Chair

Area 79 Chair

The area chairperson is responsible for organizing meetings of the Area 79 Committee (Area Quarterlies and Assemblies ), chairing the meetings of the General Service Committee (GSC) and for ensuring that the business of the area is carried out. The chairperson, more than any other officer, keeps the delegate informed about what is going on in the area, and makes sure that Area Committee members are aware of what goes on in World Services.

The BC/Yukon Area Committee meets four times annually. Locations for these meetings are chosen, for the following year, at the April Pre-Conference Assembly. A list of upcoming Area Meetings is given on the Quarterlies and Assemblies page , under the Events tab, on this website. As the date of a meeting approaches, detailed information and the meeting agenda is posted with the meeting’s listing.

CHAIR INFORMATION

Area Chair is an elected position on the Area 79 General Service Committee. For more information about the Chair’s duties and responsibilities, please see the Job Description at the bottom of this page.

ALTERNATE CHAIR

The Alternate Chair is elected to the Area 79 General Service Committee at the same time as the Chair, and assists the Chair in their responsibilities. In Area 79, the Alternate Chair also sits as the Grapevine Chair. For more information about the duties and responsibilities of the Alternate Chair, please see the Job Descriptions at the bottom of this page.

SERVICE RESUME

For those wishing to submit their resumes for either an elected or appointed position on the Area 79 General Service Committee, please download the suggested service resume form  Service Resume . The link will reroute you to our elections section of our website. The use of the resume form is not mandatory for either elected positions or appointed positions. However, its use does assist both the candidate and the Fellowship in several ways. These include the provision of consistent information in an organized way and assisting candidates in adhering to time limits for presentation of resumes.

To let your name stand for an elected position please see: Elections Page

Chair: Job Description

(See the A.A. Service Manual, Chapter 5: The Area Committee.)

DUTIES

The chairperson is responsible for the smooth running of area assemblies and quarterlies, consulting with the General Service Committee before setting the date and time, making sure that all groups are notified, consulting with officers and committee members on the program, and chairing the assembly meetings. The chairperson, more than any other officer, keeps the delegate informed about what is going on in the area, and makes sure that members are aware of what goes on in world services.

Further, in BC/Yukon Area 79, the chairperson is specifically responsible for:

  • Setting and distributing the agendas for, and chairing, all General Service Committee (GSC) meetings (11-12 per year), held monthly in Vancouver and at quarterlies and assemblies.
  • Setting and distributing the agendas for, and chairing, the quarterly and assembly meetings (four per year).
  • Ensuring the effectiveness of the General Service Committee positions in covering the needs of Area 79, making adjustments if necessary.
  • Determining a selection committee for the appointed positions on the General Service Committee, chairing that meeting and making those appointments.
  • Appointing subcommittees as the need arises.
  • Administration of the budget, as well as chairing the GSC’s finance committee.
  • Coordinating all Area 79 General Service Committee travel with the exception of the delegate reports.
  • Appointment of BC/Yukon Convention chair in years when there is a convention.
  • Ensuring clear and effective communication among groups, districts and the area.

QUALIFICATIONS

The chairperson should have a solid period of sobriety (minimum three to five years), and experience in group, central office, institutional and/or area affairs. Area chairpersons need a sound understanding and appreciation of the Steps, the Traditions and the Concepts, along with a good fund of experience gained through applying these guides successfully to local problems. Communication skills, leadership qualities and sensitivity to the wishes of the local area are also important.

This position is a very heavy time commitment and requires strong organizational skills, including basic computer knowledge (email, spreadsheets and word processing). Consultation with family and employers is essential before allowing one’s name to stand, due to the amount of time spent away from home and the necessity of time away from work in order to travel.

DUTIES COMMON TO ALL GSC MEMBERS

  • Attend and participate in all regularly scheduled General Service Committee (GSC) meetings (held in Vancouver on the first Wednesday of each month).
  • Reply to email, telephone and written questions.
  • Attend and participate in all quarterlies and assemblies.
  • At each quarterly, assembly and GSC meeting, provide reports on activities since the previous event.
  • Chair appropriate committee at quarterlies and assemblies.
  • Maintain contact with district and local committee chairs.
  • Maintain contact with district committee members (DCMs) assigned to GSC member’s committee.
  • Submit regular expense reports to the treasurer.
  • Participate in preparation for the General Service Conference by reviewing and summarizing the assigned agenda background material, providing information to DCMs, chairing the committee meeting at the Pre-conference Assembly, and providing the committee’s recommendations to the assembly and delegate.
  • Facilitate workshops.
  • Be available for travel assignments, including taking Area 79 archives to A.A. events.
  • Review www.bcyukonaa.org content as it relates to the member’s position, providing updates and new materials to the website chair as needed.

FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS

  • The time commitment required is substantial and will vary from position to position, and also with the particular skills possessed by the member. Generally, some time will be spent every day to check and respond to emails and phone messages. Some jobs have workloads that are heavier at certain times than at others.
  • It is encouraged that you speak with members of the GSC (current or past) to ask more specific questions if you wish to put your name forward for a position.
  • General Service Committee membership may sound demanding, but, as we so often find in A.A., the rewards are far greater than time and effort put in.

Alternate Chair: Job Description

(Usually is also appointed as Grapevine Committee Chair)

As it says in Chapter 5 of the A.A. Service Manual, “Qualifications of alternates are generally the same as the qualifications for the positions they may be called upon to assume.”

DUTIES

  • Responsible for making sure all materials required for registration are in place for the host district at quarterlies and assemblies.
  • Responsible for Pre-conference committee pre-assignments, including adjustments needed for Pre-conference registration.
  • Assign district committee members (DCMs) to committees.
  • Oversee setup at quarterlies and assemblies.
  • Prepare roll call lists and facilitate the district and area report call-ups.
  • Chair the Friday night area committee meeting.
  • Organize accommodations for the General Service Committee (GSC) for assemblies and quarterlies.
  • Prepare the feedback forms for assemblies and quarterlies, summarize results for a report to the GSC and the fellowship.
  • There are several specific duties assigned by the chairperson, and these may vary from term to term.
  • For several terms, the alternate chair has also worn the hat of Grapevine chair. (There is a separate job description for this position.) Having one person cover both assignments is a decision of the Area 79 chairperson and may vary from term to term.

QUALIFICATIONS

The alternate chairperson should have a solid period of sobriety (minimum three to five years), and experience in group, central office, institutional and/or area affairs. Alternate chairpersons need a sound understanding and appreciation of the Steps, the Traditions and the Concepts, along with a good fund of experience gained through applying these guides successfully to local problems. Communication skills, leadership qualities and sensitivity to the wishes of the local area are also important.

DUTIES COMMON TO ALL GSC MEMBERS

  • Attend and participate in all regularly scheduled General Service Committee (GSC) meetings (held in Vancouver on the first Wednesday of each month).
  • Reply to email, telephone and written questions.
  • Attend and participate in all quarterlies and assemblies.
  • At each quarterly, assembly and GSC meeting, provide reports on activities since the previous event.
  • Chair appropriate committee at quarterlies and assemblies.
  • Maintain contact with district and local committee chairs.
  • Maintain contact with district committee members (DCMs) assigned to GSC member’s committee.
  • Submit regular expense reports to the treasurer.
  • Participate in preparation for the General Service Conference by reviewing and summarizing the assigned agenda background material, providing information to DCMs, chairing the committee meeting at the Pre-conference Assembly, and providing the committee’s recommendations to the assembly and delegate.
  • Facilitate workshops.
  • Be available for travel assignments, including taking Area 79 archives to A.A. events.
  • Review www.bcyukonaa.org content as it relates to the member’s position, providing updates and new materials to the website chair as needed.

FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS

  • The time commitment required is substantial and will vary from position to position, and also with the particular skills possessed by the member. Generally, some time will be spent every day to check and respond to emails and phone messages. Some jobs have workloads that are heavier at certain times than at others.
  • It is encouraged that you speak with members of the GSC (current or past) to ask more specific questions if you wish to put your name forward for a position.
  • General Service Committee membership may sound demanding, but, as we so often find in A.A., the rewards are far greater than time and effort put in.