AA MINORITY REPORT 2017 (revised)

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Wednesday 25 March 2015

AA Conference questions (2015) contd



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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