Carrying the message, as suggested in the twelfth step, is service, Al-Anon's third legacy. Service, a vital purpose of Al-Anon, is action. Members strive to do as well as to be.
*Al-Anon and Alateen Groups at Work.
Service is defined as: the work performed by one that serves; contribution to the welfare of others.
Service in Al-Anon is just that with an additional aspect, service in Al-Anon also contributes to our own recovery. Service can vary from helping set up chairs and coffee for a meeting, holding the position of Group Representative (GR) or District Representative (DR), joining the Al-Anon Suffolk Information Service board or any other Al-Anon committee.
All service positions pay the same: personal growth resulting from an improved understanding of yourself and our program.
Group Level Service
Each Al-Anon Group will have regular rotation of service positions. Group level positions may be: Chairperson/Leader, Program/Topic Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Coffee/Hospitality, Literature, Set up/Clean up, etc. Any Al-Anon member can volunteer to hold a position. Usually before it is time to rotate position, the group will announce what is vacant and ask or nominate members for the next rotation. For some service positions it is suggested to have at least one year of active membership, and some positions can be held by beginners.
Service Above Group Level
There are two positions within a group that are considered service above group level: The Groups Representative, and the Alternate Group Representative. To read about what these positions entail, please visit our FAQ page. More information is available in the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual. The Al-Anon Service Manual answers just about any service question you can think of. It also lists the various suggested duties of service positions.
Service above group level is also considered a service by members at the district level, local information service and area levels, and in various committees. The only requirement they all share is active membership in our fellowship. It is suggested that you have more than one year in program. Positions above the group level require members who are not also members of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Beyond these general requirements, each job has it's own needs and requirements. These are set out in the Al-Anon Service Manual, the ASIS Guidelines or the Group, Board or Committee needing the volunteer. Those requirements are quoted here.
Groups Service
A group not active in Al-Anon Service can be compared to someone suffering with the effects of Alcoholism and not attending Al-Anon. Coming to Al-Anon brakes the chains of isolation and gives us the tools to recover. We become part of the Al-Anon Family. Service ensures that the group remains a healthy, active member of the Al-Anon Family Groups. We grow from supporting each other. Groups can get involved by the GR or AGR attending district, county and local area meetings, and voting on issues. The representative is the groups voice in exchanging information to and from the Al-Anon service arms.
More information is available:
- Joy of Service is a pamphlet on experiencing the miracles of growth and recovery through service.
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- Volunteer for the Suffolk County Phone Service. The Suffolk Information Phone Service is always looking for people to answer the phones. Here's a list of the times that need covering now. If you can spare two or more hours once a month during one of these periods you will be adding the human touch for people who need information about meetings. Calls come to whatever phone you want, anonymously.
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