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Participation of Online Groups �GSB Ad Hoc Committee

71st GSC

    • Advisory Action: The General Service Board form a committee to explore future possibilities for the participation of online groups in the U.S./Canada General Service structure.

Progress Report to the 72nd GSC

    • Gathered input and sharing from the GSO Working Group, Online Intergroup of AA (OIAA), other fellowships, AA in other countries, submissions to the GSC. This 35 page report was presented to the 72nd GSC. Among the conclusions was that there were more questions to be asked, and that a survey to the delegates to better understand online group participation throughout the 93 areas of the US Canada structure should follow.

May-November 2022

    • Survey to the delegates regarding participation of online groups has been sent, review and analysis of the results is in progress.
    • In the interim many areas and districts have found methods to include participation of online groups, and proposed agenda items on this topic (pro and con) continue to be received.

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��Ad Hoc Committee on Participation of Online Groups in the US/Canada Service Structure��

General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous

72nd GSC PROGRESS REPORT

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Questions and more questions….

Has AA now outgrown a solely geographic structure?

What new opportunities have arisen?

What are we missing?

What are the challenges?

What are the constantly changing emergent concerns?

Participation in much of AA life up to 2020 had largely and logically relied on geographic structural organization, particularly for general service work.

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General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous

PROGRESS REPORT FOR 73RD GSC

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��Currently there are 1,168 listings for virtual groups in the U.S./Canada general service structure as of December 2022. ��Of these 1,168 groups groups, 752 of them have a GSR as their primary contact.�In December 2022 there were 883 groups with 587 having GSRs as main contact�� In April 2022, there were 595 active virtual groups in the database. ��Currently two virtual Districts that are listed in the GSO database: District 20 in Area 48, and District 25 in Area 72. Other areas may be in the process of forming or accepting virtual districts, but only two are currently listed by GSO. Both of the virtual districts have seen a steady increase in the number of virtual groups joining them.���

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�More Shared Experience Needed Regarding Online Groups �

Below are links to materials currently available on the aa.org website, in the Group Handbook, and in service kits that have information related to online groups.

Anonymity Online and Digital Media

A.A. Guidelines on the Internet MG-18

GSO New Group Listing Guidelines/Form

Is Your Group Linked to A.A. as a Whole?

Frequently Asked Questions on Practicing the Seventh Tradition at Virtual Meetings

Serving All Alcoholics: Making the A.A. Message Accessible

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�More Shared Experience Needed Regarding Online Groups ��

While they offer helpful information, more shared experience needs to be gathered from online groups on their practices and procedures, the challenges they’ve faced and the solutions they’ve found so that it can be integrated into these service pieces. Sharing from one group to another, one GSR to another, one DCM to another, and one district to another will do a great deal to fill the need. In addition to the resources above, many intergroups and central offices, districts, and areas have guides on their websites that can be helpful to online groups. G

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���There are still, as there were with the first progress report, more questions than answers. However, the shape of the questions continues to evolve and change. It is apparent that many conversations are happening at Area, District and Group levels, and that there is a need and an appetite for continued shared experience. There are voices that we continue to need to seek out and hear from in this still-evolving picture and process. It is a remarkable one to be a part of..

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The ���What are the current successes and challenges at the group, district and area levels? ��

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Agenda Committee Consideration from the 72nd Genial Service Conference: “…an interactive at the 73rd GSC, including the following question:”