GUIDELINES FOR ELECTRONIC MEETINGS

Al-Anon Family Groups acknowledge the potential and value of the Internet for communicating information about Al-Anon/Alateen, offering hope and comfort to the families and friends of alcoholics. Al-Anon neither endorses, opposes nor regulates any computer on-line service provider.

On a three-year trial basis (1996-98), on-line meetings were being listed with the World Service Office (WSO) Group Records so that members or potential newcomers interested in attending electronic meetings will know how to access them. These meetings have a group contact and receive WSO newsletters, announcements and the WSO Appeal Letters as all registered Al- Anon/Alateen groups do in order that members attending these meetings or the meeting itself can support the WSO (Seventh Tradition).

On-line meetings, like all Al-Anon/Alateen groups, agree to abide by the spirit of the Twelve Traditions. Any Al-Anon or Alateen members desiring to attend an electronic meeting can attend if able to access the meeting through their Internet or computer subscriber service.

Overview:

Based upon the long-established value of attending meetings to the personal recovery of Al-Anon members, it is important to make the following clarification: On-line (electronic) Al-Anon/Alateen meetings are a supplement to regular attendance at Al-Anon/Alateen meetings. Likewise, participation as a member in the functions of a group and personal involvement in Twelfth Step service work are important.

Human companionship and warmth cannot be totally replaced by electronic meetings; an important element to our recovery is to stop isolating ourselves. With the exception of Lone Members (e.g. those who are geographically isolated or physically unable to attend a meeting), sharing at "face to face" (f2f) or "skin meetings" is essential. Members should encourage other members to attend Al-Anon/Alateen meetings in their community.

Things to Remember about On-line meetings:

Meetings are in reality "open" to anyone with access to the Internet or a computer on-line service. There is no way of ascertaining or guaranteeing that all participants are Al-Anon members or specifically interested in our program as the relative or friend of a problem drinker.

Confidentiality of sharing is more difficult to maintain and to observe for some Internet computer services. Members who as individuals subscribe to various computer services need to bear this in mind when sharing at an electronic meeting, e.g. jive "chat" or posting a message on a list serve.

Professionals may be viewing the sharings as a means of learning, about our program and how members benefit and support each other.

Anonymity cannot be guaranteed with the same degree of certainty or sense of commitment as face to face meetings. The degree of anonymity afforded members may also depend upon the protocol for transmission of e-mail or participation in on-line meetings of a computer subscriber service or an individual on-line meeting. Some services allow for the use of a pseudonym for sending mail and on-line participation. Members need to be aware that pseudonyms or nicknames are frequently used in the on-line world.

On-line meetings are particularly vulnerable to the inability to enforce the unenforceable. If you have a need for anonymity, you may want to discuss it further with your service provider.

Each Al-Anon/Alateen member is responsible for keeping an electronic meeting focused on Al-Anon recovery and discussion of Al-Anon related topics.

Use of Al-Anon/Alateen Literature, The Forum, Meeting Format and Service Materials on-line

Each year, and for that year only, chat room and e-mail meetings listed with the World Service Office may request permission from Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. to use the Steps, Traditions, Concepts, Suggested Welcome, Suggested Closing and short excerpts (maximum one paragraph) from Conference Approved Literature (CAL) in their meetings. As it is suggested that daily readers not be used in face to face meetings, we do not grant permission to quote from these in on-line meetings. Permission to quote from other Conference Approved Literature (CAL) is granted with stated conditions and can be revoked if these conditions are not met. U Members, participating in chat rooms or e-mail meetings that have received the permission described above, may use up to one paragraph from CAL in either the meeting opening or as a part of their sharing. Please use the following acknowiedgment:

Excerpts may not be altered, printed or archived for later combination with other sharings or excerpts. They may not be included or published on any website or posting, may not be made available to any person or website other than at and for that particular meeting and should be treated like a personal, private communication of each participant in the meeting.

Because not all authors of The Forum articles give permission to have their sharings used on the Internet, articles from The Forum may be used only if they are those listed in the magazine as available for use on the Internet.

Al-Anon/Alateen members and on-line meetings are encouraged to carry Al-Anon's message of hope and comfort to potential newcomers those still suffering from the impact of someone else's drinking and the professional community. To assist members with Twelfth Step work, a list of service materials that may be electronically reproduced can be obtained from the WSO.

Just as at face to face meetings, to uphold the spirit of our Twelve Traditions, the use or mention of outside literature is discouraged. *

* Please see the Policy Digest and the two Al-Anon publications, Al-Anon Spoken Here and The Al-Anon Focus for additional background.

Seventh Tradition

It is important for on-line meetings to follow the Seventh Tradition. The meetings may need to send contributions for rent (listserver) as well as to Al-Anon service arms. The following are suggestions from on-line members:

Members may mail donations to an elected treasurer.

Request donations by mail at the beginning of the topic for that week if applicable.

Members may send donations, which are clearly identified with the on-line meeting identification number, directly to WSO.

Members are encouraged to make birthday gift donations to WSO.

Types of On-line Meetings

On-line meetings work under various formats. The type you participate in depends upon the personal preference of each member. For those who want sharing available 24 hours per day there are e-mail meetings. For those who prefer interactive conversation there are chat room meetings at a specific time.

E-mail Meetings

Listserve Meetings

Members subscribe to mail list.

Each member sends sharings to one address and listserver distributes them to all members.

E-mail Meetings without a Listserver

Works like other E-mail meetings but without the listserver.

Members have a roster and construct their own mail list to send sharings.

Commonalties

The topic for a meeting usually lasts for one week.

Chairperson posts a topic early in the week and other members share about it.

Members may share privately or to the list as a whole.

It's suggested that the chairperson rotate on a weekly or monthly basis.

Has the advantage of almost unlimited membership.

Has the potential for very large amounts of mail every week.

Chat Room Meetings

Have spontaneity because they are in real time.

Usually limited in size and restricted to those in a certain Internet provider.

Moderated chat rooms (protocol) have a chairperson who recognizes members before they submit a sharing.

Unmoderated chat rooms are more free form.

Meeting Formats

On-line meetings use the same meeting format as face to face meetings. Only the method of sharing is different. Any Al-Anon-related topic may be used for a meeting. A meeting format that could be used if the meeting is listed with WSO and has current permission to use CAL excerpts, is as follows:

Chairperson posts Suggested Opening.

Chairperson welcomes members.

Chairperson posts Twelve Steps, Traditions and Concepts if desired.

Chairperson asks if there is any business for the week, i.e. Treasurer's Report, Upcoming Events, etc.

Chairperson asks newcomers to identify themselves and asks more experienced members to correspond with them privately.

Chairperson announces the topic for the week or meeting or posts a reading from CAL giving proper credit and asks for comments.

Members post their comments. I At the end of the week or chat room time, the chairperson thanks everyone who shared and introduces the next week's chairperson and posts the Suggested Closing.