Empowerment in Action

Audrey Mullender is Principal of Ruskin College, Oxford, UK, and was formerly Professor of Social Work and Chair of the Faculty of Social Studies at the University of Warwick. She was Editor of the British Journal of Social Work for four years and is an Academician of the Social Sciences. Dave Ward is Professor of Social and Community Studies at De Montfort University, UK and formerly Head of Social Work at the University of Nottingham. His interests and publications include groupwork with offenders and in teams and organisations. Jennie Fleming is Director of the Centre for Social Action at De Montfort University, UK. She utilises self-directed groupwork in participative practice, partnership research, and for the promotion of social justice and human rights.

'Bringing their extensive teaching, research and practice experience to the task, the authors offer an excellent treatise on empowerment and social action. With numerous illustrations from diverse fields such as for example education, youth work, health, social care and criminal justice, this volume makes a real contribution to groupwork. I highly recommend it to all seeking effective ways to bring about social change.' - Margot Breton, Professor Emerita, Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Canada 'An optimistic, timely book which presents strong arguments in favour of groupwork as a way of working collectively to address difficult social issues. It demonstrates that groupwork has crossed disciplinary boundaries and national borders, so workers who have gifted this method to practice can expect it to become even more widespread in future'- Professor Lena Dominelli, Professor of Applied Social Sciences and Head of Social and Community and Youth Work, University of Durham, UK 'Empowerment in Action beautifully captures the creativity, enthusiasm, energy and 'spark' that emerges when people with similar interests, passions, dreams or experiences are enabled to work together in a space in which autonomous decision-making and action can occur. It is a wakeup call to all people concerned with client centred practice, whether in social action, research or education.' - Professor Natalie Bolzan, Margaret Whitlam Chair of Social Work, University of Western Sydney, Australia

• 1. Introduction2. Empowerment: The Vacuum in Mainstream Practice3. Groupwork: The Most Empowering and Effective Approach4. Taking Stock: The Centrality of Values5. The Group Takes Off6. The Group Prepares to Take Action7. Taking Action8. The Group Takes Over9. Spreading the Reach and Taking it Forward10. Group ExamplesAppendicesReferences.