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Telephone Liaison & 12 step responder

The Telephone Liaison Committee covers both London regions. Volunteers cover 4-hour shifts answering the phone from 10am to 10pm every day of the year. Calls from suffering alcoholics are passed on to home responders who pass them to 12 steppers.

Evening and weekend shifts are organised by TLOs on a monthly rota. NLIG has four regular shifts: 1st Saturday morning, 1st Wednesday, 2nd Sunday and 3rd Thursday evenings. When there is a 5th Tuesday we cover that. Volunteers can arrange to have a regular weekly slot and these shifts are working well but we always welcome more volunteers as reserves. If these times are not convenient for you then other intergroups often have spaces.

Limited day time shifts during the week are run from the Southern Service Office at 1 Raven Wharf, 14 Lafone Street, SE1 2LR.

For anyone with 1 year's continuous sobriety there is a monthly training session at 7pm on the first Monday of every month (including Bank Holidays). It is usually finished before 9pm. There are three training sessions in total and you will need a smartphone and a laptop or desktop computer with a strong, stable, broadband connection.

Please could GSRs and sponsors ask for volunteers for this service. If you would like to volunteer or have questions please email chair.lnnorth@aamail.org or email ltts-volunteers@outlook.com with your first name and surname initial, telephone number. The minimum requirement is a year's continuous sobriety, and regularly attending meetings.

12 step responder

A 12 step responder takes a call from the home responder with the details of the suffering alcoholic and makes a call directly to the suffering alcoholic. On the call the 12 stepper will listen to the suffering alcoholic talk about their particular drinking problems then share some of their own story to help them start to identify. Then usually talk a little bit about AA to try and get them interested, tailoring it to the suffering alcoholics particular life situations. Then the 12 stepper will try and arrange to meet up with the alcoholic before a meeting for a coffee to allay any concerns the suffering alcoholic may have and talk about meetings and recovery. Again, to give the alcoholic the gift of identification. And take them to a meeting, introducing them to various people greeting and also in the room, hopefully making them feel at home. After that, hopefully, contact with the newcomer continues.

Other opportunities are home responder, the person who signs up for a shift and takes a call from the phone office of the details of the suffering alcoholic and passes out them to a 12 stepper of which they will have the list of 12 steppers in the area. They will try to get a 12 stepper who lives close by and it needs to be the same sex.

What are the Sobriety Requirements?

A 12 stepper should be 2 years sober and have a home group and have done the steps. They chose which areas they are willing to take calls from the suffering alcoholic.

Who you can contact?

Pat K