District 8 Guidelines for Service Positions
DCM (5 yrs sobriety) The District Committee Member is an essential link between the group’s GSR and the Area’s Delegate to the General Service Conference. As leader of the District Committee, Made up of all GSR’s in the district, The DCM is exposed to the group conscience of the district. The DCM is an AA man or woman who usually has served as a GSR and whom the other GSR’s wish to make responsible to their district activities. The DCM cannot be a current GSR. Qualifications: (1) a background in AA service work that goes with the GSR job; (2) enough sobriety (say 4 to 5 years) to be eligible for election to Area Chair; (3) the time and energy to serve the district well. The DCM chairs the monthly district meeting, following the Guidelines and district meeting format. Assists Committee Chairs.
Alt DCM (3 yrs sobriety) Assist new GSR’s and explain GSR District Information Packet.
Treasurer (5 years sobriety} Accepts the donations from the groups, pays the district bills, and maintains a bank account. Prepares a report monthly submitted to the GSR’s at the district meeting.
Alt Treasurer (3 yrs sobriety}
Secretary (2 yrs sobriety) Records the minutes from the district meeting, noting motions that pass and fail. Maintains a mailing list consisting of the district officers, GSR’s, and group contact persons. Mails or e-mails a copy of the minutes each month to GSR’s or group contact person and the District Committee Members.
Alt Secretary (2 yrs sobriety)
Bridging the Gap Chair (4 yrs sobriety) Maintains a working relationship with the Area Bridging the Gap Chair, District Correctional Facility Chair and the District Treatment Facilities Chair. Maintains and list of alcoholics in our district that are willing to accept calls that come in from GSO and the Area for our district.
Alt Bridging the Gap Chair (2 yrs sobriety)
PI/CPC Chair (4 yrs sobriety) Maintains a working relationship with the Area PI and CPC Chairs.
Public Information:
Committee members: The first qualification of doing PI, or any other service work is sound sobriety. All committee members need to be thoroughly familiar with the AA program and able to provide consistent and accurate information about the Fellowship. Experience in public relations is not essential. An understanding of the Twelve Traditions, including a firm grasp of the Anonymity Traditions is most important. This is often enhanced through committees studying basic PI material together.
PI visits: Some examples of visits might include schools, local businesses, church and civic groups. Where no CPC committee exists, PI committees might also be in contact with professionals; such as clergy, health care providers, lawyers and teachers. In advance of initial contacts, PI committees often distribute a simple letter describing their availability and how interested persons can make contact for more information. They might also plan a visit by two or more committee members.
A PI visit might include distribution of AA literature, a brief talk and/or showing an AA video. It is essential that participating AA’s agree on the basic outline for the visit, and are familiar with the details in “Speaking at non-AA Meetings” and “Understanding Anonymity.”
Cooperation with the Professional Community:
Members of these committees provide information about AA to those who have contact with alcoholics through their profession. This group includes health care professionals, educators, members of the clergy, lawyers, social workers, union leaders, and industrial managers, as well as those working in the field of alcoholism. Information is provided about where we are, what we are, what we do, and what we cannot do.
Alt PI/CPC Chair (2 yrs sobriety)
Corrections Chair (4 yrs sobriety) Maintains a working relationship with the Area Corrections Chair. Coordinates with the county and state correctional facilities for AA meeting scheduling, clearances, and contact with the county and state correctional facilities.
The purpose of a correctional facilities committee is to coordinate the work of individual AA members and groups who are interested in carrying our message of recovery to alcoholics behind the walls, and to set up means of smoothing the way from the facility to the larger AA community through prerelease contacts.
Alt Corrections Chair (2 yrs sobriety)
Telephone Answering Service Chair (4 yrs sobriety) Sharing on this question varies: one or two members who may be responsible; an answering service committee may handle matters; or the answering service may be the responsibility of the district general service committee. Even when the responsibility of the service is assumed by one or two members or a committee (regardless of what it may be called), it is suggested that one person appointed by the committee or group involved should make the arrangements, have all later contacts with the answering service, or pay the bills. This is to avoid confusing the answering service personnel. Maintains a list of AA’s in the district that are willing to accept calls that come in to the answering service.
Alt Telephone Answering Service Chair (2 yrs sobriety)
Treatment Facilities Chair (4 yrs sobriety) Treatment facilities committees are formed to coordinate the work of individual aa members and groups who are interested in carrying the message of recovery to alcoholics in treatment facilities, and to set up means of “bridging the gap” from the facility to an AA group in the individual’s community.
Alt Treatment Facilities Chair (2 yrs sobriety)
District Records Keeper/Archivist (2 yrs sobriety) Maintains past and present group and district information, group information forms and District Committee Information List. Submits group and/or GSR updates to the Area. Submits new Group Information Sheets to the Area and GSO.
Alt District Records Keeper/Archivist (2 yrs sobriety) These recommendations for the District Officers and Committee Chair job description and length of sobriety are taken from The World Service Handbook, GSO Guidelines, The Twelve Traditions, and the Twelve Concepts.
Webmaster/Social Media Chair (2 years sobriety) Maintains the District 8 website and the District 8 Facebook page. Updates, posts, and edits all information that is shared to both the website and Facebook page. Coordinates and works closely with the DCM, and Records chairpersons to make sure information is accurate, timely, and follows A.A.’s anonymity guidelines.
Alt Webmaster/Social Media Chair (2 years sobriety)
