How to form a group - A personal introduction by Kathy Silard

Currently I am the director of SPARK Resource Centre Inc. � a sole parent agency located in Adelaide. I have initiated, nurtured, developed and been involved in a large number of groups. I can remember, as a child, organising games and teams: my introduction to group work!

I initiated, set up and organised one of the original playgroups (the Northfield/Clearview Playgroup) in 1973� Since then I�ve set up fundraising groups, consciousness raising groups, (on and off Flinders University Campus); classes; therapy groups; lobby groups; discussion groups; poetry and writing groups; Jewish support groups; domestic violence survivors groups; trauma survivors; adult survivors of child sexual abuse therapy groups; management committees; boards; as well as focus groups and research directed groups� I�ve even organised social groups and too many educational groups to mention�

Some of my group work has led me to write books: Peace or Pieces � A non-violent parenting manual (1987; reprinted 1989), Me, Myself and I � A Relationship for Life (1996) and Under One Roof � Understanding Adolescence (2000). These books are available from: SPARK Resource Centre Inc. Torrens Building, 220 Victoria Square, Adelaide SA 5000

How to form a group by Kathy Silard (PDF)