Northern California CAR Assembly

1. Northern California CAR Assembly Sonoma County February 3, 2008

2. Today’s Agenda: • Overview of NAWS and the WSC • Explanation of the CAR and Group Conscience Process • World Board Report – “CAT” Issues • “Building Strong Home Groups” • “Our Service System” • Working Lunch - The 6th Edition Basic Text • Youth IP and IP to parents/guardians • Additional “Targeted Literature” Discussion

3. Today’s Agenda: • Sponsorship Book Discussion • Regional Motions (2) concerning medallion production • Regional Motion concerning NAWS & legal responsibilities • Regional Motion concerning World Board Service IP’s • “Who’s Missing from our Meetings & Why? • Wrap-up; your comments and feedback on today’s process

4. The NA Service Structure Group Group Group Group Group Group Group Group area area area area Northern California RSC World Service Conference NAWS

5. NAWS Overview Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (NAWS) is a non-profit corporation whose business is to serve addicts. It is a part of the service structure that has been formalized for legal and business reasons NAWS exists as a unifying element that allows us to work toward achieving our common vision of reaching every addict worldwide with our life-saving message

6. NAWS Overview NAWS has four physical offices, called WSOs (World Service Offices) in: • California – Chatsworth • Canada - Mississauga • Belgium - Brussels • Iran – Tehran Special workers are employed by the offices to better serve our needs.

7. NAWS Overview The World Service office handles all NA business: • Production, sale and distribution of literature and other products like key tags, chips, and medallions • Preparation and distribution of all NA publications, such as the NA Way Magazine and Conference Agenda Report • Logistics and arrangements for conventions, conferences, workshops and workgroups

8. NAWS Overview The office also answers questions and provides assistance to individuals, NA groups, areas, and regions throughout the world.

9. NAWS Overview NAWS is supervised by an executive director and by the World Board In a sense our World Board is a Board of Directors much like that of any other non-profit corporation In a more important sense, our Board members are recovering addicts who serve like any of us who serve our home groups, areas or regions

10. NAWS Overview The World Board: • Supervises the planning and hosting of conventions • Facilitates the production of new literature • Oversees workgroups & projects • Provides the overview and insight that makes strategic planning possible

11. World Service Conference The World Service Conference (WSC) meets every two years. Delegates from regions all over the world come together at the conference to discuss matters of importance to the fellowship as a whole.

12. NAWS Vision Statement Upon this vision we stand committed: • Every addict in the world has the chance to experience our message in his or her own language and culture and find the opportunity for a new way of life • NA communities worldwide and NA world services work together in a spirit of unity and cooperation to carry our message of recovery

13. NAWS Vision Statement • Narcotics Anonymous has universal recognition and respect as a viable program of recovery

14. WSC Mission Statement – RD Responsibility “The WSC’s Mission is to unify NA worldwide by providing an event at which: • Participants propose and gain fellowship consensus on initiatives that further the NA World Services Vision”

15. How do we gain fellowship consensus?

16. Conference Agenda Report • CAR is distributed 150 days prior to the WSC in English . It is available for $11 or free download from www.na.org • CAR is available 120 Days prior to the WSC in French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish • We will provide Regional ballots to collect your feedback • We are planning 5 of these assemblies throughout Northern California and at NCCNA in March • You can also answer the discussion questions online at www.na.org/conference

17. World Board Report Pages 1 - 17

18. World Board Report • A Discussion-Based Conference • Conference Approval Track Material • GWSNA Revisions • CBDM at the WSC • Moratorium on WSC Seating through 2012 • WCNA Zones • “Major Book-Length Piece ” • Issue Discussion Topics – Taking the Next Steps Pages 1 - 17

19. Building Strong Home Groups Page 11

20. Building Strong Home Groups • Developed from the “Atmosphere of Recovery” IDT from 2002-2004 and 2004-2006 Conference Cycles • There is nothing more important we can do in service than strengthening our groups • We all seem to agree on what a strong home group feels like and how it functions. – the problem is how to instill these values more widely throughout the fellowship. Page 11

21. Building Strong Home Groups Large Group Discussion “What do you personally see as the difference between a home group, a group, and a meeting? Is there a difference in your responsibility or behavior with each of these?”

22. Suggested Ground Rules • Stay OPEN-MINDED • LISTEN and SHARE the time • Remember to PLAY WELL with others • Don’t forget WHY we’re here! • STAY FOCUSED on the subject at hand

23. Suggested Ground Rules • Lively CONVERSATION is productive • To AGREE and to DISAGREE… that is the process! • One more time – AVOID REPETITION • It’s important to START and STOP on time

24. Suggested Ground Rules • No KICKING, BITING, or SCRATCHING allowed!

25. Brainstorming Guidelines • One good idea leads to another… good idea • “NO” and “CAN’T” do not exist! • Creativity has no limits • Be part of – PARTICIPATE • Think fast, analyze later… judging, evaluating, and criticizing are not brainstorming

26. Brainstorming Guidelines • Above all… HAVE FUN!

27. Building Strong Home Groups Small Group Exercise: 1. How do we build strong home groups? 2. What do we need to do to encourage members to join a home group?

28. Building Strong Home Groups Large Group Discussion Q1. If you have used the Building Strong Home Groups worksheet, how has it helped and how can it be improved? Q2. If you have not, what would convince you to use the worksheet? Page 12

29. Group Worksheet Overview 1. Identify areas for improvement • Members “vote” for issues of importance 2. State the issues • Votes are tallied, top issue to be discussed 3. Brainstorm solutions • Consider new and not-so-new ideas Addendum A Page 57

30. Group Worksheet Overview 4. Choose a solution • Select the best idea, vote if necessary 5. Make decisions • Develop an action, including “who” and “how” Addendum A Page 57

31. Our Service System Pages 12-14

32. Our Service System • Evolved from 2004-2006 IDT on “Infrastructure” • Repeated themes over the past 4 years: • Need better communication • Less duplication of efforts • More training • Make service more attractive, accessible, and supportive • These same observations were made about World Services in the late 80’s and early 90’s! Pages 12-14

33. Our Service System • In 1993 World Services ceased all but essential services to engage in a comprehensive inventory • Inventory led to massive restructuring of World Services in 1998 and a much better system • Local services have never undergone this type of comprehensive review in our fellowships history and may also benefit from restructuring Pages 12-14

34. Our Service System Small Group Exercise 1. How can our service system better allow for new ideas and creative approaches?  2.  What steps can be taken to help build a more productive and responsive service structure? 3. What actions could our service committees take to promote an atmosphere of recovery?

35. Our Service System Large Group Discussion Q3: If you are using the Area Planning Tool, how has it helped, and how can it be improved? Q4: If you are not, is there a reason why? What would convince you to use the APT? Pages 12-14

36. Area Planning Tool

37. Area Planning Tool – Why Plan? • Planning helps us better carry the message to the addict who still suffers. • If there is no planning, often a service body will move forward in a status quo fashion – staying stuck on “this is the way we have always done it” • ASC planning is how groups join together to further NA’s primary purpose in their community.

38. Area Planning Tool – Benefits of Planning • To fulfill our primary purpose, the NA groups have joined together to create a structure which develops, coordinates, and maintains services on behalf of NA as a whole • Planning helps us focus and coordinate services on behalf of the groups to ensure that no addict seeking recovery need die from the horrors of addiction.

39. Area Planning Tool – Who Plans? • All trusted servants of an area should be involved in planning • The regional delegate may be used so the area chairperson can fully participate • Once the inventory and planning process takes place, the administrative body may be given the task to ensure implementation of the action plan

40. Area Planning Tool Seven Steps • Gathering information • Listing the issues • Developing goals (“what” not “how”) • Prioritizing goals • Creating approaches (actions to reach goals) • Prioritizing approaches (a second look) • Developing an action plan

41. Step 1: Gathering Information • How well has the area done this year in serving the groups, and how can it better serve them in the coming year? • How well has the area served the larger community, and how can it improve? • How well has the ASC supported and collaborated with NA’s regional and world services? How can the area provide better support for these services?

42. Step 2: Listing the issues Possible Broad Categories: • Training and Mentoring • Relationships with the Community • Financial Issues • Cooperation Among Subcommittees • Relationships with other levels of service

43. Step 3: Developing Goals • Small groups will create goals for the broad categories • Identify “WHAT” not “HOW” • Goals are clear and concise statements that identify a desired outcome without stating how to get to the outcome.

44. Step 4: Prioritizing Goals • The entire group looks over the list of goals and prioritizes the list.

45. Step 5: Creating Approaches • An approach describes HOW to reach a specific goal • Already existing approaches may be working, or new approaches may be needed • A small group will be assigned for each goal to develop ways to reach that goal

46. Step 6: Prioritizing Approaches • The planning body now takes a second look • This process is deliberate and decisive…members simply rank the approaches using a number ordering system of 1, 2, and 3

47. Step 7: Developing an Action Plan The administrative body or area planning ad-hoc committee will develop an action plan for each approach and will identify : • Tasks that need to be done • Time frames for accomplishing these tasks • Trusted servants who are responsible for completing the tasks • Resources that are needed • Completion dates

48. Maintaining the Plan • The administrative body or an ad-hoc committee are given this responsibility because they represent a single point of accountability for the ASC • When the planning process is completed, it is approved by the area and put into action • Goals and plans are usually given to subcommittees for completion • Subcommittees should report their progress to the ASC regularly

49. The Planning Cycle • Area inventory and planning should take place annually • A planning session should take place upon elections of the new ASC body • An area inventory should be sent out to all groups prior to the area planning meeting, or all members should be encouraged to attend the planning session

50. Break Time! • Remember: There is value in being back on-time!!!