Developing online considerations for the IASWG standards on social work with groups : a tribute to Charles Garvin

Abstract

In the spring of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the remote delivery of health and human services, few social workers were prepared to facilitate online groups. Research on virtual group work was limited, and the IASWG Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups offered minimal guidance for online practice. Charles Garvin encouraged the International Association for Social Work with Groups (IASWG) to enhance the Standards with “online considerations” that would support effective group work in virtual environments. Serving as a mentor and active member of the Task Force on Online Considerations, Charles Garvin inspired a systematic, collaborative, and internationally inclusive process that exemplified principles of socially just research. This paper describes the research and development of the online considerations and the limitations and possibilities of defining international guidelines for social work with groups.