How can you attract newcomers while protecting your anonymity?
November’s topic is, “How can you attract newcomers while protecting your anonymity?”
As always, you can also write about Al‑Anon’s three Legacies. This month features Step Eleven, Tradition Eleven, and Concept Eleven.
Sharings on the Member Blog may be used in future Al‑Anon publications.
New topics are being added each month!
I’m in the process of getting a new group going too. Some of the things we’ve done: We made sure our group’s information was registered with our Area so that people searching online can find it. This alone brought in several new members. Our District Rep helped us with this. We let established groups in our Area know that there’s a new meeting in town and asked them to help spread the word. Someone in those groups might be wishing there was a meeting at the place or time ours is happening. We also ask them to include our meeting… Read more »
Attracting newcomers gives me the responsibility to break my anonymity when appropriate, and make sure that, as an Al-Anon member I always respect the important principle of attraction rather than promotion. I believe that what is important is not so much to say that I am a member, but being a walking example of what Al-Anon has done for me. If I carry in my words and actions the principles learned in my program, I can attract newcomers. I also have to be humble and honest when I share at a meetings, not claiming that I am perfect, but being… Read more »
Outreach Opportunities Al-Anon Family Groups in District I has taken part in panel presentations for the Cottonwood Clinical Services Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) twice in the last year. This activity has proven to be a very successful method for AFG outreach in Farmington. Panel members share their experience, strength, and hope with clients participating in the recovery program. Cottonwood, a facility created in 2008, hosts a panel discussion each month utilizing different recovery groups in the area. The AFG is featured twice a year. The first panel in spring of 2023 spoke to an audience of 75 – 100 recovering… Read more »
I was extremely concerned about keeping anonymity for the alcoholic in my life, as well as my own. At first I didn’t understand how I could attract anyone to the program without revealing my whole story. Eventually, I learned that I didn’t need to reveal anything I didn’t want to reveal. I simply need to offer what I know about the program and encourage them by my attitude and my actions.
When I first came to Al-Anon I learned about anonymity and appreciated that especially the alcoholic in my life stayed anonymous. Through the years I have found gentle ways of sharing our beautiful, life-saving program. If someone shares about an alcoholic in their life, I listen and then I ask them if they have heard of Al-Anon. If they are interested, I share contact information and I offer to attend with them.
Wow! I literally just sent an email requesting help on this issue. We started a small group in Murfreesboro and looking to grow. We started with 2 and grew to 3. One night we had 4 and my heart warmed. I need any help/advice on helping our group grow because I know there are more like us who could use the support 🙂
Anonymity is exceptionally important in a meeting due to the nature of the topics that may be shared. For example, sexual molestation, infidelity, incest, violence, etc. Newcomers are not at that point in their recovery to share anything but their names. Anonymity is vital during meetings although there is hesitancy to truly believe that — due to how and where we grew up! Nothing was ever anonymous! Keep coming back, you will find out! My high school is starting an Alateen Meeting. I am grateful there will be Alateen Sponsors to run the meeting. I do not feel comfortable breaking… Read more »
“…November’s topic is, ‘How can you attract newcomers while protecting your anonymity?’…” ANSWER: …by practicing Al-Anon’s 12 Traditions and 12 Concepts of Service: placing “principles above personalities”, “attraction vs. promotion”, and remembering that we, members and prospective members of Al-Anon, “…are not anonymous to each other…” If I am worried about my anonymity re carrying AFG’s message of hope publicly, I likely have relapsed into the false belief that somehow the choices of a problem drinker in my life are my fault, my responsibility, under my control, etc. In other words, I need to go back and take Step One… Read more »