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Committee No. 1

Question 1.   

Over the years, Conference has addressed the matter of AA members who have disabilities. But what about people who are hearing impaired? This is a disability that is invisible. Do we always ensure at meetings, including Intergroups and Regions that everyone present can hear everything that is said. In not ensuring this, we are failing in our primary purpose of carrying the message. No amount of writing articles, no amount of talking about it, can ensure that it is addressed at every meeting. Would Conference review this matter and make recommendations in ways that meetings, including Intergroups and Regions, can address this matter at every meeting.

Background

An excellent article was written in 2001 for the autumn edition of AA News by Paul F. GSB Trustee, (a copy of which is attached) on the back of Conference recommendations made by Committee 4 at that year's Conference.  It highlighted the problems of members with hearing impairment.

Members who have hearing aids have a help and a hindrance. The hearing aid amplifies sound, so any other noises like a kettle or a fan for example, distort/render inaudible the spoken word. Acoustics in rooms can also have the same effect as can people who share very quietly, or have their hand over their mouth. These are things that can be rectified easily, but only if they are reminded constantly about them. People are people, and if not reminded will soon fall back into their old routine.

So why not tell people with hearing impairment to mention it at meetings? Imagine a newcomer sitting shaking at his first meeting! He's not going to say, "could you please speak up". If he does not hear the message of recovery, then we are falling down on our primary purpose. The long standing member may not like to admit that he cannot hear all that is being said.

Article 'Disability & Our Primary Purpose'


Question 2.  

Would Conference consider ways of raising awareness of the â??Twelve Concepts Checklist Great Britain"?

Background

Following the General Service Conference recommendation in 2006, the original Twelve Concepts Checklist was adapted to reflect the structure of the Fellowship in Great Britain and approved by Conference in 2007:

TWELVE CONCEPTS CHECKLIST

Some of these discussion points were originally developed by an AA group and further developed by the trustees' Literature  Committee to be distributed by the  General  Service Office,US & Canada. Following the General Service Conference recommendation in 2006,these discussion points have been adapted to reflect the structure of our Fellowship in Great Britain.

While this check list is intended  as a starting  point  for discussion by Groups, Intergroups or Regions, individual  AA members  may  find  it useful  along  with  our  co-founder  Bill  W.'s  writings,  a  service sponsor if you have one and reflection  on your own service experience.

Additional information about the Concepts can be found in The AA Service Manual /Twelve Concepts for World Service and The Twelve Concepts (GB) Illustrated pamphlet. (The Concepts stated here are in the short form.)

Concept I:   Final responsibility and ultimate authority for A.A. world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.

    Does our group have a group service representative (GSR)? Do we feel that our home group is part of AA as a whole and do our group's decisions and actions reflect that?

    Do we hold regular group conscience meetings encouraging everyone to participate?  Do we pass that conscience on to the local Intergroup meetings?

    Is the "collective conscience" of Alcoholics Anonymous at work in my home group? In  my area?

    Where do we fit in the upside-down triangle of AA?

    Are we willing to do what it takes to ensure that our democracy of world service will work under all conditions?

 Concept II:    The General Service Conference of A.A. has become, for nearly every practical purpose, the active voice and the effective conscience of our whole Society in its world affairs.

   Do we have an understanding of the history of the General Service Conference ("Conference")?

    Does our home group's GSR, Regional Representative,Conference  Delegate, report back to the group on the highlights of the Conference and Conference recommendations?

   Is our group meeting its wider Tradition 7 responsibilities?

 Concept III:   To ensure effective leadership,we should endow each element of AA â?? the Conference, the General Service Board and its service corporations, staffs, committees, and executives-with a traditional "Right of Decision."

    Do we understand what is meant by the "Right of Decision"? Do we grant it at all levels of service or do we instruct?

    Do we trust our trusted servants - GSR, Regional Representative, Conference Delegate, the Conference itself?

 Concept IV:   At all responsible levels, we ought to maintain a traditional "Right of Participation," allowing a voting representation in reasonable proportion to the responsibility that each must discharge.

   Do we understand the spiritual principles underlying the "Right of Participation"?

   What does "in reasonable proportion" mean?

    Do we expect that, because we are AA members, we should be allowed to vote at any group, even if we are not active members of that group?

 Concept V:    Throughout our structure, a traditional "Right of Appeal" ought to prevail, so that minority opinion will be heard and personal grievances receive careful consideration.

   Do we encourage the minority opinion, the "Right of Appeal", to be heard at our home group, Intergroup and Regional meetings and at Conference?

   What does our group accept as "substantial unanimity"?

    Has our group experienced the "tyranny of the majority" or the "tyranny of the minority"?

    Does our group understand the importance of all points of view being heard before a vote is taken?

 Concept VI:   The Conference recognizes that the chief initiative and active responsibility in most world service matters should be exercised by the trustee members of the Conference acting as the General Service Board.

   Are we familiar with  how our General Service Board (GSB) alcoholic and non-alcoholic trustees serve AA? Are we familiar withhow our other trusted servants serve AA?

    Are we clear about the terms "chief initiative" and "active responsibility"? Can we see a direct   link to our home group?

 Concept VII:   The Charter and By laws of the General Service Board are legal instruments, empowering the trustees to manage and conduct world service affairs. The Conference Charter is not a legal document; it relies upon tradition and the A.A. purse for final effectiveness.

    Do we act responsibly regarding the "power of the purse?"

    Are we familiar with the Conference Charter and the freedom of action that the trustees must have?

    Do we realise that the practical and spiritual power of the Conference will nearly always be superior to the legal power of the GSB?

 Concept VIII:   The trustees are the principal planners and administrators of overall policy and finance. They have custodial oversight of the separately incorporated and constantly active services, exercising this through their ability to elect all the directors of these entities.

    Do we understand the relationship between the two service entities, the General Service Conference and the General Service Board?

   How can the business term "custodial oversight" apply to the trustees' relationship to the two service entities?

   Does my home group receive GSO's quarterly AA Service News?  Subscribe to SHARE    and Roundabout? Do I?

 Concept IX:    Good service leadership at all levels is indispensable for our future functioning and safety. Primary world service leadership, once exercised by the founders, must necessarily be assumed by the trustees.

   Do we discuss how we can best strengthen the composition and leadership of our future trusted servants?

   Do we recognise the need for group officers? What are our criteria for election? Do we sometimes give a position to someone because it would be good for them?

    Do set a positive leadership example?

 Concept X:    Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with the scope of such authority well defined.

   Do we understand "authority" and "responsibility" as they relate to group conscience decisions?

   Why is delegation of "authority" so important to the overall effectiveness of AA? Do we use this concept to define the scope of "authority?"

Concept XI:    The trustees should always have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives, staffs, and consultants. Composition, qualifications, induction procedures, and rights and duties will always be matters of serious concern.

    Do we understand how the role of the non-alcoholic trustee members help serve and strengthen the committee system of the General Service Board and General Service Conference?

    How do we encourage our special paid workers to exercise their traditional "Right of Participation?"

    Do we practice rotation in all our service positions?

 Concept XII:    The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote, and, whenever possible, by substantial unanimity;that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government, and that, like the Society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.

    How do we guard against becoming a "seat of perilous wealth or power?"

   How do we practice prudent use of our Tradition 7 contributions and literature revenue?

   Do we ensure the spiritual liberties of all AA members by not placing any member in the position of absolute authority over others?

    Do we try to reach important decisions by thorough discussion, vote and, where possible, substantial unanimity?

  As guardians of AA's Traditions,are we ever justified in being personally punitive?

    Are we careful to avoid public controversy?

    Do we always try to treat each other with mutual respect and love? 

 It is noted that the 'Twelve Traditions Checklist' was also adapted to reflect the structure in Great Britain and approved by Conference in 2007.  A number of recommendations were agreed at Conference 2015 re raising awareness of the "Twelve Traditions Checklist GB". 

 Additional information on the concepts can be found in "The AA Structure Handbook for Great Britain 2013".  

 Question 3. 

Review new section to be added to The Group under Participation in The Structure Handbook for Great Britain.

Background

New section under Participation.