Current Programs
GroupWORKS is pleased to offer the following programs for 2008-09 school year. Contact us with special requests for workshops, seminars, retreats, presentations and consultations by emailing groupworksfe@gmail.com or calling David J. Dumais, LCSW at 917-838-9534.
The following programs are offered by GroupWORKS for 2008-09
1. CO-LEADERSHIP PROJECT: Groups to strengthen student resiliency skills, address truancy, academic failure and uncooperative classroom behaviors will be co-led by GroupWORKS facilitators, who are trained and certified group psychotherapists, together with the on-site guidance counselor, social worker or psychologist in each school. It is also possible for us to pair with a classroom teacher and provide side-by-side co-leadership to address daily obstacles students present to learning and cooperation. The frequency of these groups is to be determined by school and student/staff schedules.
CO-LEADERSHIP PROJECT DETAILS:
• Our facilitators will co-lead with the on-site school counselor, two groups/week of 6-12 students each, followed by an hour of supervision and planning. Total hours of service: 3 hours per week
• Cost for 36 sessions from September-mid June: $17,200
2. EDUCATORS FIRST PROJECT: Provides counselors, social workers, school psychologists and teachers with ongoing support and supervision groups to process the intense feelings arising from the daily emotional and cognitive changes, trauma and intensities of their work lives, their own as well as their students’. Our goal is to help develop an appreciation of the power of group crisis counseling to provide healing and maturational growth and also to train/provide the skills to be more effective group leaders. Since teachers are the classroom group leaders, the training model will enable them to respond more constructively to the daily obstacles students present to learning and cooperation.
EDUCATORS FIRST PROJECT DETAILS:
• In schools where there are 3-12 counselors, social workers, deans, school psychologists and counseling-minded teachers, a senior GroupWORKS facilitator will conduct monthly group sessions focusing on supervision of challenging cases and issues that arise with groups of children. Total hours of service: 2 hours per month.
• Cost for 10 sessions from September-June: $3,600
3. TALK WITH ME PROJECT: Establishes constructive emotional communication between parents and high school students through a series of group sessions. Our facilitators and one of your staff enable parents and students to meet together, articulate their concerns and engage in constructive communication with each other leading to increased empathy and understanding. We have had great success both when parents bring their own children to these sessions, and when parents meet with children who are in their own child’s age group. For example, in the past we have focused on parents of children who are experiencing academic failure as a result of difficulty concentrating.
TALK WITH ME PROJECT DETAILS:
• GroupWORKS facilitator and an on-site counselor or administrator will co-lead monthly dialogues between parents and at-risk children to establish mutual understanding of adult/child perspectives and collaboration on school issues and school success. Total hours of service: 2 hours per month.
• Cost for 10 sessions from September-June: $3,600
4. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Provide workshops and on-going training for teachers, counselors, and support staff on a variety of school related issues. Individual schools are often facing specific issues that need to be addressed in a coherent fashion by the school community. Issues such as bullying, violence, gangs, male-female relationships, or disciplinary problems can overwhelm educators and school staff unless they are given the support to understand the underlying dynamics, and the tools to effectively intervene. Professional Development can be delivered on site or at the GroupWORKS for Education offices.
ON SITE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DETAILS:
• GroupWORKS facilitators (with or without an on-site counselor or administrator) will develop workshops tailored to the needs of the school community. These workshops will consist of didactic and experiential learning. Appropriate articles and books will be provided.
Depending on the number of staff involved, and the level of expertise, participants will be split into a minimum two workshops delivered on site.
• Suggested hours of service: 2 workshops of 1 hour each delivered once a month.
• Cost for 10 sessions from September-June: $4,500
OFF SITE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DETAILS:
• Teachers, guidance counselors, and other support staff will join training groups at GroupWORKS’ Manhattan offices. The focus of these groups will be on developing a dynamic understanding of the issues school staff face on a daily basis and finding effective interventions to address these issues. These training groups will encompass both didactic and experiential learning. Appropriate articles and books will be provided.
• 2 hour workshops, once a month after school.
• Cost for 10 session from September-June: $500 per participant.