AL-ANON GUIDELINES

The Shared Experiences of Al-Anon and Alateen Members

Public Information Service  (G-10)

Note: This is an interim update of the Public Information Service Guideline. In 1996, the Committees at the Al-Anon World Service Office were restructured on a trial basis. There is now a Public Outreach Committee and an Outreach to Professionals Advisory Committee. Formerly there were P.I., CPC and Institutions Committees. See CPC Guidelines (G-29) and Institutions Service Guidelines (G-9). Following the trial period, some of the material in the three guidelines (PI, CPC and Institutions) may be combined to reflect the new structure.

Who?
            Knowledgeable and experienced Al-Anon members, groups, or committees with a willingness to work and a desire to carry the Al-Anon/Alateen message.

Where?
            In your local community using the various means at your disposal, such as store windows, school bulletin boards, newspapers, churches, hospitals, television, radio, etc.  All national and international projects should be coordinated through the World Service Office (WSO). Your group or district can also participate in area wide (State/Province) projects.

Why?
            The way to attract people to Al-Anon and Alateen is to let them know who we are, what we do, how and where to find us. Letting them know we exist is an important part of our Twelfth-Step work. It is a way for us as individuals or as a group to grow and develop in our recovery.

What?
            Inform your community of the existence and availability of Al-Anon/Alateen as a resource for families of alcoholics.

How?
            Form a committee and keep a scrapbook of all your P.I. efforts. Paste in clippings of each newspaper story and keep a list of contacts. Add notes about radio and television publicity. This will help you develop new ideas and it will also be a valuable tool for your successor. If you have a P.I. Coordinator in your area (State/Province), check with him/her for maximum results.

When?
            At regular and planned intervals to maintain continuing exposure and to develop a relationship with regular contacts.

The Area P.I. Coordinator

The name of your area public information coordinator is available from the WSO, your delegate or area chairperson of the assembly.

Duties: Primarily, the P.I. coordinator keeps in touch with the area delegate and all Al-Anon and Alateen members doing public information work in the area.

Where? Throughout the area

When? At regularly planned intervals; at regularly scheduled meetings such as area or district workshops.

Why? To avoid duplication of effort; to get maximum results from the work of Al-Anon and Alateen members involved in P.I. projects in the area; to coordinate members’ activities by deciding who will contact various types of media. More than one member calling the same newspaper editor, program editor, outside organization, agency or individual is bound to cause conflict or confusion, the coordinator may assign or keep a list of all members serving as media contacts.

How? By using (Public Outreach material from the WSO); by sending ideas and information to the public information volunteers in the area; by initiating area wide ideas and projects; and by contacting members by mail, telephone or at district meetings to make available a current list of public information committee members in the area.

He/She also:

   Encourages members to keep an up-to-date record of area public information committees and activities.

   Urges group members to participate in local public information work; shares his/her experiences in doing public information and Twelfth-Step work.

   Acts as a clearinghouse for members doing public information work in the area.

   Serves as public information liaison among local groups and between local groups and the WSO.

   Cooperates with the local Al-Anon information service (intergroup) and members within the districts.

   Keeps area and local newspaper editors, radio and TV affiliates informed of newsworthy events.

   Initiates and develops projects at area level.

   Follows through on projects initiated by the WSO Public Outreach Committee.

   Works with the area delegate in hosting the Al-Anon booth at national exhibits in cooperation with the WSO Public Outreach Service.

 

SERVICE SUGGESTIONS

Establish A Plan

   Each area should appoint or elect a public information coordinator at its assembly. All public information material, information and news from WSO is then sent to the coordinator, who disseminates it to each district, information service (intergroup) or individual group depending on the area’s own public information plan. The coordinator acts as the ink between the WSO and groups within the area. 

   Each group, through the group representative (GR) works within the district to initiate and implement district or area public information projects.

   The GRs attend district meetings where they inform the district representatives (DRs) of their groups’ public information activities. The DR also shares information about area or WSO. They also consolidate public information activities, share information and make Al-Anon telephone contact numbers available. District, AIS and area newsletters are the best way to keep each group informed of local activities and to report information from the WSO.

   Cooperation between the information service (intergroup) district and the area public information coordinator is strongly recommended.

Set Up a Program

   Determine what areas of public information need development. Concentrate efforts on one or two projects at a time! 

   Elect a chairperson. One member designated within the committee should be responsible for a specific project. Regular committee meetings should be held and progress reports made.

   Distribute supplies of literature to religious institutions, libraries, schools, social agencies, etc.

   Stamp literature with a local contact telephone number and/or meeting time and place.

   Plan a poster campaign. Posters can be placed in public places, such as laundromats, store windows, supermarkets, schools, etc.

   Call on agencies and schools in the community to give them Al-Anon/Alateen literature or write a personal letter offering cooperation along with some literature.

   Invite community leaders and media contacts to open meetings.

   Offer your services to local information centers or local committees on alcoholism (as individuals not as Al-Anon members).

   Include a PO Box number or telephone number in all stories and announcements.

   Use television and radio announcements available from the WSO with suggestions for using the media to carry the message.

Get Space in Newspapers and Magazines

            Contact publications in your local area by phone or letter. Confirm a phone conversation with a letter or call to follow up a letter you have sent. Include your name, address, and phone number on the upper left hand side of the page. Write down all information you receive from everyone you contact including the name, title, phone number, and exact mailing address. Find out what their deadline is and how they need to have copy presented. Make sure all material is provided before any given deadline. Do not expect to be notified when it will appear. Our function is to supply accurate, complete, brief, and timely information.

   Choose the department most likely to be interested in your article or press release and contact the editor of that department directly.

   List meeting information in the weekly organization announcement or community calendar section when possible.

   Inform metropolitan and suburban weeklies of special Al-Anon events, projects, and meetings.

   Feature story articles are more suitable to Sunday supplements.

   Submit letters, which may be used by a columnist or in the “Letters to the Editor” section.

   Coordinate proposed national and international articles and press releases for the media with public information projects initiated and developed at the WSO.

After space has been supplied

   Send a letter of thanks to the editor.

   Invite members of the press to open Al-Anon/Alateen events. If an article has serious misinformation, write an informative, friendly, and courteous letter to the editor correcting the mistake and then let go of it; never demand a retraction.

COOPERATION WITH MEDIA AND AGENCIES*

Possible contacts

   Public and private mental health agencies. (*If there is an Al-Anon CPC or institutions committee in your area, cooperation is recommended.)

   Social agencies-family service, guidance clinics, youth centers.

   Local radio station managers.

   Local TV affiliates.

   Family courts.

   Parent-Teacher Associations.

   Community and civic organizations—Junior League, Women’s Clubs, service organizations.

Initiating Contact

   A phone call or letter with a piece of literature can be sent to request an appointment.

   Make a personal visit. During the interview be as objective and brief as possible.

   Be informed concerning the work and profession of the person on whom you are calling. Offer Al-Anon’s cooperation and state ways in which Al-Anon can be beneficial. Leave the basic literature: a catalog, an (S-16) order blank, a local meeting list and telephone contact numbers as well as extra literature, if possible.

Follow Up

   Send invitations or announcements of open meetings.

   Send literature relevant to contact’s work.

   If the first contact did not achieve desired results, try again or try another related organization.

RECRUITING AND TRAINING VOLUNTEERS

   Explain the need for public information and explain the opportunities available. This can be done at assemblies, information services (intergroups), district, and group meeting. Newcomers, as well as long-time members should be made aware that public outreach activities are an integral part of carrying the Al-Anon message.

   Retain data and contact information on willing group members so you will know who is willing to do specific jobs.

   PI volunteers need to be familiar with Al-Anon’s history, Conference-Approved Literature, and service material.

   It is helpful for an experienced member to act as a service sponsor and accompany an inexperienced member during his or her first interviews, public talks, etc.

SERVICE TOOLS

   S-15 Catalog for a full list of carrying the message materials.

   Public Outreach Service Tool Series Order Form (S-51/PO)

   Read the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual (P24/27), Digest of Al-Anon/Alateen Policies section on Public Relations.