The social backing The social backing groups and self-groups and self-

hepl groupshepl groups

We will We will begin for…begin for…

For AA's intergroup associations more than

12,000 groups were brought in Mexico in the

year 2001, without counting other groups that follow this

scheme. But many other persons, with very different problematic and situations

of life, meet in what in every case they name "his"

group of self-help.

The concept of social support arises about the seventies.It is not easy to define what is the social support, since there are numerous the activities that are included under this term

SOCIAL SUPPORT

ThreeThree are the lines that define the are the lines that define the social supportsocial support

StrucStructural tural PersPerspectipectiveve

FuncFunctionationa

l l PersPerspectipectiveve

ContContextuextu

al al PerspPerspectivectiv

ee

STRUCTURAL PERSPECTIVESTRUCTURAL PERSPECTIVE

He emphasizes the importance of the characteristics of the social networks and of the objective conditions that surround

the process of help

The interconnection of the persons to whom it relates, the balance or imbalance of his exchanges and the similarity or congruity between the members of the

network

FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVEFUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE

It centres on the functions that fulfill the social relations

CONTEXTUAL PERSPECTIVECONTEXTUAL PERSPECTIVE

He emphasizes the characteristics contextúales of the social support

It is necessary to to adapt the type of support to the type of problem

They offer long-term support

PRIORITY ADDRESSEES PRIORITY ADDRESSEES OF THE GROUPS OF OF THE GROUPS OF

SUPPORTSUPPORT

Groups of persons who suffer estigmatización socially

GROUPS GROUPS OF SELF-OF SELF-

HELPHELPThey arise as

alternative to the system tradition to where the direction

and the responsibility is chargeable to a

professional.

It grew and developed from the 30s, with the creation of Alcoholic

Anonymous

?It has as aim consolidate, extend and

complement social network of the individual who crosses some difficulty

It has as aim consolidate, extend and complement social network of the

individual who crosses some difficulty

OMSThe groups of car it helps it are small groups and volunteers structured for the mutual help and the attainment of a specific intention.The groups of mutual help emphasize the social face-to-face interaction and the personal responsibility of his members, providing material help as well as emotional support

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

?TYPES OF GROUPS OF SELF-TYPES OF GROUPS OF SELF-HELPHELP

The great diversity of groups of self-help, as well as the constant proliferation of new groups, does that it is impossible to be able to offer a classification

1It can come from the

professional who detects the need or

problem and sees an intervention suitable from the level grupal,

or can come to initiative of some

future members of the group.

During these meetings of informal character, the group is not still formed,

they must not raise specific aims and

activities, since they must be elaborated these for the set of the members of the group once already

formed.

THE CREATION OF A GROUP OF THE CREATION OF A GROUP OF SELF-HELPSELF-HELP

THE FIRST CONTACTS WITH THE THE FIRST CONTACTS WITH THE GROUPGROUP

The fundamental aim is to be

forming the climate grupal.

The members of the group have to elaborate aims,

procedure, to make concrete activities, as well as decides

the number of members who are

going to have, which are going to

be the conditions of revenue, where

and when they are going to meet.

22

THE PROFESSIONAL THE PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPANIMENTACCOMPANIMENT

To teach to the group to handle adequately the aspects

indicated in the previous meetings. Of more practical form, the group must train in

the practice of the methodology of self-help,

teaching every member and the group in general to

communicating. During this phase, the professional will be

present in the group, trying not to direct but to exercise functions of accompaniment and I rest on the group. The professional will prepare the

meetings with the member of the group who corresponds to him and will be this the one who coordinates the session.

33

OBSERVATION IN THE OBSERVATION IN THE GROUPGROUP

The paper of the professional

is still had relegated by

that of passive observer of the group, taking

some notes on how the session

develops.

44

EXTERNAL OR HOMING EXTERNAL OR HOMING PHASEPHASE

The group must have already the sufficient autonomy to be able to work for yes only,

as a group of self-help. For it, the

professional is in another room

different from where the work is carried out grupal, so that the meetings are

carried out without his presence.

55

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS OF SUPPORT AND GROUPS OF SELF-HELP

Gottlieb (1988) The groups of support differ from the groups of self-help in which the first ones are directed by a professional combine knowledge of expert and of experience, are limited in the time, the number of members is fixed and normally they do not go to the social action.

Barrón (1996) The groups of self-help and the groups of support might be considered not as two classes of groups but as phases in the development of the groups based on the social support

CONCLUSIONS