The S-Anon Board of Trustees recently approved the following updates to the S-Anon/S-Ateen Service Manual (SSSM) regarding the purpose, membership, and responsibilities of the newly developed Global Coordination Committee, along with additional edits to reflect its status as a standing committee.
Global Coordination Committee
Purpose
The Global Coordination Committee (GCC) provides assistance to S-Anon groups in other countries/geographical regions outside North America (defined as the United States and Canada) to more fully participate in the global S-Anon fellowship. This assistance can include helping to start and grow S-Anon groups and to develop an organizational service structure that serves a country’s or region’s particular needs while still adhering to the S-Anon Twelve Steps, Traditions, and Concepts of Service. The GCC provides support and guidance via outreach and service literature to local groups as they work to create a Traditional and Legal service structure, including a General Service Office. The GCC also helps guide these countries/geographical regions as they translate and distribute S-Anon literature.
Membership
The GCC is made up of a chairperson, who serves as a Trustee-at-Large on the Board of Trustees, and other current S-Anon members from North America service structure and from countries outside North America. Terms of Office are as stated under “Standing Committees of the Board of Trustees” above.
Responsibilities
Members of the GCC carry out the following activities:
- Encourage the creation and growth of S-Anon groups in a given country or geographic region outside North America.
- Encourage the development of a service structure that provides maximum autonomy to groups in a given country or geographic region (Tradition Four) while preserving the unity of S-Anon as a whole (Tradition One).
- Work in conjunction with the World Service Office (WSO) to provide support to groups outside North America as they move toward the development of their own service structures in a manner that best serves their particular needs.
- Provide assistance to groups outside North America in becoming self-supporting both financially and through the service of members in its service structure (Tradition Seven).
- Support the WSO in the management and communication of Trademark and copyright policies and procedures impacting the global community outside North America.
- Encourage communication and sharing of best practices by establishing communication channels to support groups outside North America interested in beginning the journey toward creating a service structure.
- Act as liaison between groups in other countries/geographical regions outside North America and the Senior WSC, sharing recommendations and concerns.
- Develop service literature related to all GCC responsibilities as appropriate.