Nudos problemáticos del trabajo social con grupos en la formación y el ejercicio profesional

Abstract

Social work intervention with groups is considered key within the disciplinary baggage because it refers to the possibility of generating processes of social change through collective work; this importance has been reflected in the historical construction of our discipline/ profession which, from its beginnings until today, has been incorporated both in academic training and in professional practice, considering it as a method, methodology, level or modality of intervention. However, it is necessary to recognize that nowadays this intervention has been blurring in both areas and individualized attention has regained
preeminence.

In view of this, a series of approaches to group intervention within our discipline have allowed us to identify four problematic knots on which this text reflects: the first refers to the intentionality given to this intervention; the second focuses on the methodological
proposals that support such intervention; the third reflects on the preeminence of the individual over the collective and the last is related to the gap that exists between the training of students and the performance of professionals in the field of work.
It should be noted that this work is part of a macro-research that we are currently developing in parallel in three countries: Mexico, Colombia and Argentina; this text refers to the situation in Mexico and is based on a series of reflections and interviews with social
work professionals who intervene with groups as well as with students who have already studied this subject and teachers who teach it.
Finally, it is considered that making visible the problematic knots of this intervention modality will allow projecting some horizons of possibility to restore the importance of intervention with groups, starting from the design of intervention strategies that transcend
the disjointed and short-term actions that are usually developed both in academic training and in professional practice.