Question
1:
Would
the Fellowship discuss, share experience and make practical
suggestions as to how we can highlight the importance, effectiveness
and value of Sponsoring into Service?
Background
The main reason for this question is the many gaps to be found in the Directory of Intergroup & Regional Officers, indicating that a significant number of Service positions are not being filled.
References:
General Service Conference Report, 1983, Committee 1 Directory of Intergroup & Regional Officers, 2011/2012 Leaflet “Sponsorship: Your Questions Answered”
The Service Handbook
Consider the contribution to the carrying of the message, financial and practical implications when deliberating each question
Background
The main reason for this question is the many gaps to be found in the Directory of Intergroup & Regional Officers, indicating that a significant number of Service positions are not being filled.
References:
General Service Conference Report, 1983, Committee 1 Directory of Intergroup & Regional Officers, 2011/2012 Leaflet “Sponsorship: Your Questions Answered”
The Service Handbook
Consider the contribution to the carrying of the message, financial and practical implications when deliberating each question
See
also:
Extract:
“My
home group [Plymouth Road to Recovery (cult) group] annually holds
its own Pre-Conference meeting to discuss the issues raised by the
various questions. This is really helpful to newer members who are
often a bit baffled by Conference etc and also encourages more
experienced members to get involved and understand the issues. The
main points raised in relation to this question were as follows.
• Officers are not being elected resulting in no sponsoring in.
• Follow the guidelines for service positions. Value the experience of previous holders of the post. Read ALL available literature. Speak to other Intergroups/Regions if no experience locally.
• Many sponsors in our group prepare sponsees for service as an integral part of recovery. Many share about how service has taken their recovery to new levels
• There are occasions when willing and able members are blocked from service positions because someone does not like them or their home group. Worse still people who don’t want to do the job are voted into service positions just to keep less popular people out.
• Lack of positive leadership/sponsorship in AA generally. Individual autonomy does not mean that experience should not be offered, advice from oldtimers can save a lot of time wasting and repeated mistakes. “
• Officers are not being elected resulting in no sponsoring in.
• Follow the guidelines for service positions. Value the experience of previous holders of the post. Read ALL available literature. Speak to other Intergroups/Regions if no experience locally.
• Many sponsors in our group prepare sponsees for service as an integral part of recovery. Many share about how service has taken their recovery to new levels
• There are occasions when willing and able members are blocked from service positions because someone does not like them or their home group. Worse still people who don’t want to do the job are voted into service positions just to keep less popular people out.
• Lack of positive leadership/sponsorship in AA generally. Individual autonomy does not mean that experience should not be offered, advice from oldtimers can save a lot of time wasting and repeated mistakes. “
A
response:
“The
fact that someone is willing and/or able does not in itself
constitute a right to a service position in an intergroup. That is a
matter for the intergroup itself. Again where someone is “blocked”
from a position because they or their group is disliked begs the
questions why so? Maybe there is a sound basis for this antipathy.
Interestingly I would regard the mere fact that someone doesn't want
the job as being something of a recommendation in itself. This would
serve to exclude those members who are driven rather by the pursuit
of personal power and influence than a service ethos (even an
unwilling one!). Finally I thought the whole point of a voting system
was to elect the popular choice and keep out the unpopular one(s).
Something to do with democracy or so I believe.”
Comment:
Yet
again the Plymouth group blows its own trumpet! It sounds good but
unfortunately the reality is quite different as if so often the case
with the cult. This group like so many others treats service in AA
as a kind of career progression. CVs are frequently hastily
constructed in order to boost promising candidates up the ladder to get them to the delegate stage as fast as possible where they are then in a position
to pursue a strictly cult agenda (under the guidance of course of
their all-knowing sponsors). For this reason some of our “trusted
servants” can no longer be trusted! We echo the sentiments of the
above responder. Maybe we should not be in such a hurry to fill
service positions when they fall vacant. Getting rid of the Region
layer of the hierarchy (a completely redundant part of the service
structure – and extremely undemocratic by the way!) would be a good
start and do much to relieve the 'strain'. The proliferation of
service positions in intergroups also seems entirely unnecessary and
demonstrates an inefficient use of resources .. as in too many chefs!
Moreover we're entirely ungobsmacked that AA members don't wish to
work alongside cult members. The experience is pretty uninspiring at
the best of times! As for the last point made above: “advice”
in cult circles is rarely offered - dogma driven
'direction' however is available in abundance!
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
