OIAA Chair Report

Chair Report – February 2025: From Where I Serve…

And so, another month of service to our groups…

Safety Workshop

The Techsteppers supported by our Zoom Tech Crew and other volunteers, conducted a Safety Workshop on Saturday, 1 February. This is one of the quarterly Safety Workshops planned for the first Saturday of the 2nd month of the quarter. Our next workshops will be on the first Saturdays of May, August and November. Mark your Calendars!

At this Workshop, Katy F., our Techsteppers chair, prepared a slide deck and demonstration about how to set up the host key settings in Zoom so that groups do not have to give out the Zoom account information and sign on to the volunteers of their groups, who may be getting into service for the first time, just learning the ropes. It provides groups with another layer of protection without excluding newer members from stepping up to service to help. She demonstrated the Zoom settings to use and how to find them. And the team stayed an additional hour to answer any questions.

Katy and the Techsteppers have a Coffee Talk weekly on Wednesdays, 1 pm ET. The sign on can be found on our calendar page.

TechSteppers Coffee Talk, 1pm ET:

Zoom Meeting ID: 831 1330 3832
Passcode: web
Weekly open discussion of tech and safety in AA.
(English, no live interpretation, but we can use automated interpretation)

IGR Forum:

We had a successful, information-rich Forum this month conducted by our Communication Committee. This included a tour of the website for IGRs, the wealth of information under out IGR hotlist, the informational videos created by the committee on our YouTube channel, an IGR information sheet for you groups, a sheet with committee chair and officers email contact information including QR codes, created by the committee All of this information should be available to you shortly as well for your groups. The forum included time for questions and answers sent to us from the AskItBasket portal, and those asked by participants at the Forum.

At this meeting, I got the opportunity to sit in the background and work with the Zoom Tech Crew as the meeting timer. This took a few lessons by those generous crew members who knew how to do it and who spent Saturday morning practicing with me (What you don’t know, you ask)-and I also had some fun with these gals creating an avatar. In the committees, we are not a glum lot.

The Communications Committee is an OIAA created committee. It was established as an Ad Hoc in March 2023 by the board, because we saw a need. In all honesty, as I was 3 months in service to the online groups, I did not understand the “need”, but I trusted the other board members’ “vision” Now after working in this committee for almost two years, through its formation including approval to a standing committee by the assembly in March of 2024, I can say— “Experience shows.” They are important to the unity of our organization, in helping us communicate the message of hope and recovery to you. We are here to serve.

Our organization tries to stand for the 36 principles of Alcoholics Anonymous as affirmed in out bylaws and guidelines, and Communications can help our committees when asked…for creation of documents with a unified look, in the creation of videos which align with our principles. This helps our membership better serve their own groups through instructional videos and other digital means. Additionally, it is working to create an archive to document our journey for those to come. ‘Its vision is to help us include the rich diversity of the various cultures and language groups that define our international membership.’

I want to personally thank the Communications Committee and the work of the volunteers on all our committees for helping us serve you.  This forum involved the Communications Committee, the Tech Committee Zoom Tech Crew, and other members of the Technology committee, the International Trustee who engaged interpreters, all volunteers, and everyone other who joined us!

If you would like input to the topics of our next Forum on the 3rd Saturday of April, send your ideas to  igr.forum@aa-intergroup.org with your “Ask It Basket Questions,” topics of interest or suggestions for the IGR Forum. Sharing experience, strength and hope is the purpose of this forum.  Send us an email igrworkshops@aa-intergroup.org if you would like to be a part of the planning committee. All members are welcome to participate.

The Board activities

January has been a busy month for the board.  We had a newly elected Vice Chair join us, an appointment of the Alt Secretary to Secretary per our guidelines process, and the elected Trustee At Large resignation.

The process of the resignation of a board member is to post the position and notify the membership. We asked for service resumes to be submitted by February 7th.  Next, we discuss the candidates in an executive session of the board and select someone if appropriate.  This notification was posted here:  

Official Announcement

Board Announcement: Open Position-Trustee-at-Large

New and Updates

Board Announcement: Open Position-Trustee-at-Large

What this all means is we have a board that needs to get together and hammer out working relationships.  I am sure if you hold group conscience meetings you have had similar experiences yourselves.  It is a perfect time to review the traditions, our bylaws and guidelines for effectively handling issues that affect our whole group.  Particularly important are Tradition 1, 2 and 12.

The board had enough business to conduct that it held two meetings this month.  We hold regularly monthly meetings on the 2nd Sunday of the month at 2pm ET.  The open portion of the meeting you are welcome to attend.  You can find the sign on information on the Calendar page of the website. 

OIAA Board Meeting

February 9 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm (EST)
Meeting ID: 840 0946 3911
Code: Board

If you have an item that you would like to place on the board meeting agenda, please send an email to OIAA.Board@aa-intergroup.org and it will be reviewed by the OIAA Chair. 

If you would like to place an item on the assembly agenda, here is how:

2.3 Presenting Items for the Agenda

Proposed Items to be placed on the agenda for an assembly are first sent to the chairperson by a voting member. When such an item is presented to the chairperson, the item presenter will include:

  • A written proposal of the item
  • Any costs associated with the item detailed for review by the finance committee; (The item presenter should have the finance committee review the costs prior to sending the item to the chairperson.)
  • Background materials including a summary of the effects the item may have.
2.4 Clarification

Prior to an item being placed on an agenda for an assembly as an item of new business, the item will be reviewed and clarified by the board.

2.8 Summary for Submitting an Agenda Item
  • An item for consideration can come from any voting member or committee.
  • All costs associated with the item must be detailed by the presenter and sent to the finance committee for review.
  • After review by the finance committee, if required, the item is sent to the chairperson for clarification and consideration by the board.
  • After clarification, the chairperson places the item on an assembly agenda as an item of new business and notifies the item presenter.
  • Once an item is placed on the agenda, it becomes a motion.

With over 9000 meetings listed, we have a potential of helping the still suffering alcoholic whenever and wherever they can reach us online. Our 12 Stepper Committee, chaired by DC Dave,  does the important work of first contact as the online lifeline.  If you want more information about this committee, watch our informational video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pILetjc4kE.

Read More
3.2.10 Introducing a New Business Item During an Assembly

A motion for new business can be made at any time during an assembly but will only be considered after all the assembly business has been completed, time permitting, and if a quorum exists.  If time allows, the chair allows the motion maker two (2) minutes to present the rationale for the motion. The motion requires a second from a voting member.

These new business items require only a simple majority to pass except for the situation requiring a two-thirds (2/3) vote as required by our bylaws (see the note in Section 3.2.1 for a list of these situations).

If time does not permit or a quorum has not been reached, the new business item will be scheduled for a future assembly. The motion maker will be notified of the scheduling.

3.2.11 Declining to Consider a New Business Item Made During an Assembly

After the motion for a new business item is made, the chair will ask if a voting member desires to decline to consider the motion. There must be a second to the motion to decline to consider and it must pass by a simple majority.

Read More

Concept V Appeal

One of the items of business I mentioned the board had received last month, was a Concept V Appeal.   It was sent to the board by a voting IGR of one of our members groups.  At the 1st Board meeting of the month, this was moved to an executive session by a motion of the board, and it was heard on the 26th.  As it was in the executive session, I cannot share the result with you.
 
Here is the guideline citation about Concept V appeal encoded into our bylaws (1.06).

2.6 Appeals
Any OIAA member may submit a written appeal to the board, in keeping with
Concept V.

What is Concept V? One of our 36 principles—it is related to minority opinion

 “Throughout our structure, a traditional “Right of Appeal” ought to prevail, so that minority opinion will be heard and personal grievances receive careful consideration.”

It is another tool to come to resolve differences of opinion through the democratic process.

Here is a useful pamphlet to give you some idea of our third legacy of service, our 12 Concepts, including the 6 warranties of Concept 12:  https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/literature/P-8_0124.pdf page 119-120

What became clear to the board as we worked through this is the need to develop a process to deal with appeals.  Not to worry, the board can go forward develop a process to follow, hopefully including all levels of our structure as we did in creating the bylaws and guidelines and send it to the assembly as a guidelines amendment, for discussion and approval or revision there.

CBC (Combined Board Committee Chair)

The board also met with Committee chairs to hear their quarterly reports. It was a lively session in January.  We will meet again in April.  It allows us to stay connected as an organization and celebrate the work your trusted servants do for you.  It is our intention to always try to communicate, collaborate, cooperate and sometimes compromise with each other, within the organization and with you, the membership we serve.  These meetings help us to know and celebrate the work of our volunteers.  It helps us walk the walk of the principles of honesty, openness and willingness to service together, to serve you.  These meetings help us stay on the same page, just as you hold business meetings or group conscience meetings to steer your own homegroups.  Each of you has a voice, the minority opinion is heard, and you invoke the presence of the Higher Power to join you.  If the voice of dissent is heard and respected, trust the process of recovery, even when it is serving others.

What’s Next:

“Our first Coffee Hour with The Board is scheduled for 1500 (3 PM) EST on Sunday February 23, 2025.  Meeting info to follow.”

Our March Assembly-look for news-

We will conduct our quorum survey in the summer. Per our bylaws, our assembly business requires that we set a quorum of 25% of those member groups who respond to our surveys.  In 2023, the quorum was set at 43.  In 2024, the quorum was set at 36.  Please look for these surveys and we invite you to join us in participation in making decisions that affect us all.

The Unity will host another OIAA International Online Convention (November) and the standing OIAA Convention Committee will host a Cybersuite at the Vancouver AA International Convention (July 2025).  These are two separate committees serving separate Conventions. 

The Unity Committee has changed its meeting day and times.  It will meet on the 1st Saturday of the month at 11 am ET, and on the 3rd Sunday of the month at 9 am Et.

ID: 992 5516 4740
Passcode: Unity

This Vancouver Convention Committee (OIAA International Online Convention) meets on the 3rd Sunday of the month at 2:15 pm ET,

ID: 896 6153 1454
Code: Convention

Second Tradition:

Finally, I have been thinking about the Second Tradition this month. Early in the month I witnessed an event in my homegroup when a member, an essential service member, left dramatically before our monthly business meeting, over what I interpreted to be personality problems with the differences of opinion on how to run the meeting. We all have differences of opinion, but it is through the presence of our Higher Power in the informed group conscience of our business meeting, that the issues are resolved, so we can stand together in unity to help the still suffering alcoholic. The groups I visit, and my home group, do a great job at opening the door to experience, strength, and hope. But their job, our job doesn’t end there. We must learn how to arrive at consensus on how to do that, without hurting others, without leaving a hole in the force, to use a Star Wars metaphor, without leaving a hole in each group’s service structure. How we choose to carry the message is up to each group.  Similarly, each group, each service board decides together how to do carry that message, what format to use, how to solve problems, etc.   That is why OIAA formed its nonprofit status with the state of New Jersey. It is why we spent a year writing guidelines, forwarded to the Assembly in March 2024 for approval, to further expand the understanding of what the process is for OIAA’s service functioning.   We are using the Second Tradition to discuss and come to consensus to develop a plan of action to serve our groups, we use it to discuss a Concept V appeal, just as my homegroup and yours serves the still suffering alcoholic with their experience strength and hope.

The Second Tradition asks us to come together and discuss our differences, not run from a difference of opinion or try to censure that opinion, to hide it in the cloak of secrecy or confidentiality.

I believe there is often more than one right answer to a problem.  Often, a compromise is a stronger right answer. Bringing all parties to the discussion is critical. Seeking the counsel of shared experience is also exactly what we do in our AA meetings, when we identify as Alcoholics.  We are all a family with the same last name. This takes time. This is a process. When the Higher Power speaks to us at this time, through the voices of our sisters and brothers, the people from any group can be satisfied and accept they have a working solution, even if they disagreed with the solution or need to return and discuss again. Or when they feel the need to file an appeal or make motions at assemblies.  This is part of our affirmed democratic process, that allows all opinions to be expressed without punitive action taken.

It is a privilege to serve you.

Humbly and respectfully submitted,
Susan R
OIAA Chair
chair@aa-intergroup.org

Informational Video about IGR (Intergroup Representative)

What is OIAA informational Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZIB3TfAHXU

How to Submit a Group Report:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82MJiTdvv0U

How to Submit a Member story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9t2TajMakg

And remember, if you want to step up to service, we need your help!!  It’s really a mouse click away.

  • 12th-Stepper Committee
  • Techsteppers
  • PAC or Policy and Admissions
  • PIC or Public Information
  • Convention Committees
  • Other OIAA Committees

Steppers , an integral part of OIAA’s worldwide outreach. is currently chaired by OIAA long timer, DC Dave. It assists alcoholics and others who are reaching out for help via the internet. Individuals are directed to Steppers via “Get Help Now” buttons/links found on A.A. and other websites around the world. If you want to put a link to steppers on your website, you can do so here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/link-your-group/

Every  stepper’s email request receives at least one reply, although their practice is to try to send 2 to 3 replies to each request. In July, members responded to 305 requests, resulting in 2.78 replies. Those who are helped often email back their gratitude. Here is an example: 

“I don’t know what to say, I’m so appreciative with your swift response and am grateful for your help and I am making contact with a physical meeting close by to make sure the meeting is still on. It took me so long and hurt so many people including my family ,to accept, that I am not well .I’ve been kicked out of the house after abusing alcohol yet again, hate hurting my family…but I feel I need to start attending meetings. Again, thank you, I will never forget how my journey started…”

Want to join them and answer the “phone”? Check out the video about the committee on our YouTube channel (link at the end) Visit their webpage here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/12-steppers/

The Techsteppers Technology subcommittee is currently chaired by Katy F. Their mission is to provide support to OIAA directory meetings and their attendees for online security and account settings.

Between March 2023 and June 2024, they have answered 150 Tech requests for help to both individuals and groups. There are currently 14 Techsteppers. And they provide quarterly Safety Workshops. To request help: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/online-meeting-help/

To contact the chair for more information:  techsteppers.chair@aa-intergroup.org

This committee is chaired by Jan BB. PAC is one of the foundational committees that groups encounter when they first contact us to list. The Registrar in the Tech Committee is the other. Jan summarized what her committee does for the Service Expo:

Our Services

  • Registration Assistance: PAC helps new groups register to list A.A. meetings/groups on the OIAA meeting directory.
  • Submission Review: We review all new meeting submission forms for compliance with form completion and directory listing guidelines.
  • Intergroup Representatives: PAC assists new member groups in listing Intergroup representatives at the time of registration.
  • Reinstatement Support: We help meetings/groups regain their listing status within the OIAA meeting directory or as Intergroup representatives if they have lapsed.
  • Complaint Resolution: PAC assists in resolving complaints and answering questions regarding OIAA directory-listed meetings/groups that have been reported.
  • Policy Advisories: We offer OIAA policy/guideline advisories to interested parties.

Ideal Opportunity For:

  • Detail-Oriented: A.A. members who can dedicate time (sometimes daily) for online service.
  • Experience: Individuals with a year or more of sobriety.
  • Tech-Savvy: Those familiar with using email, laptops, or computers (not compatible with mobile phones).

Why Join PAC?

PAC provides a vital service for OIAA. Each new meeting form is reviewed according to OIAA meeting directory guidelines and A.A. Twelve Traditions. New meeting submissions arrive daily, typically averaging two or more per day. This active service role requires good communication skills and involves assisting in listing meetings.

Multilingual Opportunities

If English is not your first language or you are not fluent in English, we have services tailored for you. PAC particularly welcomes members fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, or any language other than English to serve as ‘on-call’ service members, offering the warmth of member-to-member service.

If you have any interest in doing this work, we could use your help. For more information, here is a link:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/policy-and-admissions/

Public Information Committee-answers questions and provides information. What kind of questions:  I was thrown out of a meeting, what do I do? How do I use the filters to find the meeting I like? How do I get meeting verification to court? How to I find a meeting in my area? How do I find the “classes”  I am required to go to for court? I don’t think the meeting I went to is A.A., what do I do?

The Public Information Committee received 183 legitimate inquiries from April 1 through June 2024. All queries received prompt replies, usually within hours of receipt.

Training is available if you want to serve on the PIC committee, additionally, the Communications Committee is completing an excellent training video for PIC. The video should be an excellent resource for PIC when it is completed.

Contact Mary M., our PIC chair, for more information:  pic.chair@aa-intergroup.org.

We currently have two committees working on Conventions. The Unity Committee is sponsoring our first OIAA Online International Convention and our standing Convention Committee is gearing up to host the Cybersuite in Vancouver in 2025!

Unity Committee

The Unity Committee sponsored 2024 OIAA Online International Convention registration is open! Registration is free, but individuals must register to attend. This is a closed event for A.A. members and those who believe they have an alcohol problem. You can register here

They are thrilled to announce that they now have over 2200 registrations! 

Help them to continue to share this event by announcing it  in as many meetings as possible. Convention fliers can be found here  https://A.A.-intergroup.org/group-events/the-1st-OIAA-online-international-convention/

New videos about the Convention, from Brazil and Portugal, are now on our OIAA YouTube channel !

Thank you to everyone involved in making this convention happen!

OIAA Convention Tech Subcommittee:

They are making good progress with the tech needs for the OIAA Online International Convention. They still need help with individuals who are bilingual in English – Spanish and English – Portuguese. They also need a few female tech cohosts to help with some of the women’s meetings.

They have been holding tech training sessions, some with professional interpreters, for all the volunteers. So far they are going smoothly.

Anyone wishing to help with Tech can contact Beth D. at unityconvention.tech@aa-intergroup.com

Vancouver 2025 OIAA Standing Committee is planning the details for the “Cybersuite” we have hosted at A.A.’s International Conventions held every 5 years since 1995! Additionally, this committee may plan our own A.A. birthday celebration on years we do not attend the A.A. International Convention. At our August meeting, we found a person willing to be a temporary secretary. Thank you, JoAnn B, for stepping up. Remember, registrations for this event in person event in Vancouver, BC, will open at noon on September 10th. More information can be found here at aa.org:  https://www.aa.org/international-convention

You can serve on the committee whether you plan to go to Vancouver or not. But we are also looking for 12-step service volunteers who do plan to attend. For more information about this committee:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/conventions/  The next meeting for this committee is  the 3rd Sunday of the month, at 2:15  pm ET.  ID: 896 6153 1454 PW:  Convention. If you have any questions, contact me, Barry M, trustee.at.large@aa-intergroup.org or Jan BB pac.chair@aa-intergroup.org

Communications:  Lesliee A. chairs this committee Besides in-house informational and instructional video production, art and flier design headed by Randy C., the OIAA Communications Committee also has an Archivist, Paul M. Their committee meets on the 3rd Sunday of the month at 1:15 pm ET. More information can be found here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/communications/

Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) chaired by Gwen M., with alt-chair Sharon G.,  is holding meetings-the 4th Monday of the month at 6:30 pm ET. Look for more information on their webpage:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/cooperation-with-the-professional-community/  Get in touch with Gwen for more information: cpc.chair@aa-intergroup.org

Finance:  The Finance Committee is chaired by our Treasurer, Jennifer B. The alternate Treasurer is Felix E. The committee meets on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 2 pm ET. In August we began our 2025 budget process. If you have an interest in how we manage and budget our finances or in being part of an internal financial review team, here is the place to serve. The link to their webpage is here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/finance/ 

Technology: The Technology Committee’s primary purpose is to provide, support, maintain, secure, and enhance the essential Information Technology needs of the Intergroup, including the OIAA Website, the OIAA Meeting Directory, electronic communications (including email, video conferencing, electronic voting, and surveys), and file sharing and collaboration. If you have skills in technology and want to participate on our technology committee, they have five active subcommittees: 

  • Cloud Admin: implements and maintains OIAA’s cloud services (Google Workspace) and helps support OIAA workspace users.
  • Member Directory Team: administers the updates to the OIAA meeting directory with meeting adds and changes.
  • Tech Steppers: helps with meetings with safety and security information.
  • Web Services: helps develop and maintain the OIAA website.
  • Zoom Events Crew runs the OIAA workshops, forums and assemblies Zoom rooms.

To volunteer, send them an email today at OIAA.tech@aa-intergroup.org

I recently asked about website analytics. If you would like to look, they can be found here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/oiaa-statistics-report-archive/  As of July 31st, we list 8796 meetings, 2825 groups.  We have 959 members, 25 officers and committee chairs, 719 groups have IGRs, and we have 215 non-voting members. In July, we had 367,463 users, 360,631 were English users. We had 125,457 new users and 1,228, 176 page views.

The Tech committee will  met on the 2nd and 4th Mondays in September: For more information, their webpage is here: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/technology/

Session #1 Questions – Fiduciary & Finance

  1. Are we choosing appointed members of the board with care?
  2. Are we financially prudent?
  3. Are we providing information when needed or requested in a timely manner?
  4. Are we abiding by the guidance that has been published as well as what is in draft?
  5. Do we maintain all documents and coverage that is required?
  6. Are we leading or governing?
  7. How do we better manage the load of service?
  8. What is the fiduciary responsibility of the Board?

Session #2 Questions – Organizational & Strategic

  1. What is our primary purpose and are we fulfilling it?
  2. Do we communicate appropriately and effectively with each other and the membership?
  3. Are we an approachable and attractive board where others feel comfortable and want to serve?
  4. What is the board’s overall management style? Am I supporting that?
  5. Are we unified?
  6. What specifically would each board member like to see improved?
  7. How can we better support the online groups in various areas around the world including the Americas and Canada, the UK, Portugal and Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific Rim?

Latest Updates From The Chair...

Add Update

Looking For Older Chair Reports? Find Them Here !