AWSC POSSIBILITIES THOUGHT FORCE

Framing Document

July, 2015

In compliance with the World Service Office (the “WSO”) Board of Trustees’ motion 51 of December 8, 2003, members of the November 2004 Assembly adopted theWSO minimum “Alateen Safety and Behavioral Requirements and Procedures for Al-Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service” (the “Safety Requirements”) as outlined in the Board’s motion.

In order to fully implement and comply with the Safety Requirements, a certification process to certify to the WSO, annually, that each Al-Anon member involved with Alateen service has met the area’s safety and behavioral requirements and has agreed to abide by them was established. This duty was assigned to the Area’s Alternate Delegate.

The amount of work and time involved with this new duty, along with the other duties of the Area’s Alternate Delegate, became overwhelming for the Alternate Delegates, resulting in the resignation of two Alternate Delegates between 2005 and 2011.

At the March, 2012 Assembly, the Area Chair appointed theAWSC Possibilities Thought Force (the “Thought Force”) to look at current duties of the Alternate Delegate and the restructuring of this position along with the restructuring of some of the then current Coordinators positions.

At the July, 2012 Area World Service Committee (the “AWSC”) meeting, the Thought Force came forward with the following recommendations:

  1. The Area Alateen Process Person (AAPP) duties be removed from the Alternate Delegate’s position.
  2. An audit function be added to the duties of the Finance Committee. The charge would be to review the transactions processed by the Area Treasurer, the Area Literature Coordinator, and the Weekend In Al-Anon Coordinator (WIA).
  3. That the CPC/Institution Coordinator position and the Public Information Coordinator positions be combined into a single position to be called the Public Outreach Coordinator.
  4. That we no longer elect a person solely as the Media Coordinator. Instead we recommend the election of an IT/Media Coordinator. Vision for the IT/Media Coordinator’s job (details of which to be determined by a future Thought Force) could include, but not be limited to, the following possibilities:

a.)Assume the responsibilities/duties of the former Media Coordinator.

b.)Train DRshow to use their Area e-mail addresses to create distribution lists to the GRs in their districts.

c.)Investigate the possibility of DRs being able to update their own web page.

d.)Assist those with PC so that they are up-to-date with the latest anti-virus software, internet browser and software that is currently available and used in the day to day activities.

e.)Provide guidance to keeping PC up and running (defrag, removal of unnecessary cookies, and files)

f.)Keep inventory and advisement to pc replacement,

g.)Provide guidance to the purchase of new equipment and the specifications that will ensure that equipment will keep up with software enhancements.

h.)Track any electronic equipment purchase (who has it and what the condition of the equipment is).

i.)Ensure that electronic equipment is ready and available when needed for assemblies and special functions.

j.)Transport and setup any special equipment needed for assemblies.

k.)Collect media that can be used for ongoing listening for the entire area to have access. This may include speaker meetings, step studies, ask-it basket sessions, workshops, etc.

l.)Have working knowledge of the sound setup at assemblies and coordinate with the sound equipment personnel.

m.)Investigate social media communication, Skype, and on-line meetings.

Recommendations numbered 1, 3, and 4 were then presented at the July 2012 Assembly for review and consideration. Recommendation 2 was referred to the Finance Committee for further review and consideration.

After review and discussion of recommendations 1 and 3, the following motions were made and passed by the Assembly:

  1. I move that the Area Alateen Process Person (AAPP) duties be removed from the Alternate Delegate’s position and a separate AAPP Coordinator’s position be created, for a trial period of three years. [Recommendation 1]
  2. I move that the CPC/Institution Coordinator position and the Public Information Coordinator positions be combined in to a single position called the Public Outreach Coordinator. [Recommendation 3]

After discussion on Recommendation 4, this recommendation was sent back to the Thought Force for further consideration and creation of a position description.

At the November, 2012 Assembly, the Thought Force continued the discussion of duties for the IT/Media Coordinator position. After further discussion at the Assembly, the recommendation to have the duties as outlined in recommendation number 4 above, items b through m be considered as the IT/Media Coordinators position’s duties.

The following motion was made and passed by the Assembly:

  1. I move to eliminate the media coordinator position on a three year trial basis, commencing on January 1, 2013. [After reviewing the minutes and discussing the conversation with past officers and the current IT/Media Coordinator, it is the understanding that this motion was intended to create the IT/Media Coordinator position with the duties outlined as items b through m as noted above for a three year trial period. The IT/Media Coordinator position is currently in the final year of its trial period.]

All trial periods related to this discussion are coming to an end and amendments to our Colorado Area Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) are needed to insure that we elect our coordinators in accordance with our Guidelines.

Items currently open for discussion are:

  1. A motion to end the trial period for the Area Alateen Process Person (AAPP), remove the AAPP duties from the Alternated Delegate’s position, and create the position of the Area Alateen Process Person Coordinator.
  1. A motion to end the trial period for the CPC/Institution Coordinator and the Public Information Coordinator positions be combined in to a single position to be called the Public Outreach Coordinator, combine the CPC/Institution Coordinator position and the Public Information Coordinator position in to a single position and create the position of the Public Outreach Coordinator.
  1. A motion to end the trial period eliminating the Media Coordinator’s position and to create the position of IT/Media Coordinator.
  1. A motion to amend our Colorado Area Guidelines, Section II, E, 4 to read as follows:

The Colorado Area Assembly elects Coordinators to the following positions:

  1. Alateen
  2. Archives
  3. Area Alateen Process Person
  4. Butterfly Newsletter
  5. IT/Media
  6. Literature
  7. Public Outreach
  8. Records
  9. State Convention Chairperson
  10. Website
  11. Weekend In Al-Anon Chairperson

In compliance with our Guidelines, Section I states: “Any Guidelines may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the Group Representatives at an Area Assembly, provided that any proposed amendment has been presented for discussion at the Previous Area Assembly.”