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Al-Anon and Alateen Family Groups in Santa Barbara

Service Commitment Descriptions

Getting into service in Al-Anon is a fun, rewarding and spiritual experience. Here are some general descriptions of Al-Anon service positions. District-level service positions are listed below.

Group-Level Service Positions

These descriptions are general suggestions only. The actual service commitment responsibilities may vary from group to group based on the Group Conscience.

Group Representative (GR)

Alternate Group Representative (AGR)

Secretary

  • Opens and closes meetings
  • Conducts group business meetings per Group Conscience
  • Updates the group listing on the SCWS web site in lieu of a group GSR

Treasurer

  • Collects the Seventh Tradition donations
  • Collects monies from literature sales
  • Maintains group funds via personal checking account
  • Reports income and expenses regularly to the group
  • Pay group expenses

Literature Person

  • Setups and puts away Conference Approved Literature (CAL)
  • Coordinates with the Treasurer available funds for book orders
  • Orders Conference Approved Literature for the meeting
  • May make literature announcements during the meeting

Hospitality Person

  • Makes coffee or tea before meeting
  • Greet newcomers
  • Purchases coffee and supplies and is reimbursed by the group Treasurer
  • Cleans-up coffee and supplies after the meeting

Source: Getting into Service in Al-Anon bookmark (GS-1)

District-Level Service Positions

District Representative (DR)

The DR is elected in their home district. Each DR represents one district within an Area. The DR helps the groups in the district understand their relationship and responsibility to the worldwide fellowship.

  • Calls and chairs district meetings at regular intervals
  • Assists the Delegate in disseminating Conference information and reports
  • Keeps in touch with the GRs of his district to learn the views of the groups and their problems, which, in turn, he may report to the Area World Service Committee or the Delegate
  • Visits all the groups in his district, particularly new groups, to make sure they are getting necessary information and help
  • Assists the groups in understanding and applying the Traditions
  • Prepares and updates a mailing list of the GRs in his district for the Area World Service Committee
  • Reminds every group to complete and promptly return the group data sheets sent out annually by the World Service Office
  • Checks the group's Current Mailing Address (CMA) with each GR in the district to determine if it is correct
  • Makes sure mail from the WSO is reaching the groups and being shared with the members
  • Attends Area World Service Committee meetings and reports to the Area World Service Committee on activities within his district
  • Notifies the Area World Service Committee and WSO of disbanded groups

District 8 Literature Position

  • In this service role, you will participate in District 8 meetings once a month to provide GRs with updates on new and updated literature from World Service Organization notifications.
  • You will also order literature as approved by District 8, and manage the supply of newcomer information packets for the new comer meeting.
  • You will circulate and lend District 8 copies of new and updated literature for GRs to show and review at their meetings.
  • This service position requests a three year commitment.
  • You will become familiar over time with the full library of Al-Anon literature and serve as a valuable resource at the District level

District 8 Public Outreach Position

Informing the public about Al-Anon and Alateen is vital to the growth of the fellowship. Good public relations are important to our groups as well as the community at large. It is important that members understand the principle of anonymity and how it applies when doing public outreach service. We always protect our members' anonymity, but the Al-Anon/Alateen program is not anonymous. (See "Anonymity" and "Public Outreach" in the "Digest of Al-Anon and Alateen Policies" section of the Service Manual.)

Groups can have members meet with spiritual leaders, health-care providers, educators, or the manager of the local radio or television stations. Others may help bring the Al-Anon presence to a local hospital, rehabilitation center, or correctional facility. As long as members maintain personal anonymity when appearing in the media, as stated in Tradition Eleven, they can use their full names when contacting these professionals. Holding an open meeting to which community professionals are invited and placing Al-Anon and Alateen posters in public places are other ways to enhance Al-Anon's public relations.

Where there is a concentration of groups, groups can subscribe to an answering service to refer callers to the nearest group. As the groups grow, an Al-Anon Information Service (AIS or Intergroup) may be established. Many local newspapers have print and on-line listings of community resources, and the groups can make sure that Al-Anon/Alateen information is included. A phone listing under "Al-Anon" (using a number that is not a personal phone number) will help people find our fellowship.

Many groups participate in public outreach activities coordinated by their district, Area, and/or local Al-Anon Information Service (AIS). Local media outreach (TV, radio, print media, posters/ other printed materials, and the Internet) is handled by the district, Area, or AIS. Additional ideas for outreach projects are posted on the Members' Web site, under "Public Outreach," including service Guidelines and The Best of Public Outreach. (See also the "Public Outreach" section of the "Digest of Al-Anon and Alateen Policies" for information on outreach by individuals and groups.)

Keep your Area Public Outreach Coordinators informed of your outreach activities.

Website Coordinator

The Webmaster updates, maintains, and troubleshoots the Al-Anon Santa Barbara website. This position reports to the district.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

  1. Update, maintain, and troubleshot the district website:
    1. Upload latest revisions of the district meeting directory.
    2. Upload speaker meeting recordings.
    3. Troubleshoot issues specific to browsers, devices, and operating systems d. Maintain the site to current best practices.
  2. Coordinate with other technology coordinators.
  3. Assist trusted servants in creating content for the website.
  4. Updating the home page news.
  5. Updating the home page bulletin board.
  6. Update pages and post documents as requested.
  7. Maintain Google site integrations:
    1. Analytics.
    2. Calendar.
    3. Translate.
  8. Provide guidance to the district in website best practices.
  9. Maintain and renew the district domain: AlAnonSantaBarbara.info.
  10. Monitor, maintain, and renew the domain's SSL certificate.
  11. Attend monthly district meetings and provide a written and verbal report a. Provide analytics reports.

The complete commitment that was adopted by group conscience of the district is available in PDF.

Source: Al-Anon Alateen Service Manual 2014 - 2017