Positions

OFFICERS

District Representative (DR): An incoming, outgoing, or active past Group Representative (GR) elected by GRs in our district to facilitate monthly district business meetings and serve as our representative to the Northern California World Service Area (NCWSA). Represents the groups in our district at Area World Service Committee meetings and conveys information back to local groups through their GRs. Would also be responsible for the Alateen Safety Coordinator’s duties if that position became open.

Alternate District Representative (ADR): This person is or has been an active past GR who will be willing to stand in for the District Rep (DR) if he/she is unavailable. The ADR keeps an up-to-date District 5 contact list used by the DR to send information to local Al-Anon members through their Group Reps, a list of current District 5 speakers, and maintains a binder that contains Al-Anon and Alateen event flyers. In the past, the DR has asked the ADR to chair District 5 committees that formed but did not have a chairperson and temporarily fill in for the Alateen Safety Coordinator position.

Secretary: The monthly District 5 business meeting secretarial duties include assembling for distribution copies of the agenda and other handouts from the printer, recording and preparing meeting minutes, and assisting the Alternate District Rep in maintaining his/her updated contact list of District 5’s Al-AnonAlateen/ Group Reps and other regular attendees at the monthly meeting in order to communicate with them between meetings via email.

Treasurer: This person maintains the District’s finances in a manner that reflects the District Conscience, creates and submits an annual budget to the District for approval, manages expenditures within the framework of that budget, receives and deposits all contributions for the District, processes all invoices and payments for the District’s Literature Distribution Center, files quarterly sales tax returns and works with our tax professional to file the annual State and Federal tax filings, and provides monthly financial statements at the District meeting as well as presenting for approval/denial any proposed expenditures that are outside of the authorized budget.

ALATEEN COORDINATORS

Alateen Coordinator: Chairs District 5’s monthly Alateen AMIAS/Sponsors’ meeting, answers inquiries regarding many aspects of Alateen or refers to appropriate person, represents District 5 in some Northern California Area conversations, coordinates and/or informs necessary persons about issues such as scholarships, information, news, events, training, requirements, outreach, etc. Though not required, it would be beneficial if candidates were certified AMIAS and had some experience with Alateen.

Alateen Outreach:This person helps get out the message about Alateen to the general public. They may distribute pamphlets or flyers to various professionals or sit at informational tables at public outreach events such as health fairs, etc. The person in this position makes independent decisions about participation and can call on the Alateen Coordinator for guidance as needed. They need not be AMIAS certified.

Alateen Safety (DAPP): The acronym DAPP stands for District Alateen Process Person. This coordinator takes care of the things that help our district select and approve adults who work with Alateen members in an Alateen environment. Alateen groups must be registered according to certain guidelines. New Al-Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service (AMIAS) must be registered, fingerprinted, and background checked. Each year, AMIAS must have some training and be recertified. Our DAPP must be a current AMIAS and be willing take care of the administrative services that involve Alateen safety in our district.

GROUP SERVICE COORDINATORS

Bylaws & Insurance: This person, who chairs the Bylaws Committee, works to see that the District bylaws are followed and works with any Bylaws Committee on amendments to the bylaws which are passed at District level. They also work with established insurance carriers to be sure appropriate insurance policies are on place, and to solicit new insurance coverage bids as necessary.

Media Librarian: This person records the speakers at two or three District 5 events per year, turns these digital recordings into CDs, burns CDs and labels them, maintains a catalog of sale and rental CDs, and lends or sells CDs at some of District 5 monthly business meetings and a few events. This is a great position for someone who likes to listen to wonderful speakers share their experience, strength, and hope in the comfort of home. The estimated amount of time each month is about two to three hours. Skills needed are basic computer skills and the knowledge or willingness to learn use of digital recording equipment, CD burning, label making, and catalog maintenance.

Newsletter: In the past, District 5 published a monthly Alagram which was specifically about activities in Sonoma and Napa counties and featured written shares from local members of Al-Anon and Alateen. The coordinator oversees publication of this newsletter.

INFORMATION SERVICE COORDINATORS

Archives: This person coordinates the collection, preservation, and organization of information, recordings and artifacts that are of significance to the Al-Anon district, within the framework of Al-Anon traditions, for members and researchers. This position helps preserve the minutes, especially the motions made at the district business meetings for later reference. The archivist maintains a record of special events that district 5 offers, collecting flyers, appropriate photos, pamphlets or other other printouts. The WSO Guidelines G-30 contain information about this position. The archive boxes are in the storage unit for convenience and available for updates.

Meeting Schedule: This position requires computer access, knowledge of email and the ability to pick up and deliver the box of schedules to the monthly District 5 meeting. The Meeting Schedule Coordinator communicates any Al-Anon or Alateen meeting schedule changes to the printer, the Website Coordinator and any other information services coordinators such as the Support Line Coordinator.

Support Line: This person answers a dedicated phone line and listens to callers, often in crisis, who want to speak to someone for support and help. Must be available to answer questions, and when appropriate, share information about Al-Anon and his/her experience, strength, and hope. Voicemail: Our district makes a telephone help line available, (707) 575-6760, and the Voicemail Coordinator monitors the incoming messages from a website which stores the voicemail messages accessible from anywhere. Then this coordinator either answers the message directly or refers it to the Support Line Coordinator or a relevant District 5 officer. The job requires basic computer/internet skills.

Website:  This position is responsible to keep listings of our local meetings and event information current on the website, and answer occasional email inquiries from those needing information. This position can be what you make it because there’s always room for improvements and creative ideas to make our District’s website an even more effective outreach tool that better serves our members. The requirements are that one be an Al-Anon member with access to the web and willingness to abide by guidelines for Al-Anon websites as explained in World Service documents. Resources to assist in the job are the Alternate Website Coordinator and our WSO guidelines which outline general do’s and don’ts. Also our service provider maintains a 24-7 support line and the past Coordinator is available to answer specific questions. There are also Website Coordinators to talk to at both the Northern CA Area and World Service levels.

Email support: (Alternate for the website support position ) This position is responsible to update any additions or changes to the privately forwarded email accounts. The email support is basically logging in to the email administration website and resetting the passwords for people as needed.  When a service position changes over, you log in to the person’s email and clear some settings and then reset the password for the new user and email them the instruction sheet and the temporary password.  Per (Elissa) “I am happy to train my replacement and be available should they have any questions along the way.  The website is very easy to navigate.  The person would need to have a computer with internet access.  Other than that nothing special is required.

PUBLIC OUTREACH

AA Liaison: This person attends AA District meetings to serve as a contact to the Al-Anon program in this area and to be advised of the need for Al-Anon cooperation in AA events where an invitation to participate is issued by AA.

Diversity: This position focuses on attracting members of all minority races, religions, practicalities, genders and ages to Al-Anon. Many means and modes of outreach can be used to create opportunities to reach families and friends of the problem drinker such as health fairs, information tables, meetings with local religious leaders, ethnic groups, or personal invitation to participate in an event.

Events: Serving as a lead person who plans and carries out our District events, our Events Coordinator may form committees and work with other volunteers to arrange workshops, speaker meetings, fellowship activities, facilities, food, etc. Experience in event planning would be very helpful but is not required.

Cooperating with the Professional Community: informs a variety of professionals of what Al‑Anon is and how to find us, so that they can refer their clients/patients to us.  Many Al‑Anon members attend their first meeting as the result of a professional referral. Professionals include doctors, therapists, religious leaders, nurses, attorneys, police, educators, judges, etc.  Professionals also work in various facilities and institutions.

Institutions: This person orders literature for treatment centers and acts as a contact for the professionals at the institutions who work with the families. Also this coordinator looks for opportunities to have open informational meetings at facilities and encourages Al-Anon members of District 5 to share or help facilitate these meetings when needed.