groups are designed to reflect policies aimed at adult populations rather than to accommodate the needs of young people. It's no wonder that many group workers feel on the verge of bailing out when what is needed for them to hang in there.

Roundtables
The Group Work Institute provides opportunities for collegial support and interaction around issues of interest and importance. Being able to discuss what works and what doesn't work is invaluable in group work practice. Roundtables composed of 25-30 colleagues have been structured to address issues such as spirituality and social action in group work.

Action Research
An advocacy approach in which the subjects of a study are participants in the investigation aimed at raising consciousness, stimulating dialogue, and motivating change. Three studies completed by the LI Institute investigated: the educational and supervision needs of group workers; executive directors' impressions of job applicant readiness to perform group work services; homophobia in Long Island high schools.

Training and Consultation
The Long Island Institute tailors training to the needs of individuals and agencies. Ongoing group supervision, time-limited workshops, lectures and consultation can be arranged. Subjects of training have included broad practice areas including: successful planning in the development of a group service; a model for problem solving in the group; and guidelines for effective group work practice with children and youth. The Institute also offers training in group work in the areas of: diversity; gay and lesbian youth; child abuse; bereavement and trauma; changing families; street work; alcohol and other drug abuse; children and health care issues.

Online Newsletter
Its purpose is to provide education, inspiration, and support for group workers. Includes editorial comment, practice stories, historical pieces highlighting group work tradition, book reviews, poetry, and specific practice tips to demystify the work.

Publications
Long Island Institute members have published numerous articles in professional journals on a range of issues including group work with vulnerable populations. The Long Island Institute provides a list of these publications.

Representative Agencies
Association for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups, LI Chapter; Coalition on Child Abuse & Neglect, Garden City, NY; Herricks School District, Albertson, NY; Huntington School District; Long Island Crisis Center, Bellmore, NY; SUNY at Stony Brook School of Social Work.

Liaison with Universities
The Long Island Institute is available to universities for dialogue and consultation about the educational needs of group work practitioners.

Agency Liaison
The Long Island Institute is available for agency consultation focusing on developing a sound group service.

LIGW Steering Committee Members:
Jean L. Bacon
Joanne Ditchik-Stutz
Roseline Felix
Nicole Gonzalez
Terray Gregoretti
Toni Kolb-Papetti
Stacey Levin-Fletcher
Andrew Malekoff, Coordinator
Andrew Peters
Aimee Reifer
Nellie Taylor-Walthrust

For further information on LIGW contact: Andrew Malekoff, Coordinator, Long Island Institute for Group Work with Children and Youth, North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center, 480 Old Westbury Road, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577.
email: amalekoff@northshorechildguidance.org