2.
Retention of new members.
Could
Conference share its experience with regard to how better to
encourage Newcomers to ‘keep coming back’, to attend subsequent
meetings and thereby improve their chances of long term sobriety and
recovery? Make recommendations as to how this experience could be
communicated effectively to the Fellowship as a whole.
Background
Much
worthy effort and considerable financial resource is expended in
attracting new members to the Fellowship, through widely diverse PI
initiatives at all levels, commercial advertising, the web site, etc.
Committee
1, Conference 2011 produced numerous ‘best practice’
recommendations as to how Newcomers could be welcomed to their first
meeting by groups, particularly those who arrive without having had
the benefit of a formal 12th Step call.
Despite
these initiatives, the evidence is that many Newcomers attend just
one meeting and are never seen again. There may be many reasons for
this, but some groups are clearly more successful than others in
encouraging returners.
Intention
The
Fellowship as a whole might benefit from learning from successful
groups how to improve its retention rates. A list of best practices
would give groups the opportunity to consider, at their conscience
meetings, ways in which their own Newcomers could have a better
chance of achieving recovery, always accepting that local discretion
will apply.
Comment:
Well that's an interesting claim: “some groups are clearly more
successful than others in encouraging returners”. “Clearly”! To
whom? And which groups would these be, and where's the evidence?
Surely questions submitted to the AA conference should have a bit
more substance than mere assertion. And what constitutes a
“successful” group? Presumably one that carries the AA message.
As to whether newcomers want to listen or even act on it that's
really a matter for them. Perhaps the questioner (and all those who
harp on about these issues) might like to remember that section in
the Big Book (Chapter 5, How It Works) where Step 3 is discussed (and, of course) the
three “pertinent ideas” (especially (b)): “that probably no
human power could have relieved our alcoholism”. There's a limit
to what we can do. The key factor in any recovery resides with the
individual themselves. The reason why initial retention rates in AA
have always been relatively low (and have remained so throughout its
entire history – see here for AA recovery rates) is simply because most people don't actually want
to stop drinking …. yet!. Until they arrive at their personal
'rock bottom' there is little any “human power” can do to
influence them. No matter how well intentioned we might be, no
matter how we “arrange the scenery” etc, if the newcomer doesn't
want to stop there is “probably” no human power that can contrive
otherwise. Conversely once an individual does arrive at the
“jumping-off place”, and finally 'realises' his actual condition
(ie. it becomes 'real' to him), then there's no power on earth, human
or otherwise, than can get him or her to go back on the bottle! All
we can do is carry the message (ie. our experience, strength and
hope) …... but not the alcoholic! On the other hand it would
probably make life a bit more pleasant for newcomers if they were
kept out of the clutches of the cult control freaks (ie. those who
haven't quite managed to get to grips with the aforementioned Step
Three …. yet!) when they arrive in the fellowship. All those rules
and regulations (sorry.... 'SUGGESTIONS')….. and ALL to no purpose!
We do think they deserve rather better than to be bullied and abused
after all they've been through … don't you?
Cheers
The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS
For AA Minority Report 2013 click here
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