Transcript Business 2 Template - Narcotics Anonymous

Northern California CAR Assembly
Sonoma County February 3, 2008
Today’s Agenda:

Overview of NAWS and the WSC

Explanation of the CAR and Group Conscience Process

World Board Report – “CAT” Issues

“Building Strong Home Groups”

“Our Service System”

Working Lunch - The 6th Edition Basic Text

Youth IP and IP to parents/guardians

Additional “Targeted Literature” Discussion
Today’s Agenda:

Sponsorship Book Discussion

Regional Motions (2) concerning medallion production

Regional Motion concerning NAWS & legal responsibilities

Regional Motion concerning World Board Service IP’s

“Who’s Missing from our Meetings & Why?

Wrap-up; your comments and feedback on today’s process
The NA Service Structure
area
area
area
area
Northern California RSC
World Service Conference
NAWS
NAWS Overview
Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
(NAWS) is a non-profit corporation whose
business is to serve addicts. It is a part of the
service structure that has been formalized for legal
and business reasons
NAWS exists as a unifying element that allows us
to work toward achieving our common vision of
reaching every addict worldwide with our life-saving
message
NAWS Overview
NAWS has four physical offices, called WSOs
(World Service Offices) in:




California – Chatsworth
Canada - Mississauga
Belgium - Brussels
Iran – Tehran
Special workers are employed by the offices
to better serve our needs.
NAWS Overview
The World Service office handles all NA
business:
 Production, sale and distribution of literature and other
products like key tags, chips, and medallions
 Preparation and distribution of all NA publications,
such as the NA Way Magazine and Conference
Agenda Report
 Logistics and arrangements for conventions,
conferences, workshops and workgroups
NAWS Overview
The office also answers questions and
provides assistance to individuals, NA
groups, areas, and regions throughout the
world.
NAWS Overview
NAWS is supervised by an executive director and
by the World Board
In a sense our World Board is a Board of Directors
much like that of any other non-profit corporation
In a more important sense, our Board members are
recovering addicts who serve like any of us who
serve our home groups, areas or regions
NAWS Overview
The World Board:
 Supervises the planning and hosting of
conventions
 Facilitates the production of new literature
 Oversees workgroups & projects
 Provides the overview and insight that makes
strategic planning possible
World Service Conference
The World Service Conference (WSC) meets every
two years. Delegates from regions all over the
world come together at the conference to discuss
matters of importance to the fellowship as a whole.
NAWS Vision Statement
Upon this vision we stand committed:
• Every addict in the world has the chance to
experience our message in his or her own language
and culture and find the opportunity for a new way of
life
• NA communities worldwide and NA world services
work together in a spirit of unity and cooperation to
carry our message of recovery
NAWS Vision Statement
• Narcotics Anonymous has universal recognition and
respect as a viable program of recovery
WSC Mission Statement – RD
Responsibility
“The WSC’s Mission is to unify NA worldwide
by providing an event at which:
• Participants propose and gain fellowship
consensus on initiatives that further the NA
World Services Vision”
How do we gain fellowship consensus?
Conference Agenda Report
• CAR is distributed 150 days prior to the WSC in English . It is
available for $11 or free download from www.na.org
• CAR is available 120 Days prior to the WSC in French, German,
Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish
• We will provide Regional ballots to collect your feedback
• We are planning 5 of these assemblies throughout Northern
California and at NCCNA in March
• You can also answer the discussion questions online at
www.na.org/conference
World Board Report
Pages 1 - 17
World Board Report
 A Discussion-Based Conference
 Conference Approval Track Material
•
•
•
•
GWSNA Revisions
CBDM at the WSC
Moratorium on WSC Seating through 2012
WCNA Zones
 “Major Book-Length Piece ”
 Issue Discussion Topics – Taking the Next Steps
Pages 1 - 17
Building Strong
Home Groups
Page 11
Building Strong Home Groups
 Developed from the “Atmosphere of Recovery” IDT
from 2002-2004 and 2004-2006 Conference Cycles
 There is nothing more important we can do in
service than strengthening our groups
 We all seem to agree on what a strong home group
feels like and how it functions. – the problem is how
to instill these values more widely throughout the
fellowship.
Page 11
Building Strong Home Groups
Large Group Discussion
“What do you personally see as the difference
between a home group, a group, and a meeting?
Is there a difference in your responsibility or
behavior with each of these?”
Suggested Ground Rules

Stay OPEN-MINDED

LISTEN and SHARE the time



Remember to PLAY WELL with
others
Don’t forget WHY we’re here!
STAY FOCUSED on the subject at
hand
Suggested Ground Rules




Lively CONVERSATION is
productive
To AGREE and to DISAGREE… that
is the process!
One more time – AVOID
REPETITION
It’s important to START and STOP
on time
Suggested Ground Rules

No KICKING, BITING, or SCRATCHING allowed!
Brainstorming Guidelines
• One good idea leads to another… good idea
• “NO” and “CAN’T” do not exist!
• Creativity has no limits
• Be part of – PARTICIPATE
• Think fast, analyze later… judging, evaluating,
and criticizing are not brainstorming
Brainstorming Guidelines
• Above all…
HAVE FUN!
Building Strong Home Groups
Small Group Exercise:
1. How do we build strong home groups?
2. What do we need to do to encourage members to
join a home group?
Building Strong Home Groups
Large Group Discussion
Q1.
If you have used the Building Strong Home
Groups worksheet, how has it helped and how
can it be improved?
Q2.
If you have not, what would convince you to
use the worksheet?
Page 12
Group Worksheet Overview
1. Identify areas for improvement
• Members “vote” for issues of importance
2. State the issues
• Votes are tallied, top issue to be discussed
3. Brainstorm solutions
• Consider new and not-so-new ideas
Addendum A
Page 57
Group Worksheet Overview
4. Choose a solution
• Select the best idea, vote if necessary
5. Make decisions
• Develop an action, including “who” and “how”
Addendum A
Page 57
Our Service System
Pages 12-14
Our Service System
• Evolved from 2004-2006 IDT on “Infrastructure”
• Repeated themes over the past 4 years:
•
•
•
•
•
Need better communication
Less duplication of efforts
More training
Make service more attractive, accessible, and
supportive
These same observations were made about
World Services in the late 80’s and early 90’s!
Pages 12-14
Our Service System
• In 1993 World Services ceased all but essential
services to engage in a comprehensive inventory
• Inventory led to massive restructuring of World
Services in 1998 and a much better system
• Local services have never undergone this type of
comprehensive review in our fellowships history
and may also benefit from restructuring
Pages 12-14
Our Service System
Small Group Exercise
1. How can our service system better allow for new
ideas and creative approaches?
2. What steps can be taken to help build a more
productive and responsive service structure?
3. What actions could our service committees take to
promote an atmosphere of recovery?
Our Service System
Large Group Discussion
Q3:
If you are using the Area Planning Tool, how
has it helped, and how can it be improved?
Q4:
If you are not, is there a reason why? What
would convince you to use the APT?
Pages 12-14
Area Planning Tool
Area Planning Tool – Why Plan?
• Planning helps us better carry the message to the
addict who still suffers.
• If there is no planning, often a service body will
move forward in a status quo fashion – staying
stuck on “this is the way we have always done it”
• ASC planning is how groups join together to further
NA’s primary purpose in their community.
Area Planning Tool – Benefits of
Planning
• To fulfill our primary purpose, the NA groups have
joined together to create a structure which
develops, coordinates, and maintains services on
behalf of NA as a whole
• Planning helps us focus and coordinate services on
behalf of the groups to ensure that no addict seeking
recovery need die from the horrors of addiction.
Area Planning Tool – Who Plans?
• All trusted servants of an area should be involved
in planning
• The regional delegate may be used so the area
chairperson can fully participate
• Once the inventory and planning process takes
place, the administrative body may be given the
task to ensure implementation of the action plan
Area Planning Tool Seven Steps
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Gathering information
Listing the issues
Developing goals (“what” not “how”)
Prioritizing goals
Creating approaches (actions to reach goals)
Prioritizing approaches (a second look)
Developing an action plan
Step 1: Gathering Information
1.
How well has the area done this year in serving the groups,
and how can it better serve them in the coming year?
2.
How well has the area served the larger community, and how
can it improve?
3.
How well has the ASC supported and collaborated with NA’s
regional and world services? How can the area provide better
support for these services?
Step 2: Listing the issues
Possible Broad Categories:
•
•
•
•
•
Training and Mentoring
Relationships with the Community
Financial Issues
Cooperation Among Subcommittees
Relationships with other levels of service
Step 3: Developing Goals
• Small groups will create goals for the broad
categories
• Identify “WHAT” not “HOW”
• Goals are clear and concise statements that
identify a desired outcome without stating how to
get to the outcome.
Step 4: Prioritizing Goals
• The entire group looks over the list of goals and
prioritizes the list.
Step 5: Creating Approaches
• An approach describes HOW to reach a specific
goal
• Already existing approaches may be working, or
new approaches may be needed
• A small group will be assigned for each goal to
develop ways to reach that goal
Step 6: Prioritizing Approaches
• The planning body now takes a second look
• This process is deliberate and decisive…members
simply rank the approaches using a number
ordering system of 1, 2, and 3
Step 7: Developing an Action Plan
The administrative body or area planning ad-hoc
committee will develop an action plan for each
approach and will identify :
• Tasks that need to be done
• Time frames for accomplishing these tasks
• Trusted servants who are responsible for completing
the tasks
• Resources that are needed
• Completion dates
Maintaining the Plan
• The administrative body or an ad-hoc committee
are given this responsibility because they represent
a single point of accountability for the ASC
• When the planning process is completed, it is
approved by the area and put into action
• Goals and plans are usually given to
subcommittees for completion
• Subcommittees should report their progress to the
ASC regularly
The Planning Cycle
• Area inventory and planning should take place
annually
• A planning session should take place upon
elections of the new ASC body
• An area inventory should be sent out to all groups
prior to the area planning meeting, or all members
should be encouraged to attend the planning
session
Break Time!
 Remember: There is value in being back on-time!!!
Tehran, Iran
Working Lunch Basic Text 6th
Edition
WSC 2004 Motion #4:
“To approve work on revisions to the Basic Text, Narcotics
Anonymous, that includes:
• No changes made to Chapters One through Ten
• The addition of a new preface to the Sixth Edition preceding the
current preface (the current preface will remain the same and be
titled “Preface to the First Edition”),
• The replacement of some or all of the current personal stories,
in order to better reflect the broad diversity of our fellowship, and
• A brief introduction to the revised personal stories section.
Page 18
WSC 2004 Motion #4:
The timeframe for this work will be two conference
cycles, from 2004to 2008, including a six month
review and input period. The approval form of the
Sixth Edition Basic Text will be distributed as an
appendix to the 2008 Conference Agenda Report
for a minim mum of 150 days.”
Page 18
Basic Text 6th Edition
• BT working group consisted of 10 members from 6 countries (4
continents)
• Solicitations for stories went out in February 2005 in 9
languages
• Distributed through The NA Way, na.org, World Convention,
workshops and forums - input accepted up until December
2005
• Over 700 submissions received; more than 20% came from
outside the U.S.
Page 18
Basic Text – Story submissions
by Locale
Argentina
Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
France
Germany
Greece
India
Ireland
Israel
Page 20
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Norway
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Trinidad
Turkey
United
Kingdom
United
States
Venezuela
West Indies
Basic Text 6th Edition – Input by
Clean Time
Over 30 years clean: 6
Over 20 years clean: 79
Between 10 and 20 years: 204
Between 5 and 10 years: 137
Between 1 and 5 years: 185
Less than 1 year: 39
Page 20
Unknown : 41
Basic Text 6th Edition
• Input was read using an anonymous “blind process”; grading
stories on: recovery content, quality, style , structure, and how it
fits with the rest of the work.
• Existing stories with historical value were kept in a new
“Beginnings” section
• Review Draft was distributed to the fellowship September 1,
2006 with input received through February 2007. 7,500 copies
(paper and e-copies) were distributed.
• Approximately 350 pieces of input received ; 60% from
individuals, 17% from groups, and 23% from committees
Page 21
Review Draft input by Locale:
Brazil
Greece
New Zealand
Turkey
UK
Canada
Ireland
Norway
Uganda
Gibraltar
Kuwait
Russia
United States
Page 21
Basic Text – Filing the Gaps
• “The Only Requirement” – From a member who was on drug
replacement
• “Sowing the Seed” – from an Israeli member
• “The Spirit of Service” – from a male Iranian member
• “Another Chance to Live” – from an Australian member
• “A Serene Heart” – from a member with mental illness who is on
medication
Page 22
Basic Text – Filing the Gaps
• “Just Say Yes” – from an Indian member now in the Middle East
• “Mosaic” – from a Russian member
• “It is worth it” – from a Columbian Member
• “Sacred Places Inside” – from a female Iranian member
• “NA is a Roadmap”- from a Portuguese member
Page 22
Basic Text Stories:
Australia
Iran
Mexico
Russia
Brazil
Ireland
Netherlands
Saudi Arabia
Canada
Israel
New Zealand
United States
Columbia
Japan
Norway
*US/Italy
Portugal
United
Kingdom
*India/Bahrain Kenya
Page 23
*got clean/now resides
Basic Text Approval Draft
changes:
1. “Introduction” to personal stories renamed
“Introduction to Our Members Share”
2. Change to “Sacred Places Inside” to clarify
member was “One of the first women” to get
clean in her city/country.
Page 24
Basic Text Production and Pricing
 Page count will increase from 286 to 416 pages
 Book will be 6 x 9 instead of 51/2 x 81/2
 Price will increase from US $9.70 to $11.00
Page 28
Basic Text Currently Approved
Version – Language adopted in 1991
“The Basic Text, Fifth Edition, is the only edition of the Basic
Text that is currently approved by the World Service Conference
of Narcotics Anonymous for publication and sale. The World
Service Office Board of Directors is entrusted with the
responsibility for protecting the fellowship’s physical and
intellectual properties, including the Basic Text, as at the board
of director’s discretion, shall take legal action to protect those
rights against any and all persons who choose to infringe upon
this literature trust.”
*This will be updated in GWSNA to clarify approval of 6th
Edition in 2008
Page 29
Basic Text Current Translations
Policy
4 Options for Local Translation Committees:
1. Just translate Chapters 1 through 10
2. Translate entire 5th Edition Personal Stories
3. Write their own local stories
4. Mix of English –language stories and local stories
Page 30
Basic Text Proposed Translations
Policy
 Local Translation Committees will be encouraged
to translate some or all of the personal stories in
the 6th Edition, as these reflect the global diversity
of the fellowship
 Local stories could be developed for translations of
the Little White Book
 Possible “grandfather” clause for existing
translations
Page 30
Basic Text 6th Edition
Motion 1: To replace the existing stories in the Fifth
Edition Basic Text Narcotics Anonymous with those
contained in Addendum B.
Maker: World Board
Page 24
Basic Text 6th Edition
Motion 2: To approve the remaining revisions to
the Fifth Edition Basic Text Narcotics Anonymous
as represented in Addendum B. This includes
• the Preface to the Sixth Edition,
• the titles "Our Program' and "Our Members Share," which
would replace the titles "Book One" and "Book Two"
respectively,
• the Introduction to Our Members Share,
• the abstracts,
• the reflections, and
• the titles and descriptions for the sections "Beginnings,"
"Coming Home," "Regardless of...," and "Life on Life's
Terms.“
Maker: World Board
Page 25
Basic Text 6th Edition
Motion 3: To allow the World Board to approve
updates to the statistical information (the numbers
of meetings, countries, and so on) in the Preface to
the Sixth Edition Basic Text Narcotics Anonymous
regularly with an "as of" date in the footnote.
Maker: World Board
Page 26
Basic Text and Just for Today
 13 Quotations from personal stories in JFT
 1 Quote from new Youth IP
 Plan is to remove all citations and explain at beginning of book
that these passages are from literature no longer in print
 Forward from 1991 WSC Lit Committee references 5th Edition
BT - A footnote will be added to the forward
 Similar process used for translated versions of JFT references
to Literature not yet available in that language.
Page 26
Basic Text 6th Edition
Motion 4: To approve the removal of the specific
source citations in Just for Today for versions of
literature no longer in print and to include, at the
beginning of the book, an explanation that quotes
without a citation are from previous versions of NA
literature. Also to approve the use of a footnote in
the foreword to Just for Today to update the
reference to the Fifth Edition of the Basic Text.
Maker: World Board
Page 27
Basic Text 6th Edition
Motion 5: To approve the inclusion of an updated
and revised index in the Sixth Edition of the Basic
Text, Narcotics Anonymous.
Maker: World Board
Page 27
Basic Text 6th Edition
Motion 6: To approve two specific copyedits to the
Basic Text Narcotics Anonymous: First, to replace
the name "N.A." (with periods after the two capital
letters) with "NA" (with no periods). Second, to
remove the footnote in Tradition Eleven that
mentions A Guide to Public Information Newly
Revised.
Maker: World Board
Page 28
Youth &
Parent/Guardian
IP’s
Youth & Parent/Guardian IP’s
 WSC 2006 participants overwhelmingly selected youth for first
targeted literature project
 Workgroup consisted of 8 members of between 18 and 30 years
old with lengths of clean time from 18 months to 10 years
 2200 drafts of youth and parent/guardian piece were distributed
for review between March and May 2007
 200 pieces of input received from 7 countries and 30 US States
 Workgroup factored in input in July 2007 meeting to create
approval draft
Page 31
Youth IP
Motion 7: To replace the existing IP #13, Youth and
Recovery, with the revised draft contained in
Addendum C and change the title of this IP to By
Young Addicts, For Young Addicts.
Maker: World Board
Page 32
Parents & Guardians
Motion 8: To approve the draft of For the Parents
or Guardians of Young People in NA contained in
Addendum E as IP#27.
Maker: World Board
Page 33
Regional Motions
Pages 41- 45
Medallion Production
 Participants at WSC 2006 concurred with WB proposal to
discontinue production of Roman Numeral Medallions
 Decision was in large part due to production issues related to
putting long clean time in center of small medallions. Also,
Arabic numerals are more universally recognized
 For NAWS to produce both Roman and Arabic numeral
medallions would mean managing 312 inventory items just for
English-speaking NA members
Pages 8, 41 - 42
Medallion Production
Vote online Before March 1:
http://naws.org/surveys/index.php?sid=3
Medallion Production
Motion 9: To add English Roman Numeral
Medallions in Bronze to NAWS inventory as a
specialty item and direct the World Board to price
them accordingly.
Maker: Tri-State Region
Page 41
Medallion Production
Motion 10: To direct the World Board to add to
NAWS inventory Roman numeral medallions in all
current finishes and languages produced by
NAWS. Whether these medallions are an addition
to inventory or a replacement for the current Arabic
numbered medallions is left to NAWS discretion.
Maker: Region of the Virginians
Page 42
Legal Fees
Motion 11: To direct the World Board to provide
financial support to the Northern New Jersey
Region in the amount of $36,000.
Maker: Northern New Jersey Region, page 43
Page 43
WB Service Pamphlets – WSC 2006
It was M/S/C by 2/3 majority Greg W (RD, Arizona) /
Rick W (RD, Region 51), Motion #28:
“To allow the World Board to develop and approve
service related information pamphlets and tools for
distribution to the fellowship.”
Pages 37 - 39
WB Service Pamphlets:
In September 2007, the following IPs were distributed:
 Disruptive and Violent Behavior
 NA Groups and Medication
 An Introduction to NA Meetings
 Group Business Meetings
 Group Trusted Servants: Roles and Responsibilities
Pages 37 - 39
WB Service Pamphlets:
 An Introduction to NA Meetings contained a glossary of “Helpful NA
Terms” that defined “Clean” as “Abstinent from drugs (not including
prescription medication).”
 As a result of fellowship reaction to this terminology, the Board voted
at their October 2007 meeting to suspend distribution of this piece
 Questions about Process: “What is the audience of ‘service’
literature? Should there be a delegate review period?
Pages 37 - 39
WB-Approved Service Pamphlets
Motion 12: To require that all NA Service
pamphlets intended for group and individual use be
included in the Conference Agenda Report for
approval.
Maker: New Jersey Region, page 44
Pages 44 - 45
Break Time!
 Remember: There is value in being back on-time!!!
Philippines
Sponsorship Book
Page 34
Sponsorship Book Project
 First Book-Length Piece created by World Board
 Topic given highest priority by fellowship in 1999 literature
survey
 2000 CAR contained a WB motion asking for area/regional lit
committees to begin developing source material
 NAWS “News Flash” sent out in 2001 to gather additional input
 Approval draft overwhelmingly approved at WSC 2004
Page 34
Sponsorship Book Sales 2005- 2007
Page 35
Sponsorship
Large Group Exercise
Q10: “What is it about the Sponsorship book that
members are finding useful or not useful? If
you didn't find it helpful, why didn't you find it
helpful?”
Page 36
Who’s Missing From
our Meetings and
Why?
Pages 14 - 16
Who is missing from our meetings
and why?
• Also grew out of 2002-2004 and 2004-2006
“Atmosphere of Recovery” Topic
• Also arose from PR Roundtable discussions with
professionals on “Our Public Image” – Public
perceptions that certain demographics may be best
served by other programs
• Challenge is how to demonstrate to the public that we
are a “Big Tent” and how to make all addicts feel
comfortable in our rooms
Pages 14 - 16
Who is missing from our meetings
and why?
Large Group Exercise:
Identify Who is Missing from our Meetings
Page 16
Who is missing from our meetings
and why?
Small Group Exercise:
1. Pick your top Group from the previous list
2. What can our Service structure do to help reach
this population?
Page 16
Who is missing from our meetings
and why?
Large Group Discussion
Q8:
Page 16
Have you discussed this issue in your group,
area, or region? Please share your experience
with work shopping the topic—or even better,
your successes reaching those who are
missing.
Who is missing – Main Points:
•
It is clear that not every NA meeting will be equally
comfortable to all members. The important
concern is that all addicts in our community have
meetings where they can feel comfortable
•
As members trying to carry the message, it is our
responsibility to try to identify and overcome
barriers to recovery in our communities . It is part
of giving away what was so freely given to us
Who is missing – Main Points:
•
The answer to “who is missing” varies from one
community to the next, so each community will
have to seek its own solutions
•
Common needs meetings and targeted literature
may play a part in the solution, but there seems to
be a lot more we can do
Who is missing – Main Points:
•
If our service system can reach these addicts, and
our members and groups can welcome them, we
must do everything we can to do so
•
It’s about our Twelfth step, Fifth tradition, First
Concept, and NAWS Vision statement. It’s about
carrying the message
Targeted Literature
Targeted Literature Identified in
2006 CAR
 Youth and Recovery (New Youth IP created)
 Medication and Recovery(Medication and the NA Group
created; revision to In Times of Illness proposed)
 The benefit of service to personal recovery (Benefit’s of Service
and Leadership service IPs Proposed)
 The spiritual development of members with longer clean time,
and how to continue to engage them in the fellowship of NA
 Older members and recovery
 Issues regarding Gender
Page 33
Additional Targeted Literature
Large Group Exercise:
Q9:
Page 34
“The 2008 World Service Conference will vote
on an IP for young people and another for their
parents or guardians. What do you think the
next targeted literature project should focus on;
what population should we target?”
Your Thoughts & Comments on the
Process:
• _________________________________
• _________________________________
• _________________________________
From those of us in service to those of
us in service, Our Work Is A Gift.
Thank You.