As a certified Al‑Anon Member Involved in Alateen Service (AMIAS) and an Alateen Group Sponsor, I see how the Alateen program benefits our younger members. As an Al‑Anon member, I share my experience, strength, and hope with the teens with the same love and compassion as I do in an Al‑Anon meeting. The teens’ understanding of how they have been affected by someone else’s drinking and how Alateen helps them unfolds for them in the same way it unfolds for us in Al‑Anon.
My experience with Alateen members aging out has been that many do not immediately come to Al‑Anon. Many go off to college, which interrupts consistent attendance at meetings. Those who do not go away to college also tend not to show up in Al‑Anon meetings. I can’t help but wonder whether young people in Alateen are being encouraged to continue with Al‑Anon and guided to find those Al‑Anon meetings that are right for them.
Each one of us needs to feel comfortable and safe in a group where we are regarded and respected as individuals, not as some other member’s grown child. I imagine it may be difficult for that young Al‑Anon member to come to meetings if their anonymity is compromised because it’s connected to a family member already in attendance. We all need to encourage our younger members to find their safe space.
We who are privileged to serve Alateen members in weekly group meetings can start having conversations about continuing in Al‑Anon. Reading and talking about the pamphlet Moving On! From Alateen to Al‑Anon (P-59) is a great place to begin.
Tech-savvy young people also need to know that Al‑Anon meetings take place on a variety of online platforms. Consider discussing the Al‑Anon Family Groups Mobile App and helping teens download it to their devices. Older Alateen members can access more than 100 Al‑Anon meetings in the Mobile App, and there are five in-app Alateen meetings that are well-attended! You can also refer them to the meeting search on al-anon.org where Global Electronic Meetings are displayed. You may even join in on one of the online Al‑Anon meetings as a group.
Let’s make sure that the hand of Al‑Anon and Alateen is always there by offering extra support to our young people making the sometimes-difficult transition from Alateen to Al‑Anon. “Together We Can Make It!”
By Sue P., Associate Director—Group Services
The Forum, June 2024
“Inside Al-Anon Family Groups” presents news, policy, and commentary from volunteers, staff and readers sharing experience through service. Please feel free to reprint these articles on your service structure website or newsletter, along with this credit line: Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
We have a Young Adults closed meeting for 19 to 35 year olds here in South Africa. It makes the transition from Alateen to Al-Anon easier, as the young adults have more in common with each other than with older Al-Anon members.
Fellow young person here giving my two cents. if any young person needs a meeting to connect with their peers in recovery, the WSO has listed “Young Adult” as a meeting type use this filter to get a list of the registered Al-Anon young people groups. Some groups also have a Tradition 9 committees charged with creating young people focus events that center on the spiritual needs of the young person. Just as there are meetings for parents where parents connect with other parents, young people do the same. Just as Alateens have created Alateen events in their local area… Read more »