Service on the A.A. General Service Board
Applications open to join the General Service Board
Tēnā koutou
We are currently welcoming applications for new Board Members to join the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The Board is the “working arm” of the General Service Conference and exists to serve the Fellowship of A.A. in New Zealand. This is incredibly rewarding service right at the bottom of the A.A. service triangle. All Board Members play active roles in Conference Standing-Committees and have the opportunity to help facilitate exciting initiatives at a national level. The term is for four years, either starting in March 2024, or if need be, you may be co-opted on to start in 2023.
Class B Board Members
Class B Board Members are A.A. members. In New Zealand we can have up to eight Class B Board Members and three of these must have Conference experience (as a Delegate, Conference Secretary or Chair). You will be required to have the following –
- Ten years of continuous sobriety
- A history of A.A. service
- Working knowledge and understanding of A.A.’s Traditions and Concepts
- Conference experience (desirable but not essential)
As Concept 11 suggests, “The trustees should always have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives, staffs, and consultants. Composition, qualifications, induction procedures, and rights and duties will always be matters of serious concern.”
Specific roles we are looking to fill in 2023/2024
Website Administration – The A.A. website continues to be a vital resource for both our Fellowship and those seeking help. Our Web Administrator ensures the smooth running of our website and is the link between the Fellowship and our web service provider. They also provide basic technical support to both members of The Board and Conference while using our cloud based systems. This can also be filled by a Class A (non-alcoholic) Board Member.
Media & Communications – This role is one of our ‘specialist’ positions which is best suited to someone with a background in media or communications. You will be required to maintain a good relationship with the media – helping to educate them around A.A.’s principle of personal anonymity at the public level, help facilitate requests for interviews and information and work with various media outlets to facilitate our public information campaigns. You will also be required to send newsletters to the Fellowship on behalf of the Board and be involved in some exciting projects to help carry the A.A. message.
Convention Liaison – At any given time, The Board is overseeing the planning of up to three upcoming Annual Conventions. As such, we require someone with experience and/or an interest in organising events or conventions – Being part of an Area Assembly or Annual Convention HPC would be a plus. We have clear Convention Guidelines, processes and procedures in place and this role will shadow the current Board Convention Liaison to ensure a smooth handover.
To apply for the Class B Board Member role, please fill out the application form and send it through to BoardChair@aa.org.nz. Or, if you’d like to know more, please get in touch.
Class A Board Member (Non-Alcoholic)
We are privileged to currently have two Class A Board Members on our Board, with one of them rolling off in March 2024. In seeking candidates for Class A members, The Board looks for people with a proven track record in their fields, an interest in Alcoholics Anonymous and a willingness to serve. While business or professional experience is not essential for all the alcoholic members of the board, it has proved essential for non-alcoholic members.
As A.A. members maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and film, our Class A Board Members are often called upon to speak on our behalf, as outlined in the long form of Tradition 11, “…There is never need to praise ourselves. We feel it better to let our friends recommend us.”
If you know someone who is a ‘Friend of A.A.’ and would make a great addition to The Board, please point them to the application form on our website and have them get in touch with BoardChair@aa.org.nz. This position will start in March 2024.
Ngā mihi
General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous
“All such representatives are to be guided in the spirit of service, for true leaders in A.A. are but trusted and experienced servants of the whole. They derive no real authority from their titles; they do not govern. Universal respect is the key to their usefulness.” Excerpt from Tradition Nine long form, Alcoholics Anonymous p.565.
Ngā mihi
General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous