When I was first asked to consider becoming a Group Representative, I had no idea what was involved. It was the love of other members that gently guided me to further understanding, directed me towards the abundance of service tools available, and gave me the opportunity to grow in recovery together with them. I learned that there are many, many resources to support participation in service both in and beyond the group.

I was grateful for the abundance of service tools provided by the World Service Office (WSO). The Links of Service (S-28) can be downloaded for free and explains how one of our most valuable resources is our members themselves. The pamphlet Service Sponsorship: Working Smarter, Not Harder (P-88) showed me how to receive extra support in my service role by connecting with someone who had “been there and done that.” I came to understand that my recovery would blossom in service, not because I would do everything perfectly, but because I was not alone. Others with service experience were there to talk things through and reason things out with me.

As I moved beyond service in my group to become a District Representative (DR), I found it essential to use the Al‑Anon/Alateen Service Manual (P-24/27), sometimes referred to as the “secret book of knowledge.” It gives guidance not only about group situations, but also regarding Al-Anon policy, resolving conflict, and applying the Traditions and Concepts of Service beyond the groups at the District, Area, and World Service levels. In addition to the Service Manual, I found the pamphlets The Twelve Steps and Traditions (P-17) and The Concepts—Al‑Anon’s Best Kept Secret? (P-57), as well as Talk To Each Other—Resolving Conflicts within Al‑Anon (S-73), to be useful guides for participating in service.

Additionally, the Al‑Anon website, al‑anon.org, is a rich and ever-evolving source of service tools. A searchable, digital version of the Service Manual can be found there under the “Member Resources” tab, as can a whole library of Al‑Anon Guidelines, which represent the collective service experience of countless members. The Guidelines address everything from Al‑Anon Information Services and Literature Distribution Centers to Newsletter Editors, Area Forum Coordinators, and Public Outreach. The website also features a dedicated Public Outreach page with various tools, suggestions, and downloadable posters that can be customized with local meeting information.

Of course, our Al‑Anon Conference Approved Literature (CAL) is perhaps one of our best-known resources, and, as a DR, there were many times I needed to see the full list. The CAL Catalog (S-15) can be accessed directly online or browse the Online Bookstore. The CAL Catalog includes a complete list of service tools.

Whether in service or not, all members can subscribe to Al‑Anon’s email newsletter In The Loop, where announcements are made about new CAL, changes to policy, and other useful information such as the Chairperson of the Board Letter, which keeps members who are involved in service updated about worldwide Al‑Anon on a quarterly basis. Sharing information from In The Loop with your group, District, or Area is a valuable service in itself.

Finally, AFG Connects is our password-protected online community for members in service beyond the group level; it linked me to members outside my Area and allowed me to share and receive experience, strength, and hope. This most valuable resource from fellow members not only enhanced my service roles when I was a DR and Coordinator, but also enriches my current work-related responsibilities. WSO Staff members post news and information on the site, while members in service participate in discussions related to their service roles and have access to archived materials. AFG Connects truly demonstrates recovery in service. Sadly, it is often a forgotten service tool. If you are serving beyond the group level and need further information or support on how to access and use AFG Connects, please reach out to us at the WSO.

By Tracey S., Group Services Specialist

The Forum, October 2023

Feel free to reprint this article on your service arm website or newsletter, along with this credit line: Reprinted with permission of The Forum, Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.