Al-Anon's Twelve Concepts of Service
Carrying the message, as suggested in the Twelfth Step, is Service, Al-Anon's third legacy. Service,
a vital purpose of Al-Anon, is action. Members strive to do as well as to be.
Anything done to help a relative or friend of an alcoholic is service: a telephone call to a
despairing member or sponsoring a newcomer, telling one's story at meetings, forming groups, arranging
for public information, distributing literature, and financially supporting groups, local services,
and the World Service Office.
- The ultimate responsibility and authority for Al-Anon world services belongs to the Al-Anon groups.
- The Al-Anon Family Groups have delegated complete administrative and operational authority to their
Conference and its service arms.
- The Right of Decision makes effective leadership possible.
- Participation is the key to harmony.
- The Rights of Appeal and Petition protect minorities and assure that they be heard.
- The Conference acknowledges the primary administrative responsibility of the trustees.
- The Trustees have legal rights while the rights of the Conference are traditional.
- The Board of Trustees delegates full authority for routine
management of the Al-Anon Headquarters to its executive committees.
- Good personal leadership at all service levels is a necessity.
In the field of world service the Board of Trustees assumes the primary leadership.
- Service responsibility is balanced by carefully
defined service authority and double-headed management is avoided.
- The World Service Office is composed of standing committees, executives and staff members.
- The spiritual foundation for Al-Anon's world services is
contained in the General Warranties of the Conference, Article 12 of the Charter.
General Warranties
In all its proceedings the World Service Conference of Al-Anon shall observe the spirit of the Traditions:
- that only sufficient operating funds, including an ample reserve, be its prudent financial principle;
- that no Conference member shall be placed in unqualified authority over other members;
- that all decisions be reached by discussion, vote, and whenever possible, by unanimity;
- that no Conference action ever be personally punitive or an incitement to public controversy;
- that though the Conference serves Al-Anon, it shall never perform any act of government; and that,
like the fellowship of Al-Anon Family Groups which it serves, it shall always remain democratic in
thought and action.
Reprinted with permission from the Al-Anon/Alateen Service
Manual(P-24/27), © 1992, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc