Offering innovative, useful guidelines for effectively composing new groups and modifying old ones, the long-awaited second edition of Harvey J. Bertcher's Creating Groups has been updated, revised, and expanded. This redesigned new edition is unique in that it specifically deals with issues that arise in getting started and is extremely usable due it its liberal use of examples and programmed format. Easy-to-use and concise, this volume goes beyond the principles of group composition to describe the acts necessary to start a group, such as recruiting members, choosing among recruits, interviewing prospective members, arranging for the agency to be receptive to the group, and planning and conducting the first meetings. In addition, it has also been expanded to address factors of race and gender in groups, and the empowerment of potential members in the group composition process. "Harvey J. Bertcher and Frank F. Maple's book with its innovative programmed instruction format, provides practitioners with the knowledge and skills required to create effective groups. It deals with the full range of issues involved in each step of the planning and decision-making process, from an initial recognition of the need for a group to the first meeting. Understanding the well-developed concepts and principles of practice is greatly enhanced by the creative use of examples of practice, presentation, and discussion of study questions and exercises that help the reader to apply the content to varied situation. This book is highly readable, well organized, and theoretically sound. It is a splendid contribution to the literature on social work with groups." --Helen Northern, University of Southern California
