Overview of Loyola University Chicago's presence at the 2014 Symposium of the International Association of Social Work with Groups (IASWG) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

1. The 36thAnnual IASWG Symposium
Unity in diversity: Embracing the spirit of group work
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
June 5-8, 2014

2. •Theme: Unity in diversity: Embracing the spirit of group work
•Held at the University of Calgary
•Attracted participants from all over the world
•Focused on group work education, practice, and research
•Included plenary speakers, presentations, workshops, and social gatherings
About the 36thAnnual Symposium

3. About IASWG
•Founded in 1979, IASWG is the premier international association for social workers and allied helping professionals engaged in group work.
•IASWG, formerly known as AASWG, recently modified its name to reflect its international orientation.
•The purpose of this non-profit, member-driven organization is to promote excellence in group work practice, education, field instruction, research and publications.

4. Loyola’s Presence in Calgary
28
22
students, recent alumni, & faculty participated
students presented papers or posters, or led a workshop

5. Loyola Students’ Presence at IASWG Symposia Since 2005
3
6
10
5
16
12
19
19
19
22
5
4
4
8
7
2
1
1
1
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Presenters
Non-Presenter Attendees
Minneapolis, MN
San Diego,
CA
Jersey City,
NJ
Cologne, Germany
Chicago,
IL
Montreal, Canada
Long Beach, CA
Garden City, NY
Boston,
MA
Calgary, Canada
Total Presenters: 131 –Total Non-Presenter Attendees: 33

6. •All students presenting at the symposium received financial support from the School.
•Students were able to volunteer to offset symposium cost.
•Volunteering enabled students to immediately become involved with the symposium and IASWG community.
Funding & Volunteering

7. •Students, faculty, and alumni:
oPresented workshops, papers, and posters
oAttended workshops
oNetworked with peers and fellow IASWG attendees
oExplored Calgary and Banff
At the Symposium

8. •Ann Bergart, adjunct professor, received the prestigious 2014 International Honoree Award
•Natalie Hock and Brendan Haydon, MSW students, received the IASWG Founders Award for Emerging Leadership, accompanied by a financial honorarium
•Loyola was recognized as consistently having the most student presenters of any school
Recognitions & Honors

9. Faculty Presentations
•Shirley Simon and Teresa Kilbane, Paper
o“Authors of group work-focused dissertations in social work: A follow-up study”
•Brian Kelly, Paper
o“Using audio documentary in group work: Developing a framework for implementation”
•Shirley Simon and Joyce Webster, Paper
o“Mentorship of emerging group work professionals: A multi-pronged approach”
•Ann Bergart, Paper
o“Helping each other create a meaningful life beyond the working years: Starting a mutual aid group for me!”

10. Student Posters
•Survivors of Domestic Violence: Support Group for Battered Divorcing Latina Women – Elba Cruz & Ashley Yates
•We Left Some Behind: African American Veterans, PTSD, Cultural Adversity, and the Need for Support Group Psychotherapy –A.J. Deloney
•Facilitator Self-Awareness: How to Manage Problematic Group Behavior While Creating Safety and Acceptance –Sarah Davis

11. Student Posters, cont.
•Music Therapy: Group Work Using Rap and Hip-Hop –Lauren Doherty
•Strengthening Coping Skills Within Adoptive Children and Acceptance of Trauma for Children in Bereavement from September 11, 2001 –Hahna Ehrman
•Groups for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Co-occurring Mental Illnesses: Activities to Engage and Advance Social Competence –Sarah Hanson

12. Student Posters, cont.
•Using a Harm Reduction model in Substance Abuse Group Work: Implementation in a School Setting –Anna Moretti
•Overcoming Stigma and Improving Treatment Adherence Among Type 1 Diabetics with Group Work –Kathy Moriarty
•High Ropes Courses in Adventure Therapy: Supplemental Programming for Substance Abuse Treatment Groups –Meghan O’Donnell

13. Student Posters, cont.
•The Effects Of Trauma On Sophisticated Groups: An Interspecies Comparison of the Impact of Trauma on Deployed US Military Units and Matriarchal Herds of African Elephants –Anna Smith
•The Role of Group Involvement in Establishing Resilience of Undocumented Youth –Padraic Stanley
•Educational Group Training for Group Home Staff: Identifying, Preventing, and Protecting Commercially Sexually Exploited Children –Alexa Vander Hye
•“Would You Like to Join Peer Jury?”: How Mutual Aid Can Benefit Offenders in Group-Based Restorative Justice Programs –Rebecca Witheridge

14. Student and Alumni Workshops
•Exploring the Benefits of Groupworkwith Clients Who Identify as Non-monogamous, Polyamorous, or as Members of an Open Relationship: Intimate Relationship Constellations as Groups –Brandon Haydon, Sarah Hemphill, & Natalie Hock
•Retelling Conflicts Through Role-Play, Playwriting and Performance With A Group of Homeless Youth at an Interim Housing Program in the Midwest –Alyssa Jesberger
•Facilitating Groups Using the Wraparound Process –Lee Ann Lindroth
•The Mind-Body Connection and Group Work: Promoting Relaxation with Informal Mindfulness Techniques in a Group Setting –Rachel Seed

15. Student and Alumni Papers
•Implementing Blended Task & Support Groups into the Client Service Plan of a Social Service Agency: Reinforcing Ideas of Positive Community and Enfranchising Members of Low-Income and Traditionally Marginalized Populations –Natalie Hock
•Social Work Interventions for Survivors of State-Sponsored Violence: Exploring Political Trauma in the Clinical Group Setting –Maggie Hunter
•Bullying Prevention: A Group Work Model for Elementary Education –Sonya Jacobs
•The Role of Group Work in Facilitating the Success of a Diverse Group of Leaders From Small Ethnic Nonprofit Organizations –Lee Ann Lindroth

16. Fun in Canada!

17. Reflections on the Symposium
•“My experience with IASWG was the best thing I have done so far at Loyola. It says a lot about how much Loyola values group work and its social work students by supporting me in the process of developing a poster, presenting it, and attending the conference as a student.” Meghan O’Donnell
•“The time I spent at IASWG reaffirmed why I chose the social work profession, and also why I chose Loyola University Chicago specifically.”
Alyssa Jesberger
•“Presenting a poster at the IASWG conference was an exciting,powerful, andvalidating experience. How many students get the chance to share their research with acclaimed social workers from across the globe?I highly recommend Loyola students totake advantage of this fantastic opportunity!”
Rebecca Witheridge

18. Reflections on the Symposium, cont.
“Being able to witness students’ professional growth is truly magical. It has been a privilege to be a small part of such a transformative experience.”
Shirley Simon

19. Ways to Get Involved with IASWG
•Attend or present at the 37thAnnual IASWG Symposium
oJune 4-7, 2015 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
oVisit www.iaswg.orgfor more information
•Get involved in the Illinois chapter
oContactiaswgillinois@gmail.comor visitiaswgil.weebly.comfor more information
•Come to the IASWG Presentation Showcase and Reunion Celebration
oOctober 8 from 5:30-7pm in KasbeerHall (Corboy15thfloor)

20. Symposium Showcases
•Part 1: “Exploring the Benefits of Groupworkwith Clients Who Identify as Non- monogamous, Polyamorous, or as Members of an Open Relationship”
oPresented by Brandon Haydon, Sarah Hemphill, and Natalie A. Hock
oSeptember 10 from 5:30-6:45pm in Corboy304
•Part 2: “Retelling conflicts through role-play, playwriting and performance with a group of homeless youth at an interim housing program in the Midwest”
oPresented by Alyssa Jesberger
oDate: November 5 from 5:30-6:45pm inCorboy304

21. Contact: Joyce Webster, Chair of the Illinois IASWG Chapter, at iaswgillinois@gmail.com. Professor Shirley Simon at ssimon@luc.edu.
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