self-help groups - making it work! - self-help resource centre

Self-Help Groups: Making it work!

Gillian Kranias - Ontario Self-Help Network/SHRC40 Orchard View Boul. Suite 219Toronto ON M4R 1B9(416) 487-4355 or toll free: 1-888-283-8806web site: www.selfhelp.on.ca

Part I: Introducing Self-Help

Ontario Self-Help Network - www.selfhelp.on.ca 2

What is self-help?

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In 1999, the Canadian Health Network defined self-help as:

“A process of sharing common experience, situations or problems. Self-help is participatory in nature and involves getting help, giving help and learning to help yourself as well as sharing knowledge and experience. There is no charge to participate, although a nominal donation to cover expenses is sometimes requested, but not required. Self-help initiatives meet on an ongoing basis, are voluntary in nature rather than mandatory and are open to new members. Self-help initiatives are run by and for the participants. The primary focus of self-help is emotional support, practical support and informational exchange.”

What is self-help?


Some support groups borrow from (but are not exactly) “self-help”:

• Groups that charge a fee to participate.

• Groups that are run by a professional (paid) facilitator.

• Groups that are run by someone who does not have the same diagnosis or issue as the members.

• Groups that have members mandated to attend.


Comparing Self-help to Professionally-led support groups

Evaluation

Duration

Resources Used

Decision Making

Structure

Focus of meetings

Type of Leader(s)

Knowledge emphasized

often required by funderdecided by members

time-limitedongoing

paid staff, fees or funding

volunteer and “in-kind”

led by facilitatoreveryone

formalinformal

guidancemutual support

“outsider”“one of us”

training/educationpersonal experience

Professionally-led? 1 2 3 4 5 ?Self-help/Mutual Aid


Different sources of support

friends

family

therapy

Medical/ professional

information

professionally-led support group

self-help support group


Common Challenges in Self-Help Groups

• Recruiting new members

• Sharing the workload• Planning meeting

agendas• Meeting ongoing and

new members’ needs

• Confidentiality• Conflict• People who talk too

much/People who never talk

• Burnout


Stage 1: first date- high numbers, nervous leaders, silent

members, people leaving early.

To consider: be clear about your goals and guidelines, keep calm, don’t push..

Stage 2: casual dating- fewer people, members not quite ready to

make a full commitment, conflict.

To consider: make sure everyone has a chance to speak, stick to agenda, set aside time to discuss tensions/conflicts.

Stage 4: separation- a founder/key member leaves, someone is ill, or a

crisis takes place.

To consider: keep calm, recognize the inevitable stages of groups, have a discussion about what it feels like. Celebrate what you have gained, breathe, say goodbye... reinvent yourselves!

Stage 3: commitment- fewer people, members coming regularly,

more commitment, readiness to volunteer, lots of talk, trust & ease.

To consider: rotate jobs, do an evaluation, congratulate yourselves!

The stages a group will go through


Internal supports

• co-leader(s)• executive/other members

with roles• evaluation and planning• referral list• group celebrations• clarifying

goals/expectations

External supports

• leaders from other self-help groups

• helping professionals• sponsoring organization• self-help resource centres• newsletters, books, tapes,

manuals• training sessions

SELF-HELP RESOURCES


Members of your Self-Help“Community”

• Self-help Support Groups

• Hybrid Groups

• Local or Regional Self-help Networks

• Self-help Organizations

• Self-help Centres (or Clearinghouses)


Is this working for me?Components of a good group:

• I feel safe to open up and talk.• I feel supported.• I learn, give, and receive.• I make friends.• I can be a leader too.• I can leave the group or rejoin when I want to.• I feel safe to address feelings of tension or conflict when they arise.• There is discussion of conflict (when it arises).• There is change and laughter.• Members graduate and celebrate.• Membership goes up and down.• It feels right for me.

Self-Help Groups: Making it work!

Gillian Kranias - Ontario Self-Help Network/SHRC40 Orchard View Boul. Suite 219Toronto ON M4R 1B9(416) 487-4355 or toll free: 1-888-283-8806web site: www.selfhelp.on.ca

Part II: Tools for Shared Leadership


?Clear goals & boundaries?Outline of group activities?Sharing of the workload?Guidelines for group

discussions?External supports?Ways to maintain

momentum

Leaders

+

Ship

LeaderSHIP=


• Who are we?(What do group members have in common?)

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• The two main goals of our group are:____________________________________________________________________________________________

• This is a self-help/mutual aid group. Since we are not professionals, we are not able to:____________________________________________________________________________________________

LeaderSHIP: Clear goals and boundaries


• Our group meets:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Group activities during meetings:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Group activities between meetings:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Regular ways for participants to give feedback and make suggestions are:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

LeaderSHIP: Outline of group activities


LeaderSHIP: Sharing the workload

Sample job titles:

• Contact person• Time-keeper• Refreshment co-ordinator• Welcomer• Information/publicity• Phoners• Meeting leaders #1 and #2

• Here is our plan to share and rotate jobs:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


• When speaking to the group:__________________________________________________________________________________________________

• When responding to others:__________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Strategies to protect confidentiality/anonymity:__________________________________________________________________________________________________

LeaderSHIP: Guidelines for Group Discussions


• Other self-help groups:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Helping professionals and crisis numbers:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Newsletters, magazines, books, tapes, manuals:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Self-help resource centres and training opportunities:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

LeaderSHIP: External Supports


• Ways to acknowledge and thank existing leaders:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Ways to recruit new members:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Times and ways to celebrate accomplishments:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Ways to take a break:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

LeaderSHIP: Ways to Maintain Momentum

self-help groups - making it work! - self-help resource centre

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