IGA Foundation Course in Groupwork

In-person Course will run over 10 Saturdays and 3 Thursday evenings from September 2024 to July 2025.   

On-line Course will run on 26 Thursday evenings and 2 partial Saturdays from November 2024 to July 2025. 

Both courses provide a comprehensive introduction to groupwork skills and the theory of group analysis, together with the opportunity for personal and professional development. 

This Foundation Course is particularly useful for those who: 

  • Work with complex people—staff or patients, or
  • Work with teams and groups i.e. In mental health, education services, social work, youth work, probation and prisons services, religious settings, voluntary organisations and the police force, or
  • Want guidance in working with difficult group dynamics, or
  • Want to understand what works well and what goes wrong in groups and why.

Foundation Course open sessions for entry 2024

Wednesday 6 March 2024, 6pm – 7pm

Wednesday 5 June 2024, 6pm – 7pm

 

 

Components of
the Course

The course consists of small experiential groups and theoretical seminars and lectures.  In addition, students participate in a large group experience.

Experiential groups offer students the opportunity to experience group processes directly.

Theoretical seminars and lectures on a range of subject areas including:

  • general principles of group analytic psychotherapy
  • fundamentals of unconscious processes
  • assessment and selection of group members
  • applying group analysis to organisations
  • attachment theory
  • groups in the arts and culture

Shared Large Group Experience

Both the online and in person courses will share 3 large online groups during the academic year – these will be held for one hour on 3 Thursday evenings.  In addition, the in person course participants have the option of joining 5 of the online seminars which are a compulsory part of the on–line course. 

Course Dates

Closing date for applications for the in-person course starting September 2024: Friday 28 June 2024
Closing date for applications for the on-line course starting November 2024: 6 September 2024
(late applications may be accepted if places are available).

 

List of all core curriculum seminars

  • The Social and cultural basis of group analysis

  • The Individual and the Group: Mind and Matrix

  • Dynamic Administration and the group environment

  • Psychodynamic theory and the unconscious

  • Setting up a Group

  • Difference and Power in groups

  • Racism through a group analytic lens

  • Social Unconscious

  • “The Large Group”

  • Reflective Practice and Other Workplace Groups

  • Group Analysis and Organisations

  • Attachment

  • Homogenous Groups

  • Endings

An IGA Certificate is awarded at the end of the course. There is a minimum attendance requirement of 80%. 

Fees

Organisational-funded places: £2100

Self-funding places: £1950

‘early bird’ rate £1800 for applications received before 31 May 2024. There is an additional non-refundable selection fee of £200 payable on application.

Options for paying fees:

Full fee to be paid by 31 October 2024

or fees may be paid in monthly installments

Bursaries and Funding Application Support

GAN provides small bursaries each year for self-funding applicants.  Details can be found here and the application form here.

Those applicants who wish to apply to their employer for funding should contact Mandy Wildman, the GAN Development Officer, who will be able to assist in writing a bid tailored to individual service requirements. Mandy can be contacted at: mndywldmn@aol.com

GAN also offers fee-assisted places for those applying from voluntary organisations.  See here for further details.

How to Apply for the Course

Please complete the application form and email it to GAN’s Foundation Course Administrator, Nadine Gregory at clerical@groupanalysisnorth.com together with a passport-sized photo (which can be digital) and a non-refundable recruitment fee of £200.00.

Work Reflection Group Option

An online Work Reflection Group runs on monthly on Friday evenings.  This provides further opportunity for you to think about your work using group analytic ideas.  As a student on the Foundation Course you can apply for a place in a Work Reflection Group (further fee applies). 

Work Reflection Group Information here and Application Form here

The Foundation Course is an essential training requirement for entry to the following IGA courses in Manchester:

Diploma in Groupwork Practice (leading to associate membership of the IGA) – Course information here

Qualifying Course in Group Analysis (leading to full membership of the IGA and registration with the UKCP) Course information here