Conference Questions (2013) forum discussion (contd)

Committee No. 2 

Question 2: 

Would the Fellowship discuss, share experience and make recommendations on the question of:

What can AA do to better carry the message to young alcoholics both inside and outside of the Fellowship?

More specifically, would Conference consider, discuss and make recommendations on the following:

a. What can be done to make AA more of an attractive place to young people inside of AA?
b. What can be done to make AA more of an attractive place to young people outside of AA?
c. Consider updating the “Too Young?” poster with input from younger members?
d. Could young people be represented in the AA structure?

Background

In Continental Europe Region there is a position of Young People contact who has a Liaison Officer role with full voting rights.

Ref:

Too young poster AAGB
Too young poster AA US
Too Young pamphlet 

[See also: The Traditions, Preamble and Concepts]

Extracts:

“Reading the reports of the Continental Europe Region’s Young People contact, I am concerned the contact’s role also appears to include the promotion of International Conferences of Young People in AA (ICYPPA). I think there needs to be some clarification of the status of ICYPAA and Young people’s groups (YPGs, YPAA) in relation to AA Traditions, Concepts, and AA public relations.

Relating to the extracts of AA Grapevine articles below, it seems to me ICYPAA events which attract several thousand young alcoholics at a time are organised by older alcoholics who are creating emotionally charged environments which border on orchestrating mass hysteria. I think young (and old) alcoholics need to be able to discern the difference between what is emotional experience and that which is spiritual. I think it needs to be seriously considered in which direction the fellowship is going. Whether it continues to grow on a non- religious spiritual path, or whether it stagnates on a diversion into religious emotionalism. I wonder what emotional states young people return home to school or work after such “mind blowing” AA? events. I am also concerned at what families, friends and professional therapists think of newly sober young people disappearing for such events. I think any trained exit counsellors would be concerned about hearing of information packed events which combine bonding rituals, sleep deprivation, intense activity and “mind blowing” emotional excitement, which in turn induce euphoric feelings of “spiritual?” experience and strong emotional bonds.

“Dear Grapevine Back-up plan scrapped” (AA Grapevine August 2010)
“I AM 20 years old…… Rehab introduced me to the longest period of sobriety I'd known, and to AA. In one of the meetings I found a flyer from the International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA). The Tuesday following my release from rehab I went to a meeting organizing a bus trip to Atlanta, Ga., for ICYPAA. I had no money but someone decided to drag me along. We left the next day. Can you imagine 3,000 young people in AA together celebrating sobriety and life? It was mind-blowing….”

"THE FUN FACTOR" (AA Grapevine February 2010)
“Walking into the rooms of AA at 17 years old, I was extremely skeptical about how fun the whole "sobriety thing" was going to be….. INCYPAA started its first bid to host the International Convention of Young People in AA (ICYPAA) and brought the bid to ICYPAA 2009 in Atlanta, Ga.
Arriving there after a nine-hour drive, I was overwhelmed with excitement. There was never a minute when there was nothing to do. The main speakers knocked me off my feet, made me laugh and made me cry….”

“Dear Grapevine Pure delight” (AA Grapevine June 2009)
“….ICYPAA is pure delight. Where else can you compete with your fellows to have fun over a 30-hour period without sleep?”

"Sobriety Rocks! " (AA Grapevine March 1988)
“There was much hugging at ICYPAA, in part because participants were given, at registration, a "warm fuzzy," which was a pompom made of short pieces of colored yarn worn around the neck: whenever a hug was exchanged, the huggers tied pieces of the yarn onto the other's neckpiece, with the goal of losing the warm fuzzy and gaining a lei of multi-colored yarn. Australian Tony A., currently living in Norfolk, Connecticut, said, "I ended up with hundreds of colorful ties on my string, a graphic illustration of 'you only get it by giving it away.' My pompom ended up threadbare and I ended up very well hugged." These "bonding rituals," as Tony called them, created for him "unbelievable feelings of belonging to a tribe that accepted me as kin even though I was 10,000 miles from home." David of Berwyn, Pennsylvania, also noted the importance of hugs: "At three years and ten months sober, I'm just now hugging people without jumping back or flinching. After I got back from ICYPAA, I saw a friend of mine and hugged him, and he said, 'Wow, a real hug from you! What happened?' I said, 'Go to ICYPAA and see for yourself.
Another distinguishing feature of ICYPAA is what might be called its interactive audience. ICYPAA participants often funneled their energy into whoops and hollers, whistles, calls, wild applause, and ritualized responses. For example, one person may give the sudden spontaneous cry--say, in the cafeteria or before a large meeting started--"ICKY! ICKY! ICKY!" which will be followed by a shouted chorus of "PAA! PAA! PAA!" Whenever someone introduced herself or himself at a meeting--i.e., said "My name is Jane and I'm an alcoholic"--everyone shouted, "Hi, Jane! We love you, Jane, lots and lots and lots--and who-o-o-ole bunches!"

“AA News: Young people party in NYC's Times Square at ICYPAA 52” (AA Grapevine October 2010)
“Starting with a packed sunset boat cruise around Manhattan and ending with a trip to historic Coney Island in Brooklyn, the 52nd Annual International Conference of Young People in AA (ICYPAA) drew more than 4,000 AAs to New York City from Aug. 26-29,2010.
"There's so much energy and I can remember the things I did," said Sara I., 22, of Fair Lawn, N.J., who was sober 55 days.
Included in the agenda were main speaker meetings; round-the-clock "marathon" meetings; presentations about AA World Service, Grapevine and other AA topics; Al-Anon and Alateen meetings; and dancing and entertainment each night.
"The stuff I'm doing here I'd normally be doing drunk," said Brooke D., 30, of Clifton, N.J. "It's weird being joyful while being sober."
For those wanting to play tourist, an information booth offered lists of local places to eat and visit; and maps of the city, subway and historic AA spots. Attendees could meet there hourly and connect with others wanting to explore the city….”

"ICYPAA Bounces Back" (AA Grapevine October 2006)
“…..On Thursday, the Pre-Conference Event kicked off at the recently reopened Aquarium of the Americas. AAs wound through the aquarium for exotic views of maritime flora and fauna. Penguins played in a simulation of their natural habitat and charmed their audience. Over plates of jambalaya, AAs hailed old friends, met new ones, and brought them along to the 10:30 P.M. speaker meeting in the Napoleon Ballroom to finish off the evening….. On Saturday evening, young AAs, suited up and slicked-down, entered the Armstrong Ballroom to share a banquet dinner. Later, conference attendees were surprised with a Mardi Gras parade--a brightly painted float circled the Napoleon Ballroom while masked AAs threw beaded necklaces and doubloons. The Cajun beat rocked the crowd and bounced off the rafters, as ICYPAAs jumped and stretched to catch the beads rocketing colorfully through the air. When all the beads had been caught and most of the jumping had died down, the sobriety countdown began. By the time AAs began to stand and claim their thirty days, twenty days, ten days, ICYPAA attendees were cheering with a fevered pitch of love and excitement….”

"Bidding for a New Life" (AA Grapevine July 1997)
“….Then our turn came. The room was filled with around 500 sober drunks, and even before we got into place, the "clapping beat" became so loud that I was overwhelmed. I felt so much love in that room, I forgot completely about my dance steps, and started jumping up and down uncontrollably, crying out loud. It was like God reached out and grabbed me and made me okay all at once. At that moment, I knew that I had a home and it was Alcoholics Anonymous. At that point, I was two years and a couple of days sober. That feeling has never left me. In an instant I experienced a fundamental change that I can't describe except to say that I've never felt alone since then. I realized that I'd been given everything I'd ever wanted--love, freedom, a home.
…… As I said earlier, I am happy, joyous, and free today, mostly because I've found a sponsor, Tom N. of Milwaukee, who has taken me through the "program of action" found in our basic text, and I have "had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps."….”

"SAY NO TO NOTHING" (AA Grapevine February 2010)
A German 'recluse' bursts out of her shell at ICYPAA 51
“….I set down my bags, went out for a smoke, and was kidnapped by ICYPAA old-timers. I got back about 13 hours later with two other AAs who crashed in my bed. After two hours of sleep, I jumped out of bed and yearned for more. That was two days before the conference actually started. ….I have truly been rocketed into a fourth dimension I never knew existed….. I always believed I would experience the Promises in my life, but I never expected them to all be thrown at me over one short weekend. I stood in the meeting room with 3,500 drunks under the age of 30, and I had chills running down my spine and tears in my eyes. …..I stood on my chair and danced to Bob Marley…… The spirituality in the room could have knocked me over. ….The first bit of advice I received was very useful. I was riding through Atlanta in the back of a pickup truck, and the "old-timers," who had been to at least three ICYPAAs before, said, "Say no to nothing, do it all, and sleep as little as possible." …..But before I knew it, I was on the stage at a nightclub full of sober people, raving with the D.J. I stopped and thought, Can this be right? Can this be spiritual? Can sobriety be so much fun? I asked God for an intuitive thought or decision, only to be thrown back into reality by a song that said, "Shut up and dance." At that moment I was released from the bondage of self. I knew, at that moment, I had found my place in this world…….At the beginning of each meeting, the speaker would introduce him or herself, "Hi, I am_____ and I am an alcoholic," and then the thousands of young people would return with, "Hi, _____, we love you, _____, lots and lots and lots and WHOOOOOLE BUNCHES! Whooo!" (This was accompanied by a group pelvic thrust toward the speaker which seemed to get bigger later in the weekend). And in "How it Works," when the line, "What an order! I can't go through with it," was read, everyone would yell, "B__________t!"
That is the attitude I left with. If you think you can't enjoy life in sobriety, "B__________t!" …….We are the next generation of old-timers, the future of this Fellowship. We, young people in AA around the world, are on fire with recovery.”

"Young People Smash the Delusion" (AA Grapevine October 2008)
“The surge of emotion at the 50th annual International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, had only a little to do with the vast quantities of coffee, soda, and energy drinks being consumed.
"There's a vibe here," said Stosh G., of Neptune, New Jersey. "Everybody here is excited about being sober."….. It's obvious that AAs come to ICYPAA to have fun, with a pre-conference trip to amusement park Frontier City, a scavenger hunt, dances in the ballroom every night, a game room, a film festival, karaoke, and jam sessions. Just about everywhere, people were smiling, hugging, and screaming with joy over running into an old friend….. "Many of the young alcoholics who attended . . . will go on to be the next generation of delegates, trustees, and board members," said Megan B., New York, New York, ICYPAA Advisory Council Chair. "It brought me a tremendous amount of hope for the future of AA." Other types of service were obvious all over the convention center. Tom P. of Oklahoma City offered foot massages, a service he'd started at the International Convention in 2000 in Minneapolis. "I saw a lot of people who were doing a lot of walking," he said.” On Saturday night, four Grapevine Reps from New York City and Michigan appeared in grape costumes--bunches of purple balloons--to hand out subscription cards to the Grapevine and increase awareness of the international journal of AA. "It's our magazine," said Raina….”

"FOREVER YOUNG"
The evolution of young people's groups in AA (AA Grapevine February 2010)
“….Young AAs think nothing of driving 15 hours on Friday, sleeping en masse on someone's floor, attending a Saturday event, then turning around on Sunday and driving back in time for school or work. I've done it myself. Thus the young people's groups establish strong personal ties by speaking at each other's groups and supporting each other's activities. Now there are young people's AA conventions in Canada, Australia, South Africa, Sweden and other international locations. Europe is preparing to host its first young people's convention in 2010….”

"PO Box 1980 Back on track" (AA Grapevine April 1993)
“….I came across a copy of the October 1986 Grapevine, with the heading, "Sunlight of the Spirit." I opened it up and the first word I saw on the page was "ICYPAA." It brought me back immediately to the theme of last year's ICYPAA (International Conference of Young People in AA), which was "Back to Basics." I saw what I needed to do, and so I called my sponsor, read the Big Book, the "Twelve and Twelve." and my daily reflections meditation. From then on my life increased spiritually, and I made several amends--one very special one to my sister. Then I called my father, and he asked me to speak at a meeting down in Albany.
So by some strange coincidence, I went back to basics, was shown the sunlight of the spirit, and got my recovery back on track….”

"The Blizzard of '82" (AA Grapevine October 1989)
“….If you have never loved an AA group this won't interest you much. But we were a close knit bunch and Young Peoples' was something still fairly new in western Massachusetts. Ours was one of the biggest meetings in the valley. About one hundred and fifty people every week. All the chairs were taken and it was standing room only right to the wall. In the warm weather we gauged the size of the meeting by the number of motorcycles in front. It was a five- or a seven- or a ten-bike meeting. There had been many unforgettable moments there for all of us. This abrupt interruption in the routine brought some of them to mind on the long walk toward downtown Springfield.
One year we had a Christmas meeting and after the Lord's Prayer we had arranged to have some AA kids come in and sing a few carols. "Rudolph," "O Little Town of Bethlehem." But the one that got everybody was "Silent Night." There wasn't a dry eye in the room. Recently I got a phone call from the father of one of those "kids," who is now in college.
One year we had a going away party for committee members who would fly a big jet down to Memphis to put a bid in for the ICYPAA Conference. The house was more packed than ever. All the walls were plastered with posters and cut-out letters saying "Bon Voyage" and balloons were strung across the front of the hall. Some area level service people had shown up just for support. They had given the bid committee everything they could right from the start to get it off the ground and into the air….”

"Sunlight of the Spirit" (AA Grapevine October 1986)
“….In the reading of "How It Works," for example, following the words "Here are the steps we took. . ." the audience "helps" the reader by shouting out the numbers of the Steps in unison.
"ONE!"
"We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable."
"TWO!"
"Came to believe. . ."
"THREE!" and so on all the way through the Steps, until the audience overreaches itself and shouts out "THIRTEEN!"
This impulsive addition, however, is met with a resounding and collective "BOO!"--putting to rest one of the common misconceptions about young people's groups.
Then, finally, in the phrase following the words, "Many of us exclaimed. . ." the audience again chimes in, right on cue: "'What an order! I can't go through with it,'" adding, however, an emotional addendum not written into the original text in response to this blatant form of denial. Can't go through with it, you say?
"BULL----!"…….
………."ICKY-PAA! ICKY-PAA! ICKY-PAA!" they chanted………
.……Once again at the microphone, Larry Y. reached into his coat pocket to extract yet another envelope, signaling that the 1987 site selection was about to be announced. The banquet hall exploded into a cacophony of chants.
"SOBAH! SOBAH! SOBAH!"
"California!"
"Tennessee! Tennessee! Tennessee!"
"TULSA!"
"ICYPAA! ICYPAA! ICYPAA!"
When the envelope was opened and the final selection named, nearly a quarter of the audience rose to its feet as one in wild, unbounded celebration.
"SOBAH! SOBAH!" the slogan of the Boston bid committee rang out, making clear once and for all just what a regional accent will do. Quite sober, "SOBAH" will be the theme of the 30th ICYPAA.
……….When the final meeting of the conference came to a close, in a swaying chain of linked arms, the conference joined together in a rendition of "Amazing Grace."

“PO Box 1980 Two Letters on rituals in AA” (AA Grapevine July 1998)
“The ritualized chanting that went on at ICYPAA (reported in the March Grapevine) seems to be more and more common at AA meetings nationwide. We need to guard against any actions in AA meetings that might be construed as cultish, and that includes chanting. When AA members shout "What's the point?" during the reading of "How It Works," newcomers feel excluded and old-timers cringe with embarrassment. Instead of ritualizing our responses, let's just sit quietly and give the speaker our full attention. That way, the message of recovery has a chance of getting through to those who really need to hear it.”
Kit K.
Sterling, Alaska "

Comment: “Frothy emotional appeal seldom suffices. The message which can interest and hold these alcoholic people must have depth and weight. In nearly all cases, their ideals must be grounded in a power greater than themselves, if they are to re-create their lives.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, The Doctor's Opinion).  Mob hysteria doesn't quite fit the bill!

(our emphases) 

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

See also AA Minority Report 2013