The beginning stages of a social action training event

This article describes in detail how social action trainers approach the beginning stages of the groupwork process, which is recognised as a crucial stage in the formation of any group. Examples of how group members are facilitated to get to know each other, agree the purposes of the group, their expectations and the ground rules which should operate are presented under the headings of ‘introductions and warmups’, ‘identity’, ‘purpose’ and ‘methods’, drawing particularly on the experience of social action groupwork with Russian social workers and American teachers. Certain exercises have been found to be particularly helpful in achieving group cohesion and purpose and these are described. The role of the facilitator and the advantages of co-working in these circumstances are discussed briefly.