What is A.A. General Service?

A.A. General Service ultimately concerns itself with larger-scale strategic initiatives that help facilitate 12th step opportunities and improve how we carry the message to the still suffering alcoholic.

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What is an A.A. District?

A District is a collection of A.A. Groups. Several groups make up a District. These groups send their General Service Representatives to the monthly District meeting. The monthly District Meeting is chaired by a District Committee Member (DCM) who is elected by the local group General Service Representatives to serve a two year term.

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A.A. Districts serve three (3) vital functions:

• Two-Way Communication - Provide a two-way link between the groups, as represented by their General Service Representatives and the Area Delegate.

• Local Services A.A. Groups and Members - These may include hosting local A.A. workshops, local A.A. unity-building events (e.g. Annual Ice Cream Social and Speakers Meeting, Annual District Picnic, Staying Sober Through Holidays Workshop, Applying the Traditions to Relationships, etc).

• Carry The Message - Local Districts operate the following:

  • District Bridging the Gap Committees

  • District Cooperating with Professional Community Committees

  • District Grapevine Committees

  • District Public Information Committees

  • Etc.

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The District Committee Member's (DCM) role is to create and maintain a thriving local A.A. General Service culture in their District. DCMs ensure information is communicated to the groups, and share their feedback on local and national issues with the Area Committee.

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What is a Delegate Area?

A Delegate Area is comprised of several A.A. Districts. A.A. Districts are in turn made up of several Groups which are represented by General Service Representatives.

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Every two years, the Group General Service Representatives, District Committee Members, and Committee Chairs of the Area, and existing Officers vote for the Area Delegate.

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The Area Delegate talks to local groups about major issue potentially impacting A.A. as a whole and then along with Delegates in the United States and Canada vote to decide on these issues every year at the annual A.A. General Service Conference.

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What is the difference between an Area Committee Meeting and an Area Assembly?

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An Area Committee Meeting may be comprised of the following:

• Reports

• Preparing agendas for upcoming Area Assemblies

• Workshops for District Committee Members (DCMs), and Committee Chairs

• Sharing Sessions or Discussion Topics

• Area Committee busines

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Any motions presented at Area Committee Meetings are usually "house-keeping" items that are not binding on future panels (the two year term trusted servants in General Service participate in), and usually do not have a major impact on the Area.

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These minor points require a simple majority to pass because they play little to no impact on the Area.

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If it is unclear whether a motion is a "house-keeping" item, the Area Chairperson, who presides over Area Committee Meetings, will ask for a sense of room. If a motion is deemed to be significant, it will be discussed and, potentially, voted on at the Area Assembly.

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Voting Rights At Area Committee Meetings

• District Committee Members or alternates in their absence

• Committee Chairs or alternates in their absence

• Officers or alternates in their absence

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Area Committee Meetings are for making reports, preparing agendas for upcoming Assemblies. It may provide a forum for additional training for local District Committee Members (DCMs), Committee Chairs of the Area. Some Area Committee Meetings simply provide a sharing session on important topic impacting the local General Service culture. These discussions assist the Area with problem solving and help inform the Area before making motions.

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At Area Committee Meetings, only District Committee Members, Committee Chairs, and Area Officers or their alternates may vote.

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Area Assemblies

Area Assemblies agendas usually consist of the following

• Meetings of Committees - Comprised of District Committee Members paired with a Committee, group General Service Representatives (GSRs), and A.A. Member with an interest with in participating

• Workshops for group General Service Representatives (GSRs), District Committee Members (DCMs), and Committee Chairs

• Reports - Officers may present limited reports and Committees present motions originating from their Committee or motions forwarded to their Committee they support for inclusion during the Business Session

• Business Session to vote on local matters

• New GSR Sharing Session
• Ask-It-Basket or What's On Your Mind

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Area Assemblies vote on local policy impacting the Area as well as the budget. At Area Assemblies there are opportunities for GSRs, DCMs, and Committee Chairs to receive additional training. Committees meet during Assembly Weekend to discuss policy and make amendments before recommending them during the business session of the Assembly for a discussion by members of the Assembly before a vote.

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At Area Assemblies, only General Service Representatives (GSRs), District Committee Members (DCM), Committee Chairs, Officers, or their alternates may vote.

 

If you are a member that contributes money to the Area, District, or to the General Service Office, it is important you vote in a General Service Representative to voice the conscience of your group on how you want your group's contributions spent to better carry the message.

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Who decides updates to our A.A. pamphlets or other literature?

Per Concept I, the groups decide all A.A. policy. Do you have a suggestion for a piece of A.A. literature? Fill out our contact page form.

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What is the difference between what an intergroup and what General Service does?

General Service concern 

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