Group Experience and Group Experience and EvaluationEvaluation

VA Caritas Mother’s and Child’s Care VA Caritas Mother’s and Child’s Care HomeHome

2010 Feb 18th-19th2010 Feb 18th-19th

Recruitment:Recruitment:

Half of the women, who participated Half of the women, who participated in the group were currently living in in the group were currently living in the Care Homethe Care Home

Another half of the women, who were Another half of the women, who were invited to participate and came to invited to participate and came to the group were our ex-inhabitantsthe group were our ex-inhabitants

Adaptation of the Course Adaptation of the Course ContentContent

Due to the differences of our country Due to the differences of our country social care system we excluded the part social care system we excluded the part about the benefits of returning to work, about the benefits of returning to work, childcare payments and etc.childcare payments and etc.

Because more than a half of the Because more than a half of the participants had never worked and had participants had never worked and had small babies, we excluded the parts of the small babies, we excluded the parts of the work experience evaluation, CV, job work experience evaluation, CV, job interview, etc. - these issues are available interview, etc. - these issues are available to practice when in need.to practice when in need.

Duration of the CourseDuration of the Course The course started on the 18The course started on the 18thth of of

November and finished on the 10November and finished on the 10thth of of February (It was a gap at Christmas February (It was a gap at Christmas festival time)festival time)

There were 10 groups of the course and There were 10 groups of the course and 1111thth for the evaluation for the evaluation

Groups took place once a week for 2 Groups took place once a week for 2 hours and then 1 additional hour for hours and then 1 additional hour for homework (info to read, make exercises homework (info to read, make exercises themselves or with close people)themselves or with close people)

Course ContentCourse Content Group work/ Life situation exploration/ Self-esteemGroup work/ Life situation exploration/ Self-esteem Self confidence/ Positive life strategiesSelf confidence/ Positive life strategies Personality exploration/ Strengths and weaknessesPersonality exploration/ Strengths and weaknesses Behavior strategiesBehavior strategies CriticsCritics Verbal and non-verbal communicationVerbal and non-verbal communication Perception and interpretationPerception and interpretation Active listening, feedback skillsActive listening, feedback skills Personal/ professional strengthsPersonal/ professional strengths Team work / Life goalsTeam work / Life goals

Our Comments on the Our Comments on the GroupGroup

Groups took a large amount of time on Groups took a large amount of time on relationships and communication – these relationships and communication – these issues were very important to the women, issues were very important to the women, still they needed much work on it. still they needed much work on it.

The groups were very emotional, with The groups were very emotional, with conflicts and aggression, new information conflicts and aggression, new information was not received because of their negative was not received because of their negative personal experience – proposal: women personal experience – proposal: women would need more individual work at the would need more individual work at the same time. same time.

Our Comments on the Our Comments on the Group (2)Group (2)

Active exercises were preferred Active exercises were preferred against theory, discussion or written against theory, discussion or written work, even if the women didn’t feel work, even if the women didn’t feel confident on the issue. They also had confident on the issue. They also had more effect on the participants more effect on the participants behavior. behavior.

Mixing the different experience, age, Mixing the different experience, age, living circumstances of the living circumstances of the participants was successful, women participants was successful, women enjoyed each other’s knowledge. enjoyed each other’s knowledge.

Our Comments on the Our Comments on the Group (3)Group (3)

Different education level and mental Different education level and mental abilities seemed to make a difference abilities seemed to make a difference and problems in the group and problems in the group atmosphere and understanding atmosphere and understanding capabilities. Still it opened a capabilities. Still it opened a possibility for participants to be possibility for participants to be friendly, helping and attentive. friendly, helping and attentive.

Course EvaluationCourse Evaluation Course fulfilled the expectations of the Course fulfilled the expectations of the

women – mainly to communicate and women – mainly to communicate and get new knowledge in interesting get new knowledge in interesting issuesissues

Women preferred active work versus Women preferred active work versus theory of passive learning. theory of passive learning.

Women lacked active participation of Women lacked active participation of each other and willingness to listen. each other and willingness to listen.

Course Evaluation (2)Course Evaluation (2)

Participants noticed that they should Participants noticed that they should have delved more deeply into the issues. have delved more deeply into the issues.

The information received by the women The information received by the women was so new and so contradictory of what was so new and so contradictory of what they imagined, that it was hard to accept they imagined, that it was hard to accept it. Therefore the evaluation process it. Therefore the evaluation process should be taken after a bigger amount of should be taken after a bigger amount of time. time.

Course Evaluation (3)Course Evaluation (3)

Women acknowledged, that they Women acknowledged, that they need more training on need more training on communication and behavior communication and behavior management. management.

All in all everyone liked the course All in all everyone liked the course very much, thought it was useful in very much, thought it was useful in many different ways and asked for a many different ways and asked for a continuation. continuation.

THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR LISTENINGFOR LISTENING

Milda LukauskieneMilda Lukauskiene

Vilnius, LithuaniaVilnius, Lithuania