A.A.® Guidelines
Conferences, Conventions and Roundups from G.S.O., Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163 A.A. Guidelines are compiled from the shared experience of A.A. members
in various areas. They also reflect guidance given through the Twelve
Traditions and the General Service Conference. In keeping with our Tradition of
Autonomy, except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole, most
decisions are made by the group conscience of the members involved. The purpose
of these Guidelines is to assist in reaching an informed group
conscience. HOW A.A.s MAKE
THEIR GET TOGETHERS ENJOYABLE AS WELL AS EFFECTIVE IN
CARRYING THE A.A. MESSAGE OF RECOVERY WHY HAVE AN A.A. CONVENTION? It’s clear that A.A. get-togethers beyond the group have become an
established part of A.A. life. The calendar in any Box 459 or in the Grapevine
shows how many conventions, conferences, and banquets are being held by A.A.s
throughout the world. What makes an A.A. convention click for its participants?
It’s probably not style or form that matters so much as the spirit and feeling
behind it. As one member puts it, the best A.A. convention is “just a darned
good A.A. meeting blown up big.” Just watch enthusiastic members at any A.A.
convention and you’ll get what he means. The atmosphere alone is worth the
trip. Here you’ll find fellowship, laughter, warmth, and understanding—”heaped
up, pressed down, and running over.” CONVENTIONS COME IN MANY SHAPES AND SIZES An A.A. convention is almost any A.A. get-together beyond the group
meeting level. These range from special meetings of one evening’s duration to
longer events area, statewide, or regional weekend conventions. They will, most
likely, be one of the following: 1 The special open meeting. This kind of gathering can
serve useful purposes. It will, of course, bring together the A.A. members in a
city or area. But it also provides a good opportunity to invite interested
friends of A.A. to the meeting. Certainly, it’s proper on such occasions to
send special invitations to members of the clergy, doctors, lawyers, social
workers, public health officials, and others who may have a special interest in
A.A. 2 The one day session. This might include several general meetings
throughout the day. For a start, there’s a “welcome” meeting in the morning,
followed by other activities. There may be another open meeting in the
afternoon, while the main open meeting with the featured speaker is saved for
the windup meeting in the evening. If the convention is held in a school, civic
hall, or other building with additional rooms, it’s likely that the program for
a one day session can also include A.A. workshops and panels, service meetings,
assemblies, and closed meetings. 3 The banquet. Many intergroups or central offices now sponsor
annual banquets, often to help support their office operations. Some groups and
areas also have banquets (or informal buffet and potluck dinners) as
anniversary or gratitude observances. These are often held on a Saturday night
or Sunday afternoon, sometimes in conjunction with a larger A.A. convention.
The banquet often features an after dinner speaker or some other program of
interest to A.A. members. 4 The weekend convention. This is an ideal form for a state, provincial,
or regional convention. Members often arrive for an opening meeting session or
“coffee & conversation” on Friday evening. Additional meetings and
workshops as well as other activities continue through Saturday and even into
Sunday afternoon. The convention may include a banquet, luncheons, special
breakfasts, Saturday night dancing and entertainment, and perhaps a spiritual
meeting on Sunday morning. THE CONVENTION BEGINS WITH A PLANNING COMMITTEE Once a get together has been scheduled, it needs a planning committee.
The work in setting up a convention is too much for one person. He or she will
need at least a dozen assistants, frequently more. One method of forming the
committee is simply to appoint a general chairperson who then completes the
committee by finding able volunteers to chair the various committees. Another
method popular when a number of groups sponsor a convention is to send a
committee representative from each group. Once in session, representatives can
elect a chairperson and receive assignments to specific committees. In some
cases, the convention may be the responsibility of the general service
committee from the area. In others, the convention committee may be organized
separately. Either method works well if it corresponds to the wishes of the
A.A. groups in the area. In some areas, there is a permanent convention committee, set up within
the area committee, so that valuable experience of convention planning can be
carried over from one year to the next. Membership on such a committee is, of
course, on a rotation basis, so that new members are added yearly, but a
proportion of experienced convention planners is retained at any given time.
Once assembled, the convention committee is usually organized along functional
lines, with each chairperson responsible for a phase of the planning. Here’s
how a typical committee might be arranged: 1 Chairperson (assisted by one or two co chairpersons) oversees
the entire convention; coordinates the work of subcommittee chairpersons; keeps
informed on the progress of all the arrangements; calls committee meetings when
needed. 2 Secretary keeps all written records, including minutes of the
committee meetings; also sends out notices of committee meetings and other
mailings to committee members. 3 Treasurer is, of course, responsible for all money, including
revenues from registration and banquet tickets; pays all bills; usually advises
the chairperson on cash supply and income flow as well as rate of expenditures.
(Experience indicates it’s best if the treasurer is a person with four or more
years’ sobriety and some solid business experience. Each check usually calls
for two signatures.) Most convention committees require a complete report from
the treasurer within a month or two of the convention. Some committees have the
report audited as a further safeguard for convention funds. 4 Program Chairperson. Since this is often a very complex job, its
objectives are discussed under the separate heading “What Makes a Good
Convention Program?” This person usually sends invitations to speakers and
panel members who chair various meetings. 5 Ticket Chairperson supervises the printing and distribution of all
tickets, giving special attention to the task of bringing in the collections. 6 Public Information Chairperson has the sensitive task of
encouraging a large attendance without abandoning A.A.’s principle of
“attraction rather than promotion.” Publicity efforts can be kept within the
dignity and spirit of A.A. through the following means: a. Preparation and distribution of material about the program, speakers,
and time and location of the convention (perhaps including map of area, if
necessary). Its advisable for the convention committee to rent a post office
box and use that on all mailings, with no reference to A.A. on return
addresses. The convention publicity material should also be sent to the press,
radio, and TV outlets in the immediate area, (The Public Information Workbook,
available from G.S.O., gives useful advice on approaching the media.) b. Regular flyers about the convention are usually mailed monthly to all
groups in the area, with the first mailing beginning about six months before
the convention date. c. Dates and location of the convention, with a mailing address for
information or registration, should be sent (three months in advance) to the
A.A. Grapevine and to Box 459, to be published in their calendars. The
GV lists only area, regional, state, or provincial events of more than one
day’s duration; send notices to Box 1980, New York, NY 10163. For Box
459, send notices to Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163. 7 Entertainment Chairperson will arrange for the
convention dances and floor show if there is one. The chairperson hires the
band and other performers (or arranges for taped or recorded music). At some
conventions, the local A.A.s provide entertainment by putting on a play about
A.A. Traditions (for script, write to G.S.O.), or putting together choruses and
variety shows. This chairperson might also arrange to make sightseeing
available for conventioneers. 8 Hospitality Chairperson serves as convention host, organizing a
committee that will greet out of town guests, arrange transportation for them
when necessary, and see to any other needs they might have while attending the
convention. Usually members of the hospitality committee wear special
identification badges and are available to answer questions and provide
assistance to conventioneers. 9 Display and Literature Chairperson is responsible for displays
and posters and for having A.A. literature available for all. G.S.O. provides a
literature display to all conferences and conventions. (See “Displays” on page
5.) 10 Taping Chairperson is responsible for negotiating with the
individual or company who will be taping the convention. That individual will
be directly responsible to the convention chairperson (see Taping Guidelines
page 6). PAYING THE BILLS How are the costs of a convention covered and what can be done to make
sure that the venture won’t go deep in the red? Some conventions may involve
spending several thousand dollars, so the committee must have a fair picture of
the financial arrangements long before the convention opens. There’s no
substitute for common sense here; the committee must take a businesslike
approach to finances and keep expenditures somewhere within a conservative
estimate of anticipated revenues. As for financing the convention, several
sound methods seem to be in general use: 1 The Underwriting Method. The groups in the area,
perhaps through their representatives on the convention committee, agree to
underwrite the complete costs of the event. Since the registration fees can be
established at a level sufficient to cover the total costs, this should result
in no actual out of pocket costs to groups. It’s a good idea, though, to put
the tickets on sale well in advance of the convention and to know where the
breakeven point lies. Registration fees cover costs for special events. 2 The Convention Fund. In some areas, the groups make year round
contributions to a convention fund. Then, there is no registration fee, except
for out of state visitors. One method of covering deficits, provided it is done
with tact and sufficient explanation, is to take up a special collection at the
convention. But if the groups have already been consulted and have agreed to
underwrite the convention, making up the deficit is their ultimate
responsibility. Most conventions, however, make a profit. What’s to be done with these
surplus funds? In most cases, part of the surplus is held in trust for next
year’s convention. Then the committee uses the balance to help support local
service offices or the General Service Office. In accordance with our Seventh
Tradition, only funds from A.A. members attending the event should be
contributed to support A.A. activities. 3 Self-support. Based on A.A. experience shared with G.S.O.,
committees have found it best not to solicit for outside donations of any kind.
This is in keeping with our A.A. principle of self-support. (This does not
pertain to ordinary business negotiations with the facility where the event is
taking place.) WHAT MAKES A GOOD CONVENTION PROGRAM? One A.A. member shared his opinion that the program wasn’t really the
most important thing at a convention. He looks for something in addition to the
joys of meeting new and old friends, working together for our common good, and
sharing our experience, strength and hope with each other. He goes on to say
that there can also be a letdown feeling when we leave a convention if the
program hasn’t been imaginative and inspiring. This takes careful thought well
in advance of the convention date. A well balanced program might include: 1 The Convention Theme. Often, it’s easier to plan the overall program
by organizing it around a simple theme. Such a theme might be “Unity,” “We Came
to Believe. . . ,” “First Things First,” or a similar A.A. saying or topic.
This does not mean that the entire program must be devoted to the theme idea;
it does, however, serve as a reminder that an A.A. convention advances the
common purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous. 2 Main Features, Banquets, Open Meetings, etc. In planning a
convention, program chairpersons usually schedule several large open meetings
throughout the event, although not necessarily in immediate succession. A
Saturday night banquet may also serve as an open meeting, with a speaker
following the dinner. The large open meeting brings unity to the convention and
gives the opportunity for presenting certain matters such as the selection of
the next year’s convention site before the entire assembly of A.A.s attending.
But too many open meetings in any single convention can be tiresome; as a
general rule, three or four such meetings are sufficient in a weekend
convention. 3 Panels. Many program chairpersons schedule workshops and
panel sessions to provide suitable convention activity without overloading the
program with open meetings. Workshops and panels may take a variety of forms;
one popular arrangement is to set up a panel with three speakers and a chairperson.
Each speaker may be assigned a topic and a time limit. The session may be
followed by a short question and answer period, if time allows. On the subject of panels, experience has shown that topics such as “How
the General Service Office Works” or “Why G.S.O.?” attract only a small
audience and therefore do not carry the message in a satisfactory fashion.
G.S.O. staff members can best be used as speakers on regular panels where their
familiarity with A.A. worldwide can add an extra dimension to the presentation.
Any one of the trustees (especially your own regional trustee) would be
invaluable on such topics as “A.A. and Responsibility.” They are in a
crossroads position where they are aware of our Fellowship particularly on the
public level and also have an overall perspective on our purposes, strengths,
and weaknesses. They can be of great value in helping us learn more about
worldwide A.A. Don’t forget your own G.S.R.s, committee members, and delegates.
From their work in carrying the message outside their own groups, they’ll have
many ideas on such subjects as “Is A.A. Changing?,” “A.A. at Work, Then and
Now.” Many other A.A.s oldtimers and not so oldtimers also have worthwhile
information and thoughts on such subjects. Here are some suggested topics
appropriate for workshops and panels: Correctional Facilities, Treatment
Facilities, Public Information, Cooperation With the Professional Community,
Sponsorship, Service, G.S.R.s, Twelve Traditions, Twelve Concepts, Intergroups,
and Central Offices, A.A. Grapevine. (Some program committees select phrases
from A.A. literature as workshop or panel topics.) “Balance” and “flow” are two key words in the
planning of a convention program, particularly in setting up the panels. It’s
important that the program flow smoothly, with one feature following another in
a pleasant, logical series. It’s also important that the pane I topics and
participants be balanced, so as not to give the audience too much of any one
subject, too many speakers from one area, or too many panel participants of
similar experience and viewpoint. One effective way to insure maximum interest
and participation in the convention is to farm out each meeting, workshop, or
panel to a different group or area within the convention territory. Thus, the
groups themselves plan and organize the meetings, always working closely with
the general program chairperson to assure balance. 4 Care of Speakers. Most conventions feature speakers from out of town,
sometimes A.A. members living a thousand miles or more from the convention
site. This means that program chairpersons have a responsibility to see that
certain important matters are properly handled on the speakers’ behalf: a. Expenses. It should be clear, when the speakers are booked,
what terms are being made for expenses. Unless it’s otherwise specified,
speakers have a right to assume that all their travel, meal, and hotel expenses
will be paid for the entire trip. Speakers will also expect hotel or motel
accommodations as a matter of course; if they’re to be guests in private homes,
this should be explained before their arrival. b. Speaking Arrangements. Speakers should know when they’re expected to
speak and whether their presence is also required elsewhere in the convention.
(Some speakers may be unable to attend the entire convention.) No other
commitments besides speaking should be made for speakers without their
knowledge and consent. Most speakers will also appreciate knowing something
about the conditions under which they’ll speak; let them know whether there’ll
be a podium, public address system, etc. c. Speaker Hosts and/or Hostesses. Responsible members from the
local group should be assigned the duty of being host to the visiting speakers
and making sure that they have proper accommodations, as well as transportation
and other conveniences. PROVIDING SERVICES FOR A.A.s WITH SPECIAL NEEDS For Deaf Members A.A. members who are deaf or hard of hearing may need special
considerations when attending an A.A. conference or convention. For those who
have a fair amount of hearing and/or who read lips, seating near the speaker
may be all that is required. Others who are deaf may require the use of a sign
language interpreter. Here are some points to consider when planning a
conference or meeting that will be attended by deaf or hard of hearing A.A.s. 1 Reserve interpreters well ahead of time because they are in great
demand. 2 Budget the interpreting expenses. Find out early what the estimated
cost will be, whether by the hour or by the day. If you are holding concurrent
workshops, you may need more than one interpreter at the same time. If your
event is small (and short) you may be fortunate to find a qualified volunteer,
but do not expect to rely on volunteers. 3 In arranging preferred seating for deaf or hard of hearing members,
designate the reserve area clearly: “Please reserve for hearing impaired
members.” 4 Sensitize workshop leaders and meeting chairpersons to the use of the
interpreter. 5 Stick with your plans once you have announced that an event is sign
language accessible. Deaf people are very likely to travel far for the few
events that are interpreted. If the event is a large one with concurrent
meetings and workshops, plan for continuous availability of several
interpreters. 6 If you are listing the event with the General Service Office, your
local intergroup, or in any A.A. publication, specify that it is sign language
interpreted. If possible, have a T.D.D. number that deaf people can call for
more information. For A.A.s With Other Special Needs For blind people, some convention committees provide programs in
Braille. Also, if meetings are wheelchair accessible, this may be noted in the
program. GUARDING AGAINST ANONYMITY BREAKS When A.A. conventions are being covered by members of the press, it’s
customary to begin meetings by asking their cooperation in protecting members’
anonymity. Such an announcement might go like this: “Our anonymity, like our
sobriety, is a treasured possession. We ask the help of our guests especially
those representing the press or broadcasting media in protecting the anonymity
of all alcoholics present or mentioned here today. “We hope you hear something
at this meeting which you can take away with you and use. We respectfully
request, however, that you eliminate any mention of names in reference to
members of Alcoholics Anonymous.” It’s hardly likely that any newspaper or
broadcasting station these days will fail to cooperate with this request; not
only is the A.A. principle of anonymity well known generally, but our G.S.O. in
New York City has advised the press and broadcasters year after year of A.A.’s
position on this matter. But it’s possible that members’ anonymity may be
violated through indirect methods. There’s a likelihood, for example, that too
much promotional zeal on the part of the convention committee may lead them to
reveal a great deal of information about speakers without actually disclosing
last names. This means, in the case of some well known individuals, that their
anonymity is technically protected but actually broken, since their identity
can be readily recognized by anybody remotely familiar with them or their work.
In one case, for example, a university professor had been invited to address a
large A.A. banquet in the same state where he lived and worked. Only his first
name, nickname, and last initial appeared on the announcement posters, but the
name of his school and a previous academic connection were fully displayed. The
professor’s actual identity couldn’t have been more clearly revealed if his
last name and photograph had been included. Is there a safe way to avoid making
such de facto anonymity breaks? Well, one good procedure is to ask speakers how
they wish to be listed on posters and advance notices. They’ll know better than
anybody else how much information about themselves ought to be revealed. In any
case, whatever the speakers’ feelings, the practice of using initials rather
than last names should always be followed for the protection of A.A., as well
as the individual. MISCELLANEOUS TIPS ON GOOD CONVENTION MANAGEMENT When your committee is discussing the convention, try to go over the
things you liked and didn’t like at past conventions, especially matters that
caused petty irritations and annoyances; most likely, they can be avoided. Here
are a few suggestions: 1 Badges. A.A. conventions don’t seem to be right without
identification badges. See that they’re in bold, colorful letters, so they can
be read at a glance. Try not to subject guests to more than a few minutes’ wait
in registering for the convention and picking up their badges. Organize the
registration so the process will flow smoothly and quickly. 2 Coffee. It’s an essential feature plenty of coffee sessions
throughout the convention. Don’t forget, some A.A.s come more to talk to each
other than to listen to speakers, so be sure they have lots of opportunity to
gather ‘round the coffeepot. 3 Accessibility. At large conventions, it’s sometimes necessary to
hold some of the open meetings in buildings other than the one used as
convention headquarters. Try to plan the meetings so members do not have to go
more than a few blocks for a meeting or panel session. One exception to this
might be the last open meeting of the convention, from which the guests will
most likely be making their departure. 4 Hotel & Motel Registrations. Often, printed lists of local
accommodations, giving prices and other information, are available from local
chambers of commerce and similar offices, If possible, send these lists out
with the registrations and give members a chance to make their reservations
long before the convention. Don’t assume, in sending out the lists, that all A.A.s intend to stay
in medium or high priced accommodations; also include the lower priced hotels and
motels. In some places, camping facilities are also listed, for the A.A.s who
may arrive in campers. 5 Professional Assistance. Don’t hesitate to avail
yourself of assistance from local chamber of commerce officials and convention
managers. They already know all about the problems you’ll be facing, and they
can give invaluable advice and assistance. 6 Displays. You can pass along important A.A. information in an
attractive way by requesting the convention literature package to make up an
A.A. literature display. This complimentary package is available in English,
Spanish or French from G.S.O. for local conventions/conferences/roundups and
contains one copy of all A.A. book dust jackets; one copy of all A.A.
Conference approved pamphlets; A.A. Guidelines; flyers; List of Central Offices, intergroups and
Answering Services for the United States and Canada; List of General Service
Offices, Central Offices, Intergroups and Answering Services Overseas; List of
Service Material Available from G.S.O.; The A.A. Service Manual; and the
Conference approved Literature & Other Service Material catalog. You can
also purchase the current Membership Survey Display (M131/English only) that
illustrates a typical A.A. meeting through survey based statistics on age, sex,
occupation, length of sobriety, etc. This display is 27” high, 39” wide; has a
double easel in back. 7 Don’t Compete With Last Year. While it’s best not to try to
compete with previous conventions, if you’re the convention chairperson, you
will naturally want to benefit from the experience of previous, convention
committees. A.A. AND AL-ANON The following questions often arise: How may A.A. and AL-Anon cooperate in area and regional conventions and
get-togethers? In accordance with the Twelve Traditions, a convention would be either
A.A. or Al-Anon—not both. However, most A.A. convention committees invite
Al-Anon to participate and plan their own program, and the committee arranges
for facilities for the Al-Anon meetings. Should an A.A. convention committee make a contribution to Al-Anon from
the financial profits of the convention? In accordance with the self-support Traditions of both Fellowships and to abide by the concept of “cooperation but not affiliation,” it is suggested that A.A. should not make gifts or contributions to Al-Anon. By the same token, A.A. should not accept contributions from Al-Anon. If separate registrations have been kept for both A.A. and Al-Anon, however, income may be easily assigned. AUTO TAPING GUIDELINES Shared experience makes it clear that taping of an A.A. convention
cannot be left to chance. It is a difficult and time consuming job, including
preliminary work with the speakers and decisions about who will tape the
convention, the conduct of the taper during the convention, and his/her staff
and follow-up after the convention. Following are some suggestions: 1 The taping chairperson may represent the convention in reaching
agreements with the person who will be taping that particular convention, and
in developing a written agreement. 2 The convention taping chairperson may develop a release form on which
speakers agree to being taped or decline to be taped. 3 Experience shows that it is best to encourage speakers not to use full
names and not to identify third parties by full names in their talks. The
strength of our anonymity Traditions is reinforced by speakers who do not use
their last names and by taping companies or tapers whose labels and catalogs do
not identify speakers by last names, titles, service jobs or descriptions.
Experience also indicates that speaker tapes are being disseminated over the
Internet, a public media outlet. Therefore members may consider whether or not
they wish to use their full names. 4 The taping chairperson ensures that a taper has an understanding of the
Traditions. 5 The agreement prepared by the convention committee determines what the
taper sells or displays onsite. 6 The convention committee clarifies that taping is not an official part
of the convention. 7 Convention committees discourage any taping royalties to the convention
committee. VIDEOTAPING GUIDELINES In keeping with a 1980 General Service Conference recommendation, it is
suggested that speakers not be videotaped. |