Suggested Meeting Practices

1. Follow a script (ACA sample meeting format)​

  • It makes it easier for members to lead a meeting​
  • It prevents the meeting chair from improvising and going off topic
  • It creates a stable and predictable environment, something that was missing from many ACA’s homes of origin
  • It creates a consistency between ACA meetings across the world

2. Don’t crosstalk

  • Crosstalk is interrupting, giving advice, making comments about another person’s share, or making distracting noise during sharing time
  • We do not cross talk because as adult children we come from family backgrounds where feelings and perceptions may have been judged as wrong or defective
  • Today we accept without comment what others say because it is true for them ​

3. Use a timer during shares

  • Contributes to a sense of equality
  • Allows more members to share
  • Prevents any one individual share from dominating the meeting

4. Rotate service positions

  • Positions are filled by rotating trusted servants rather than long term leaders
  • Doing service is part of recovery, rotation allows more members to participate
  • Can invigorate a meeting (prevent it from feeling stale)

5. Make newcomers feel welcome

  • Makes the newcomers feel part of the group
  • Contributes to a safe environment
  • Encourages newcomers to come back and continue their recovery journey

6. Hold a group conscience meeting (as needed)

  • Allows everyone to have a voice in how the meeting is run
  • Provides an environment to conduct business and resolve differences of opinion

STARTING A NEW MEETING: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NOW-UncXgItWcLN3p6juTJlFK6GqqKc-WddiS-HAcFE/edit?usp=sharing

 (Adapted from National Capital Area Intergroup)

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