Browsing by Author "Ruuska, Veera"

The aim of this study is to examine two group leaders’ views and experiences of feeling of safety in a group context. The study focuses on examining how group leaders prevent unnecessary feelings of unsafety and support the feeling of safety in a group. The study aims at describing the experiences, principles of acting and values behind the acting of two group leaders. The theoretical background will study the meaning of the feeling of safety for child’s learning and growth and different ways of supporting the feeling of safety in a school context. The theoretical background will also cover group’s and peers’ significance for student’s growth and learning. The study was carried out for two group leaders. Both of them were interviewed using semi-structured interview base. One of the interviewed group leaders had a master’s degree in dance and the other one was a master of education and a teacher of crafts. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using theory-based content analysis. The results showed that both of the group leaders felt that the role of feeling of safety is sig-nificant in their work with groups. They aimed at minimizing all threats of self when working with a group. These threats are factors that create feelings of fear, shame, quilt and worth-lessness. Both of the interviewees mentioned seven principles of acting which they followed in their work to prevent unnecessary feelings of unsafety in a group.