X. Alateen safety policy

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Bennett Brown
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1 MINNESOTA SOUTH AREA AL-ANON/ALATEEN POLICY X. Alateen safety policy A. Responsibility for Alateen. Alateen is the responsibility of all of us in Al-Anon, as we seek recovery for our families, our friends, and ourselves from the disease of alcoholism. Alateens have suffered as we have and are desperately in need of the twelve step recovery that Alateen can provide. We, in the South Area of Minnesota accept the responsibility to provide safe places for our younger family members to find the hope and healing that we have found in Al-Anon. Therefore, in accordance with the requirements from the Trustees and the World Service Office, the Minnesota South Area/Alateen Safety Ad Hoc Committee has developed a policy for Alateen safety in Minnesota South Area. The Safety Committee has written this policy, but it will be incumbent on the Alateen Coordinator, the Alateen Safety Committee, Alateen sponsors, and all Al-Anon members to accept this policy and carry it out. B. A sponsor is any person who is directly involved with Alateens in the context of service to Alateen. Sponsors include: 1. Primary Group Sponsor: Al-Anon member sponsoring an Alateen meeting on a regular basis. 2. Substitute Group Sponsor: An Al-Anon member sponsoring an Alateen meeting when a Primary Group Sponsor is absent. 3. Conference Sponsor: A person working with Alateens to plan, organize, or supervise Alateen activities at any conference that has Alateen meetings, speakers or other activities. This includes Alateen-specific conferences, such as Midlake, in which Minnesota Alateen groups and sponsors participate in planning.

2 4. Transportation Sponsor: A person who provides rides for Alateens going to and from meetings, conferences, or speaking engagements. This does not apply to private arrangements initiated by an Alateen or parent. Anyone available to serve Alateen in these capacities shall be referred to as an Alateen Sponsor and must meet the minimum safety and behavior requirements defined below. For the purposes of this document, all sponsors will be referred to as Al-Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service. C. Responsibility for supervision of Alateens 1. Alateen sponsors will supervise Alateens at: a. Regular Alateen meetings: in the Alateen room, for the duration of Alateen meetings or activities. b. Conferences with Alateen participation, only when they are in the Alateen room. c. Alateen-specific conferences while on the conference property, for the duration of the conference. 2. Alateen sponsors are NOT responsible for supervising Alateens at: a. Regular Alateen meetings: before and after regular Alateen meetings and when the Alateens are not in the meeting room. b. Conferences with Alateen participation: whenever the Alateen is not in the Alateen room. D. Minimum safety and behavior requirements. What follows are the minimum requirements that must be met by all Alateen sponsors (as defined above), Alateen groups, and conferences with Alateen participation in Minnesota South Area. All Alateens, Al-Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service, and other participants must adhere to the Area s safety and behavioral requirements or they will be prohibited from participating in Alateen Service. 2

3 1. Every Al-Anon member involved in Alateen service must: a. Be an Al-Anon member regularly attending Al-Anon meetings. b. Be actively working with his/her Al-Anon sponsor. c. Be at least 21 years old. d. Have at least two years in Al-Anon, in addition to any time spent in Alateen. e. Complete a background check process verifying that s/he has not been convicted of a felony and has not been charged with child abuse or any other inappropriate sexual behavior. f. Not have demonstrated emotional problems, which could result in harm to Alateen members. 2. Number of Al-Anon members involved in Alateen service at Alateen meetings. There must be at least one Al-Anon Member Involved in Alateen Service at every Alateen meeting. For the protection of Alateens and their sponsors, it is strongly recommended that there be two Al-Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service present at every Alateen meeting. 3. Overt or covert sexual interaction. Overt or covert sexual interaction between any adult and Alateen member is prohibited. Overt or covert sexual interaction between Alateen members on meeting property is prohibited. 4. Conduct contrary to law. Members Involved in Alateen Service and Alateens are prohibited from engaging in behavior that is contrary to federal, state, and local law. Use of alcohol or illegal substances by Al-Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service and Alateens is prohibited at Alateen meetings and on meeting property. 3

4 4 5. Alateens and conferences a. Ratio of Alateens to Alateen sponsors. There must be one Al-Anon Member Involved in Alateen Service in attendance for every four Alateen members at Alateen specific conferences such as Midlake, taking place in Minnesota South Area or planned by Sponsors and Alateens from Minnesota South Area. b. Approval of Primary Group Sponsors. Alateens attending Alateen- specific conferences, such as Midlake, must have the approval of their Primary Group Sponsors, prior to attending the conference. c. Liaison requirement. All conferences with Alateen participation, including Alateenspecific conferences, must have a liaison to the Minnesota South Area assembly. d. Parental permission requirement for transportation or overnights. Written permission of a parent or guardian is required when transporting Alateens to meetings or conferences. A medical release signed by parent or guardian must be secured when the Alateen will be away from home overnight. See G34, Alateen Guidelines, for suggested forms to use for parental permission and medical release. Where unforeseen circumstances arise and written permission of a parent or guardian has not previously been obtained, Sponsors should attempt to obtain verbal authorization to transport teens before doing so.

5 6. Workshop requirements. Primary Group Sponsors and Substitute Group Sponsors must attend at least one Alateen Sponsor workshop prior to sponsoring, and one Alateen sponsor meeting or workshop annually while they continue to serve as a Sponsor. It is highly recommended that sponsors attend two meetings. 7. Approval and Review of Alateen policies and procedures a. The Alateen section of the Minnesota South Area Policy has been reviewed by legal counsel and will be reviewed on an annual basis. b. The Alateen sponsor certification procedures will be reviewed and upheld by the Alateen Safety Committee as defined under Standing Committees in the Area policies. c. For the protection and safety of Alateens and Alateen sponsors, the following policies must be practiced in the Alateen Sponsors qualification process: 1) The agency providing the background checks will store all background check applications and reports. 2) Minnesota South Area will cover the cost of background checks for all Alateen sponsors. 3) The Area Alateen Process Person (AAPP) and Alateen Coordinator will be persons with administrative access to the background check agency website or an area officer who is a certified Alateen sponsor will be designated to assist, if needed. 5

6 6 E. Additional suggested guidelines 1. Alateen meetings a. Meeting time and place. It is recommended that Alateen meetings be scheduled at the same time and in the same place as an Al- Anon meeting, whenever possible. b. Support by an Al-Anon group. Alternatively, each Alateen meeting should have an Al- Anon group committed to support the Alateen group and its Sponsors. c. Transportation home from Alateen meetings. Alateen Sponsors should confirm that all Alateens have transportation home from Alateen meetings before leaving the property. 2. Group sponsor commitment. A commitment of one year, preferably two years, is strongly recommended for Group Sponsors. When stepping down as a sponsor, time should be taken to find, qualify, and orient a new sponsor before the final meeting. F. Steps to take if there are problems in an Alateen group 1. Support of Alateen Groups a. Staying in touch. Alateen groups need to stay in touch with other Alateen and Al-Anon groups. This begins with attending district.meetings and the Area Assemblies. Contacts are made within the fellowship that provides resources to strengthen the groups in cooperating in public outreach, new program ideas, and personal relationships.

7 b. Support for Alateen. It is the support of Al- Anon, especially groups meeting at the same time as Alateen, that help Alateen groups survive and thrive. Children from the families of Al-Anon and AA members hear about Alateen because of outreach within the fellowships. Future sponsors and support for sponsors come from the Al-Anon groups. A District Representative can also be a great support for the Alateen group and the sponsors. A District Representative can be invited to come to the Alateen meeting to share his/her recovery experience. 2. Solving problems in Alateen groups. a. Help for solving problems within an Alateen group. If there are problems in the Alateen group that cannot be easily resolved within the group, a District Representative and/or the Alateen Coordinator is the first person to contact for help. Contact can be made by an Alateen member, a sponsor, or a parent. The Twelve Traditions and the Concepts of Service can be studied to help find solutions. A District Representative can help the Alateen group discuss the problems and have a group conscience. b. Solving problems not appropriate for a group discussion. There may be problems of a more serious nature that would not be appropriate for group discussion or problem solving, such as violent behavior or an accusation of sexual abuse. If situation of this nature occurs, the following steps must be taken. 7

8 8 G. Steps to take if there are problems with a sponsor. If an accusation of inappropriate sexual conduct, violence, or threatening behavior is made about an Alateen sponsor, the following steps must be taken: 1. Accused sponsor. The sponsor will step down from sponsorship. 2. The District Representative and Area Alateen Coordinator will meet the Alateen group to discuss this change and to help the group members determine their needs and help find a new sponsor for the group. Confidential information relating to the accusation will not be shared with the group. 3. The Alateen Coordinator and the Alateen Safety Committee will determine if a referral to an outside investigation is appropriate under the circumstances. Nothing decided by the Alateen coordinator and Alateen Safety Committee precludes an individual from making such a referral. 4. Inviting a Sponsor back to the group. Pending results of an outside investigation, the Alateen group can decide by group conscience to invite a sponsor back, provided that the sponsor still meets all of the minimum safety and behavior requirements.

9 H. Steps to take if there are problems with an Alateen member. If an accusation of inappropriate sexual conduct violence, or threatening behavior is made about an Alateen member, the following steps must be taken: 1. Accused Alateen. The Alateen member will be removed from the event or group. 2. Group sponsor and Area Alateen Coordinator. The Group Sponsor and the Area Alateen Coordinator will meet with the Alateen group to discuss the problem and to help the group members determine their needs. 3. Referral to outside investigation. The Alateen Coordinator and the Alateen Safety Committee will determine if a referral to an outside investigation is appropriate under the circumstances. Nothing decided by the Alateen Coordinator and Alateen Safety Committee precludes an individual from making such a referral. 4. Inviting Alateen back to the group. Pending the results of the outside investigation, the Alateen group and their sponsor can decide by group conscience to invite the teen back. 9

AFG Area 9 Alateen Safety and Behavioral Requirements

AFG Area 9 Alateen Safety and Behavioral Requirements AFG Area 9 Policy I. Purpose It is the goal of AFG Area 9 to bring Alateen recovery to as many young people as possible by providing a safe environment for Alateens and the Al-Anon Members Involved in