activity group

A form of group involvement, which may or may not have a specifically designed therapeutic purpose, in which the participants work on programs of mutual interest. The members engage in activities as diverse as cooking, folksinging, carpentry, or crafts. Historically, activity groups were prevalent in early social group work, especially in settlement houses and youth services organizations. Their primary orientation was not therapeutic per se but was a means for learning social skills, engaging in democratic decision making, and developing effective relationship capacities. More recently, activity groups are found in nursing homes, mental hospitals, and recreation centers.