Metro Milwaukee Narcotics Anonymous

Today at our Group Support Forum, we brainstormed solutions to some of the issues we identified as needing improvement in our Area. We invite you to share these ideas with your group during the business meeting and to talk about how you might implement some of the suggestions or create some approaches that work best for your meeting. Each group is autonomous!

1. Explicitly demonstrate appreciation for those who serve at every meeting. Pointing them out and saying thank you.

2. Volun-telling or directly asking specific individuals to fulfill a specific role, telling them what qualities they have that make them a good match for that position.

3. Area service meeting can expand to include FOOD, events, picnic, workshops, panel, speaker, open mic, etc.

1. Let GSR report be primarily communications from the area, rather than reading a list of event announcements (consider directing people to the website) and use that time to go over issues requiring action or feedback.

2. Make Area GSR report something separate from event announcements (or consider saving the GSR report for the business meeting, but be sure to announce ahead of time what the topics are that will be discussed).

3. Develop a comprehensive GSR training format for each meeting, and each meeting’s GSR passes that training on to the next GSR.

1. End recovery meeting early to start the business meeting.

2. Assure members that everyone’s voice matters and is heard, regardless of how much or how little clean time they have. Newcomer input is essential to making sure our meetings are fulfilling their primary purpose!

3. Consider cutting out the smoke break and making meeting shorter.

Note: Tradition Five in It Works How and Why (p. 119) lists several questions we might be asking during our business meetings: How well are we carrying the message of recovery? Are there addicts our group isn’t reaching? How can we make our meetings more accessible? What can we do to make new members feel more at home? Has the atmosphere of recovery diminished? Would a change in our meeting format strengthen that atmosphere?

These are not all the suggestions we came up with today! Keep your eyes peeled for a flyer with more suggestions for keeping service attractive and vital!