At‑Large Committees

Duties

At‑Large Committees are formed by the Board of Trustees to respond to the ongoing needs of Al‑Anon Family Groups

At‑Large Committees are not decision‑making bodies; they make recommendations to the service department to which they are related

At‑Large Committee members bring different perspectives with various experiences or understandings of the issue

At‑Large Committee members’ roles are the same except for those of the Chairperson and Recorder, who have additional responsibilities

  • Chairperson:
    • Planning the meeting
      • builds the agenda‑a plan of action
      • reviews the agenda with the group and asks for input and agreement
      • sets ground rules for discussion
      • sets up meeting times, dates, methods of communication, and the tentative purpose of each meeting
      • ensures that the job is done to accurately meet the charge, including submission of paperwork to the Executive Committee
      • ensures Trustee(s), At‑Large Executive Committee member(s) and WSO Staff are included in all communications and web conference calls
    • During the meeting
      • gives everyone an equal voice, and allows a few minutes for venting, if needed
      • helps the group maintain a sense of unity
      • ensures group agreement on the outcome
  • Recorder (member selected within the group):
    • writes down key ideas and other information
    • asks for clarity when needed
    • assists Chairperson as requested

Qualifications

Must have five years of continuous Al‑Anon and/or Alateen membership for at least one year and be at least 13 years old  (Alateen membership does count!)

Must relinquish all Al‑Anon service positions beyond the group level during term of service

Cannot be an Al‑Anon member who has ever been a member of A.A.

Delegates must wait until one (1) World Service Conference has passed after their term ends before they can be considered for service in this capacity

Past WSO Staff may serve on Committees after three (3) years from the date of departure. However, past Staff members may not serve on the same or similar Committees nor any Committee within the same department in which they worked.

Positions

Audit: works with the auditor to ensure that the financial affairs and business controls of AFG Inc. are in order. At‑large members of the Audit Committee are required to have financial expertise including an understanding of generally accepted auditing principles and accounting standards, as well as an understanding of internal controls and procedures for financial reporting

Forum Editorial Advisory: recommends editorial policies for our monthly magazine; considers articles for publication and seeks to place The Forum in the hands of every Al‑Anon and Alateen member

Literature: seeks to aid recovery by creating new and revised Conference Approved Literature (CAL) and seeks ways of encouraging members to enhance their recovery through increased awareness and the use of our literature and service materials

Public Outreach: assists in the development of educational tools for our members to use with a variety of outside audiences and in the oversight of national and international public outreach projects that enhance Al‑Anon’s public image

Process for At-Large Committee