2. WHO AM I WORKING WITH?
How many people will be in the group?
Will this number be constant?
What are the ages of the group members?
Are they more or less the same age?
What are the abilities of the group members?
Is there a common link between members of the group?
Do I know everything I need to know about the members of this
group?
3. WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS
A LEADER?
In what capacity am I being employed?
What am I expected to do with the group?
Is my job to engage the group directly in
creative activities or am I employed to seek
actively to change specific behaviours?
If my job is to change specific behaviours,
what is the time frame in which I am expected
to do this? Is the time frame realistic?
Am I capable of carrying out what has been
asked of me?
4. PRE-SESSION PLANNING
When is the session timetabled? How often do I see the
group and for how long each session?
Do the group members know where and when we meet?
Do the other professional staff know this information?
What space do you need to work in? Is the space
adequate? Running water, chairs, comfortable,
5. WHO WILL ASSIST
Will I have any assistants? Will they be volunteers or
professionals? Do they know the group members? Do
they know my way of working? Do they know what my
goals are?
6. PLANNING THE SESSION
Given all the information I now have, how can I best
achieve my goals?
What activities will best match my strengths with the
perceived needs of the group and their abilities?
How much structure do I need to provide for the group
so they can actively engage in these activities?
7. EQUIPMENT AND ROOM
What equipment will I need? Is this to be provided for
me?
Is the room with which I have been provided still going to
function for me?
8. PRIOR TO SESSION
Is all the equipment I need here?
Are all the group members here?
What is the general mood of the group?
Is it in keeping with my plans for this session?
9. RUNNING THE SESSION
Did I introduce myself? Do the group know why I am here
and what we will be doing together? How do they react to
this?
Do I know the individuals in this group?
Am I warming up the group for the activities to come?
How are group members responding? Who is outgoing?
10. INTRODUCTION TO GROUP
Am I introducing the activities in a way that people can
understand? Am I working at their pace?
Am I providing the right amount of structure to allow the
group to be creative?
Am I meeting the individual needs of the group?
11. PROGRESS IN GROUP
Am I aware of changes occurring in these needs
throughout the session?
Am I simply filling the session up with ‘busy time’?
Am I enjoying myself?
How can I end this session on a positive but relaxing
note?
12. AFTER THE SESSION
Does everyone know when the next session will be?
Has everyone got all the possessions that they arrived
with?
13. EVALUATION OF SESSION
How did the group respond? To me? To my activity? To
other members of the group? Was this expected?
How did I feel about the session? Ca I pinpoint the
reason for this?
Did I meet any of my goals this session? Did I identify
new goals during the session?
Have I made a written note of my observations and
feelings about the session yet?
14. PLANNING FOR THE NEXT
SESSION
Am I basically on the right track?
Do I need to change my approach? My material? My
medium? Do I need to renegotiate my contract?
Who are the individuals in the group who need special
attention? How can I best meet these needs without
disturbing other members of the group?
15. What shall I do next? How can I link it to what we have
already done so that it builds on these expectations?
Have I made sure that I have scheduled time for me to
have a break between sessions?
16. REMEMBER
We are all human.
We all have good and bad days.
Frustration
Elation
Failure
Success
Helping others to expand their own human horizons is
challenging but very worthwhile