2015 Conference Advisory Actions and Additional Considerations

Conference Advisory Actions represent recommendations made by the standing committees and approved by the Conference body as a whole; or recommendations discussed and voted upon by all Conference members during general sessions. Some Advisory Actions and a few additional committee considerations appear below in condensed form. A complete list will be published in the Final Conference Report.

Advisory Actions

Agenda—that the theme for the 2016 General Service Conference be: “Our Spiritual Way of Life: Steps, Traditions and Concepts;” that the presentation/discussion topics for the 2016 Conference be: Connecting With the Newcomer, Connecting With Each Other, Connecting With A.A. as a Whole.

Finance—that Phase 1 of the G.S.O. proposed plan to translate pre-Conference and Conference material into Spanish and French be implemented beginning with the 2016, 66th General Service Conference.

Grapevine—that the revised pamphlet “A.A. Grapevine and La Viña: Our Meeting in Print” be approved.

Literature—that the revised pamphlet “Your A.A. General Service Office” be approved with minor changes; that the pamphlet “A.A. and the Gay/Lesbian Alcoholic” be updated to include recovery experiences of bisexual, transgender and gender nonconforming A.A.s; that literature be developed for the alcoholic with mental health issues; that the pamphlet “A.A. for the Woman” be revised.

Policy/Admisions—that the 68th General Service Conference be held April 22–28, 2018; that the policy regarding General Service Conference audio recordings be revised.

Public Information—that the A.A. Membership Survey pamphlet and display be updated to reflect the findings of the 2014 Membership Survey; that the proposed video public service announcement, “Doors,” be approved with changes; that the public service announcements “A Force of Nature” and “Testimonials” be discontinued.

Report and Charter—that various copy changes and information be made to The A.A. Service Manual/Twelve Concepts for World Service; that a limited run of the A.A. Regional Directories (Eastern U.S., Western U.S. and Canada) be printed annually for purchase upon request.

Trustees—that the slate of trustees be elected at the annual meeting of the members of the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous, Inc. in April 2015.

Additional Considerations

Archives—the committee reviewed the Archives Workbook noting minor changes and a new section “Sharing on Digital Archives.”

Cooperation With the Professional Community—the committee asked that the trustees’ committee continue to read and review the selection of pamphlets included in the C.P.C. Kit.

Corrections—the committee discussed the Corrections Correspondence Service (C.C.S.) and requested that the trustees’ Corrections Committee review the effectiveness of the criteria for linking alcoholics behind the walls with outside A.A.s.; the committee discussed ways to engage members in Corrections service.

International Conventions/Regional Forums—the committee heard information and updates on the upcoming 2015 International Convention; the committee discussed ways to encourage interest in Regional Forums and how to attract first-time attendees.

Treatment/Special Needs-Accessibilities—the committee supports the trustees’ committee’s request for the A.A.W.S. Board to consider posting contents of A.A. literature items, produced in audio format and G.S.O.’s website.

Estimates of Groups and Members as of January 1, 2015¹

                                                                              Groups        Members

United States                                                      60,143       1,283,704

Canada                                                                  5,079            89,793

Sub-Total                                                       65,222        1,373,497

Correctional facilities^{2                                                  1,440                   35,349}

Internationalists                                                         2                    20

Lone Members                                                            0                    59

Total                                                                66,664       1,408,925

Outside U.S. & Canada^{3                                             48,662               631,704}

Grand Total                                                      115,326      2,040,629

1. The General Service Office does not keep membership records. The information shown here is based on reports given by groups listed with G.S.O., and does not represent an actual count of those who consider themselves A.A. members.
2. U.S. and Canada only.
3. We are aware of A.A. activity in more than 170 countries, including 61 autonomous general service offices in other lands. Annually we attempt to contact those G.S.O.s and groups that request to be listed in our records. Where current data is lacking we use an earlier year’s figure.

Box 4-5-9, Summer 2015