Get Into Service!
What is a Group Representative?
An Al-Anon Group’s GR (Group Representative) links their group to the Al-Anon District and to the fellowship’s worldwide service structure. Becoming a GR is a wonderful way to enhance your own growth and meet others who have experienced recovery on another level. There’s more information about being a GR in these guidelines from Al-Anon World Service.
Al-Anon’s Service Structure
Al-Anon and Alateen’s service structure can be pictured as an inverted pyramid:
- At the top are the thousands of Al-Anon and Alateen groups.
- Below the groups are the Districts that serve groups in each geographic area. District 26 serves West Contra Costa and North Alameda counties.
- Below the Districts are the Areas. We’re one of 26 districts in the Northern California World Service Area.
- At the bottom of the pyramid, serving all the Areas, Districts, and Al-Anon Family Groups, is the World Service Office, headquartered in Virginia Beach VA.
- The miniaturized graphic at the right explains the different levels of service in a little more detail. Click on it to see it full size.
Want Better Service Meetings?
There are as many ways to deal with the week-to-week workings of an Al-Anon meeting as there are Al-Anon groups. Most groups hold a regular service meeting or business meeting before, during or after the regular meeting, once a month, every quarter or every week. However it’s done, regularly discussing group finances, service roles and other nuts and bolts can help increase participation and make groups stronger.
Here is a service meeting script that one group in our district uses. Take what you like and leave the rest!
Knowledge-Based Decision-Making (KBDM) is a tool that has been adopted by Al-Anon to help groups define problems, discover solutions, and reach consensus. Here are some materials about using KBDM in Al-Anon groups.
– Suggestions for group business meetings from May 2010 Assembly