There are several types of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings: open and closed meetings, speaker sessions, and Big Book meetings. All aim to include and meet everyone's needs. Knowledge of the format can help one choose the right meeting and get the most out of the AA experience.
Effective Facilitation Techniques to Start a Meeting as a Host Start the meeting on time. Your opening words (IEEI). Confirm the agenda. Review the ground rules. Review the parking boards. Make introductions if needed. Encourage participation. Stay on track.
A code of AA is 'love and tolerance' and it means to treat others as you would want to be treated. Love and tolerance start with loving yourself, loving other people, and accepting a person as he or she is. Love and tolerance allow you to understand you can love someone without having to like everything about them.
By far the most common type of AA meeting is called an ID meeting. Members just tell their stories of what they were like, what happened and what life is like for them now. There are also Steps meetings where AA's 12-Step program of recovery is discussed in detail.
In most groups, the chairperson or another officer calls the business meeting, which ordinarily is held on a monthly or quarterly basis. While some groups may occasionally permit nonmembers to attend, the group may request that only home group members participate or vote.
And, in order to be an “official” AA group – often required by the Intergroups before your meeting is listed – you can fill out the New Group Form (3rd page) and thereby be registered with the AA General Service Office (GSO).
At “ID” meetings, AA members tell their stories; they describe their experiences with alcohol, how they came to AA and how their lives have changed as a result. (Attendance at an open AA meeting is a good introduction to AA, to learn what AA is, what it does and what it does not do.)
At the A.A. meeting the first step is to admit you are an alcoholic. At the meeting you stand up and introduce yourself, saying, “Hi, my name is _____ and I'm an alcoholic”. Without admission, no one is able to help you. This is an imperative first step.
At most meetings you will hear members talk about what drinking did to them and to those around them. Most also share what actions they took to stop drinking and how they are living their lives today.
The order of business may include: electing new officers; scheduling meetings; receiving and discussing the treasurer's periodic financial reports; hearing progress reports from the general service representative and other group servants; and apportioning excess funds among the local intergroup, GSO and the area and ...