An examination about relationships between Self-Help Groups and professionals

Abstract

Self-Help groups are organized voluntarily and intentionally by people who suffer common problems, to solve these problems, to solve these problems or acquire power to live with these problems. These groups are independent from professionals and managed independently. And they develop regular and lasting activity.

Self-Help Groups are system which have functions of lasting community. People who participate in the system change their own system.

Self-Help groups are open system. And through their activities, naturally relationships between self-help groups and outside systems emerge. Furthermore, mutual aid between self-help groups and outside systems develop.

In these relationships, the merits and demerits of both sides are involved.

This paper describes the merits and demerits divided into several relationships about Self-Help Groups and professionals.