The Twelve Concepts of Service
The Twelve Concepts of Service is one of Al-Anon’s three Legacies, along with the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. The Twelve Concepts of Service summarize the Al-Anon principles that have proven to help Al-Anon’s service organizations function effectively together.Al-Anon’s books and pamphlets have a great deal to say about how Al-Anon members use the Three Legacies as a tool for spiritual growth. But the best way to come to understand the Legacies is to listen to members share at Al-Anon meetings.
Twelve Concepts of Service
- 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 insure 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 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 selected 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.
© Al-Anon's Twelve Concepts of Service, copyright 1996 by Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.
General Warranties of the Conference
In all 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.
- © Al-Anon's General Warranties of the Conference, copyright 1996 by Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.