ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS -WEST KENT INTERGROUP
AIMS & STRUCTURES: ISSUE # 9 -23/11/2007
Our Primary Purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety."
". . . we try to carry this message to other alcoholics and to practise these principles in all our affairs. "
"Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on AA unity. "
"Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern."
THE AIMS OF WEST KENT INTERGROUP (WKIG) ARE:
To help its constituent groups in their common purpose of carrying the AA message to the still-suffering alcoholic and by using their combined strength and unity, to improve and maintain good relations with all organizations in the local community.
To provide a regular forum for the sharing of group experience and to introduce members, into areas of specialized service within AA.
To elect representatives to membership of the South East Regional Assembly and by so doing, facilitate communication between Groups and Region and vice versa.
CONSIDERATIONS
Above all else WKIG will always be guided by the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and will do its utmost to safeguard these, being ever mindful of our Primary Purpose and also of the AA pledge "When anyone anywhere reaches out for help, I want AA always to be there and for that I am responsible."
MEETINGS
Intergroup Assembly meetings should be held regularly, usually five times a year. It should be remembered that these are business meetings which should be conducted in a businesslike manner, having particular regard to the guidance in the Traditions and Twelve Concepts for AA Service. Nevertheless, the spirit of AA unity and mutual support must always be maintained.
The meeting in November each year should be assigned to the Annual General Meeting, at which accounts should be presented, discussed and approved. A Conscience Meeting should take place and the Aims and Structures document reviewed. Additionally, at the AGM, confirmation of Intergroup officers' appointments for the subsequent year should be sought from the membership. A suitable agenda should be prepared by Intergroup officers including any items submitted to the Secretary by the GSRs. The agenda should be circulated prior to all Intergroup meetings and conveyed to all groups within WKIG far enough in advance so that it contents can be discussed by Groups and any group views made known to GSRs.
Observers/visitors are welcome at Intergroup meetings. They may speak, at the invitation of the Chairperson but they may not vote. Time at these meetings should also be designated for issues of Intergroup Conscience to be discussed.
STRUCTURE
General Service Representatives
The members of the Intergroup will be made up of those elected General Service Representatives (GSRs) who come from the groups within the area covered by WKIG.
INTERGROUP OFFICERS
WKIG will hold elections for the following officers as and when required. These officers will be confirmed in office at each AGM
(1) Four officers with general duties
(a) Chairperson
(b) Vice chairperson
(c) Secretary
(d) Treasurer
These will be drawn from WKIG group members with appropriate experience and a willing commitment to serve for a three year term of office, subject of course to annual confirmation by WKIG. It is recommended that these officers have an established period of continuous sobriety, ideally of not less than two years. These officers have the right to vote.
(2) Nine officers with specific duties.
(a) Public Information
(b) Employment Liaison
(c) Health Liaison
(d) Prison Liaison
(e) Probation Liaison
(f) SHARE representative
(g) Telephone Liaison Officer
(h) Literature Secretary
(i) Convention Convener
Such officers to be elected on the basis of experience coupled with a willing commitment to serve for three consecutive years, subject to annual confirmation. It is recommended that these officers have an established period of continuous sobriety, ideally of not less than two years. These officers have the right to vote.
(3) Regional representatives (Three)
These will be representatives of WKIG at the South East Regional Assembly.
Appropriate experience of Intergroup is essential as is a willing commitment to a three-year term of duty, the positions being confirmed annually by WKIG. It is recommended that these representatives should have an established period of continuous sobriety, ideally of not less than three years. These representatives have the right to vote.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Chairperson
Responsible for convening and conducting Intergroup meetings and together with the Secretary, approving the agenda and minutes before they are published. Responsible for ensuring that the decisions, of the Intergroup are carried out.
Vice Chairperson
Responsible for conducting the meeting, in the absence of the Chairperson. Responsible for giving support to serving members of West Kent Intergroup.
Secretary
Responsible with the Chairman for preparing the agenda and minutes of meetings and for distributing these documents to all serving officers and General Service Representatives well in advance of meetings so that there is ample time for discussion of the contents at Group level. The secretary deals with all correspondence and keeps in contact with the Regional Secretary and the General Service Office making sure they receive a copy of Intergroup Assembly minutes and are also notified of all changes of officers.
Treasurer
Responsible for keeping a proper account of WKIG finances and ensuring that funds are available for its essential current requirements whilst at all times retaining an adequate prudent reserve of, say, two months estimated expenditure. The Treasurer receives and acknowledges monies from Groups and passes on surpluses to the General Service Office via the Treasurer at South East Region. Accounts should be presented at all WKIG assemblies and, in addition, should be properly audited prior to each AGM.
It is recommended that all the above four officers will, upon completion of their terms of office, stand down from their posts and from WKIG assembly for at least one year, although they may serve as regional representatives, liaison officers or as GSRs. In exceptional circumstances a member may be asked to continue in service in the same or another position, but this may only be done with the discussion and full agreement of WKIG.
Duties of Liaison Officers.
It is recommended that liaison officers co-operate among themselves and work together through a service committee structure as outlined in Guideline No.1 and through joint/combined WKIG workshops.
Public Information Officer
Responsible for ensuring that information about the AA message and recovery programme is conveyed to outside organizations to the best possible advantage. A panel of members to comply with requests for speakers throughout the WKIG area should be created. Assisting local media to obtain accurate information about AA is another important function and this post calls for a thorough knowledge and appreciation of our Traditions.
Employment Liaison Officer
Responsible for liaising with all sections of commerce and industry, within the WKIG area. Co-operation with neighbouring Intergroups is particularly important as many businesses across Intergroup boundaries.
Health Liaison Officer
Responsible for co-ordinating all health and related activities in the WKIG area along the lines suggested in the appropriate guideline. In view of current and recent changes in Health Service policy, responsibilities of the HLO have expanded to include such areas as community care, professional staff in GPs' surgeries and Social Services.
Prison Liaison Officer
Responsible for producing and maintaining a roster of suitable AA members, to support the AA meetings within prisons in the WKIG area. Close co-operation with Prison Officers/Probation Officers within the WKIG area is essential.
Probation Liaison Officer
Responsible for establishing links with probation services and magistrates throughout the WKIG area. The question of attendance by those on probation at AA meetings may have to be considered. Increasing work with Social Services agencies is being developed.
SHARE Liaison Officer
Provides essential contact, between members, Groups and the SHARE editorial team. Actively encourages the promotion of SHARE and the contribution by members of articles and letters to SHARE.
Telephone Liaison Officer
The telephone service is central to all service activities. It should always be included in service groups as it provides a lifeline to suffering alcoholics both in and out of the Fellowship. The telephone liaison officer is responsible for maintaining a roster and to twelve-step sufficient responders to man the service at all times. Also liaises with other TLOs to inform the Intergroup of the number of calls and the ongoing costs of the service. Responsible for maintaining the 12th Step List from names put forward by GSRs of individual groups, for collating and updating this information, for distribution to telephone responders.
Literature Secretary
(a) To be responsible for the preparation, publication and distribution if the West Kent "Lists of Meetings."
(b) To arrange the supply of literature for the annual Aylesford convention.
(c) To act in any other co-ordinating role in respect of WKIG literature as may be required from time to time.
Convention Convener
To be responsible for the co-ordination of the annual Mini Convention.
It is expected that all WKIG officers will be aware of the following responsibilities of their roles:
(1) Careful consideration should be given to the principle of staggered rotation so that officers do not terminate their service at the same time.
(2) Regular attendance should be maintained at workshops at South East Regional assemblies (usually twice a year) to share experience of problems and successes in particular disciplines with other Intergroup liaison officers. Regular reports should be provided to the Regional liaison officers so that the interests of WKIG are represented in the wider Fellowship.
(3) The importance of carrying the message of sobriety through service and sponsoring/twelve-stepping members willing and able to be replacement nominees for officer posts.
Conference Delegate
WKIG will from its members serving at South East Region, Officers and GSRs serving at Intergroup or members with appropriate past experience nominate suitable members as delegates when called upon to do so. Quality of sobriety and service record should be the guiding principles when electing delegates. It is recommended that delegates have a minimum of five years continuous sobriety and that before electing a delegate, Region satisfies itself that the member has demonstrated a commitment through service to the Fellowship.
Co-opted Officers
In the event of a vacancy occurring among the officers before the expiry of a full term of office, a suitable member may be co-opted to fill the position. Any such appointment should be ratified at the next Assembly. Additionally, WKIG may co-opt a member or members, either from within its own GSRs or from Groups, to perform a specific service such as organising a convention, convening a public meeting, arranging an AA social function, or as an archivist.
NOMINATIONS
Nominations for Intergroup officers should always be from member groups of from WKIG itself. A serving officer may nominate a proposed replacement. No nominations will be accepted unless the post has been advertised in the agenda. It is the responsibility of GSRs to report these vacancies to their groups.
At the meeting at which the nominee's election is to take place, the nominee must be present and should be prepared to present a brief history of their AA service to the meeting.
VOTING
WKIG officers, GSRs and regional representatives are entitled to vote, others may not. In the absence of a GSR, an alternate GSR may represent a group and exercise its voting right, provided he or she has been elected to do so by the group, has been briefed by the group's GSR, and makes known to the Secretary his or her attendance in the capacity of alternate GSR.
Voting procedures for the election of officers and Regional Representatives will be explained by the Chairperson of the meeting at which the election is to take place. If there is more than one candidate for a position, a paper ballot will be held. Candidates may be asked to leave the room while voting takes place.
A show of hands will be taken for other matters, e.g. budget proposals, conventions, etc. A simple majority vote is all that is required. In the event of a tie, the chairperson of the meeting will have a casting vote.
ATTENDANCE
It is expected that all elected officers attend all meetings of WKIG as part of their service commitment. If they are unable to do so, they are expected to ask an alternate member to attend on their behalf and to provide a written report for the Secretary.
ALTERATIONS
Any alterations to these Aims & Structures may only be made by a clear majority vote of those attending a properly convened WKIG assembly, ensuring that any proposed changes have been notified to all groups, i.e. GSRs at least four weeks prior to the relevant assembly. In any case, the Aims & Structures document will be considered at the AGM of WKIG (which normally takes place at the November meeting) and ratified on an annual basis.
CIRCULATION
A supply of the Aims & Structures document will be held by the Secretary of the Intergroup, and will be sent to all serving members. All new members will be given a copy when they join.
References:
The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous
Twelve Concepts Illustrated (pamphlet)
The AA Service Manual/Twelve Concepts
The AA Service Handbook for Great Britain (1998 edition)
