Telephones terms of reference
OBJECTIVES
To maintain the existing telephone system, to enable the suffering alcoholic access to a local contact through a single national telephone number, in a manner which is efficient, effective, and economic in line with Chapter 10 of the AA Service Handbook.
GENERAL AIMS
- To maintain/review of the present service, to update and improve where necessary.
- To be responsible for all changes to the National Telephone (0800) system and to liaise with the providers.
- To investigate any new technology which may be beneficial to the Fellowship’s telephone service.
- To ensure that adherence to the Traditions is maintained throughout and to promote our Primary Purpose.
THE SUB-COMMITTEE COMPOSITION
The committee is a sub-committee of the General Service Board and will be chaired by the Trustee with responsibility for the telephone service. Membership will normally consist of a minimum of four and a maximum of eight members drawn from participating Regions, who are suitably experienced at participating in committee functions.
NTSC Safeguarding and GDPR liaison: To ensure safeguarding and GDPR standards are maintained and reviewed by all telephone service members with training and workshops throughout the service structure. To ensure safeguarding and GDPR best practice and procedures relating to all service positions throughout the service.To develop competent training and workshops for helplines and liaise with Regional and Intergroup Safeguarding Liaison Officers.
NTSC Website liaison: monitors the website and cloud-based storage for accuracy to ensure all information is up to date regarding the telephone service. Archives any out-of-date documentation.
NTSC secretary: will be responsible for taking and distributing subcommittee meeting and annual RTLO meeting minutes. The position will rotate between subcommittee members on a quarterly basis.
Working groups: ad hoc working groups may be set up to meet the needs of any developmental issues should they arise (training, safeguarding etc.)
SUB-COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The sub-committee will meet four times a year, twice in person at GSO- York, and twice on-line. Depending on the workload, at the discretion of the sub-committee, additional on-line meetings can be scheduled. The meetings in York will ideally be held at the same time as the First Response Online Sub Committee (FROSC), to enable discussion of issues where their work overlaps.
Subcommittee meetings will be audio recorded for transcribing purposes. After the minutes are transcribed, minutes approved, the recording will be deleted.
SAFEGUARDING
The National Telephone Sub Committee members have a responsibility to ensure that all projects and meetings etc. are in accordance with the recommendations set out in The General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous Safeguarding Policy
UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
The term unconscious bias encompasses several types of bias such as gender bias, confirmation bias, age bias, and affinity bias, to name a few. It can be both positive and negative, as we may favour or disapprove of someone based on whether we feel they fit into ‘our group’ (namely, whether we feel they share similar characteristics to us). This means a person could make a decision influenced by false beliefs or assumptions or by categorising someone through the practice of ‘stereotyping’. Everyone can think in a way that involves unconscious bias at some point, but it is important to be aware of it and not let it affect behaviour or decisions.
One of our key expectations is that all persons within, or who work with the National Telephone Sub Committee should be aware of unconscious bias and of the impact this may have on others and the impact this may have on Alcoholics Anonymous as a whole.
