The Group Services team at the World Service Office (WSO) supports Al-Anon and Alateen members and groups. The three Group Services team members are here to serve you Monday–Friday, 8 am–5 pm ET. We do our best to provide informed responses as quickly as possible, relying on the same resources you do: the current Al‑Anon/Alateen Service Manual (P-24/27), the Al-Anon Guidelines, the World Service Conference Summaries, announcements from In The Loop and AFG Connects, and of course, our Legacies. We receive many calls and emails every day, and the WSO appreciates your patience and understanding when priorities shift and we may be delayed in responding to your call or email.
In the meantime, here are a few questions we commonly receive, along with some of the resources we typically point to in response:
Why can’t our group use the WSO nonprofit ID for insurance or banking?
- See the Policy on Incorporation/Taxes in the “Digest of Al-Anon and Alateen Policies” section of the current Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual (P-24/27).
How can my group resolve conflicts when members disagree about how things should be done?
- See Tradition One and “The Three Obstacles to Success in Al‑Anon” found in the “Groups at Work” section of the Service Manual.
I feel intimidated by certain members in my group. Should I stop going? Can we tell them to stop attending?
Why doesn’t the WSO intervene in group problems?
- Different service positions have different duties and responsibilities related to resolving group problems. To understand how the group, District, Area, and World Service levels function together, see Links of Service in the “World Service Handbook” section of the current Al‑Anon/Alateen Service Manual. To understand what the WSO does, see World Service Office, also in the “World Service Handbook” section.
The Forum, September 2025
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