Chapter 2-PR HandBook!! Up for Review by Aug. 1st

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PUBLIC RELATIONS HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 2
CORE PRINCIPLES AND PHILOSOPHIES

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PR HANDBOOK – CHAPTER 2
CORE PRINCIPLES AND PHILOSOPHIES
Many of us understand the importance of NA’s principles, but how do we go
about applying these principles to carry the NA message in a public setting?
This chapter highlights NA’s core principles and philosophies and explores how
to practically apply them in our public relations service efforts. By understanding
these principles, we are empowered to create services that are more reliable,
responsive, and communicative.
The principles outlined in this chapter are contained in NA’s steps, traditions,
and concepts. Of course, all of the steps, traditions, and concepts have some
bearing on our relationships with the public. We have simply highlighted the
principles that seem particularly relevant to public relations service. The
foundational principle of all our service efforts is the group’s primary purpose
described by our fifth tradition. As our literature states, “carrying the NA
message is so important to the survival of NA that it is called our primary
purpose.” We work to fulfill our primary purpose and stay within principles.
The Spiritual Foundation
While principles can be applied to any area of service, certain principles assist
our public relations actions. This chapter illustrates the NA principles that apply
to our relationships within the fellowship and with the public. When we truly
understand NA principles, we are better able to act in a considerate way when
we are presented with unexpected challenges. Our service efforts often provide
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us with opportunities to apply principles to what might appear as
insurmountable obstacles. It helps to take some time to reflect on the situation
that seems to need attention. We approach the challenge with an open mind to
seek resolution. For example, we may find ourselves in a dilemma when two
different sub committees are interacting with the same correctional facility. The
contacts from each sub committee may be in a dialogue with two different
people at the facility. What is needed in a situation like this one is good
communication between sub-committees. Our public relations are
strengthened when we keep each other informed.
Tradition Five: Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry the message to the
addict who still suffers.
As members of NA we have a primary purpose to support. NA groups have
delegated the responsibility of supporting this primary purpose to our service
committees. For those of us performing public relations services, this means we
approach our service with an attitude of humility: we are simply recovering
addicts trying to carry a message of recovery (that someone else freely shared
with us) to other suffering addicts. Our job is to let others know that Narcotics
Anonymous is a simple, spiritual, twelve step recovery program that can help
any addict find freedom from drug addiction. We confidently acknowledge what
services we can and cannot provide. Our goal is to let others know about our
program of recovery. We approach public relations with the knowledge of who
NA is to the community and what NA’s relationship is to that community.
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Understanding and embracing NA’s role in the community can help to foster an
attitude of selfless service.
Anonymity
When a friend tells us about the struggles another person is having with
addiction, we may want to let that friend know about Narcotics Anonymous and
what it has done for us. When a coworker has a drug problem, we may want to
share our experience with that person. None of us will want to indiscriminately
trumpet the gory details of our addiction to everyone in town, nor will we want to
disclose our NA membership to everyone we meet. When we think it may be
helpful, however, it may be appropriate to share a bit of our story and the
recovery we’ve found in Narcotics Anonymous.
It Works: How & Why
We do not break our anonymity when we share directly and openly with anyone
about our personal experiences with addiction and freedom in recovery. Many
members share their recovery experiences with their former treatment
counselors or probation officers. This could be considered public relations, as
former treatment counselors and probation officers are more likely to refer
clients to NA when they see that the NA program of recovery is working in the
lives of these members. This approach creates opportunities for addicts to learn
about NA and provides for an attitude of goodwill toward our program.
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In NA, the principle of anonymity encourages what our literature describes as
“selfless generosity”. Anonymity guides us to behave in ways that put the
group’s welfare ahead of our own: the ‘I’ becomes the ‘we.’ We accept that as
individuals we have strengths and weaknesses. That humility is anonymity in
action. We practice humility when we understand that the group is the strongest
vehicle for carrying NA’s message. We are all equal when we sit together in an
NA meeting; anonymity asks us to carry that equality and selflessness into our
relationships with the public.
In joining anonymously in a fellowship with other recovering addicts, placing the
welfare of the group ahead of our own, our own spiritual growth is enhanced
beyond measure, not diminished. It Works: How & Why
Many members confuse anonymity as not stating our last names. This would
only be an issue of concern in a media setting. The principle of anonymity
encourages equality, and a focus on the greater good of NA rather than our
own personal interest. In NA, we don’t care who you are; we care about the
therapeutic value of one addict helping another. It is each member’s choice
whether or not to disclose a last name or personal information. Anonymity
supports our ultimate goal of focusing on our primary purpose instead of our
individual concerns. The principles contained within our traditions encourage us
to humbly join together in hope of forwarding the ideals of our fellowship.
Anonymity on the Web:
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The role of personal anonymity on the World Wide Web can be a confusing
one. The Internet can often give the illusion that it is not a public sphere. Many
members, in enthusiastic efforts to carry NA’s message of recovery, have set
up personal websites or web logs. One way a personal site could honor the
principle on anonymity in this relatively new virtual media would be to state that
the site does not represent NA, it speaks only for the individual. Personal sites
can provide links to a local registered site or to NA.org. Personal websites can
further protect members’ anonymity by using words like “recovery” instead of
specifically stating that they are members of Narcotics Anonymous. Using a
word like recovery would help the site avoid being recognized by a search
engine if someone is looking for an NA meeting or information about Narcotics
Anonymous.
Anonymity with non-addicts:
Tradition Eleven emphasizes that no one personality is more important than
another; it relieves us of the illusion that we may need to be an NA
spokesperson in public media. This public is carefully outlined within our
eleventh tradition as the press (print and electronic media), radio, and films. If
we are asked to participate in a radio talk show about NA and recovery, we are
strongly encouraged to seek support from NA members in our service
community, discuss and plan our presentation with committee members, and
represent Narcotics Anonymous with another NA member.
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Speaking about NA to a correctional facility to provide H&I information, or
presenting the program of NA to a secondary school to inform an audience
about recovery are positive efforts of our service committees—actions that
demonstrate NA’s message of recovery. These examples do not represent
public media ;( a place where maintaining personal anonymity is always
encouraged). They are opportunities to make the NA message more available
and understood by addicts within targeted audiences.
There may be times when non-addicts can help us protect our anonymity as
recovering addicts with the media. Those outside of NA often have the ability to
enter media venues in a manner that can help further our primary purpose. For
example, a judge may give a press conference and talk about their positive
experience with NA—how hundreds of addicts have changed their lives
because they started to attend NA meetings, and about the effectiveness of our
program of recovery. We are not asking non-addicts to carry NA’s message, we
are asking them to speak of our message of recovery. Non-members can
simply carry information about NA. A non-addict professional helps members to
retain their personal anonymity with the press and protects any individual NA
member from being considered a spokesperson for Narcotics Anonymous. Our
program’s credibility with the media is not at as much of a risk since a nonaddict
is completely separate from our membership. Our service communities’
focus is not consumed with representing NA in the media; our members
maintain the focus of carrying the NA message. Non-addict professionals, like
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judges, are often inclined to discuss their experiences with our program. It is our
choice whether or not we want these members of the public to be well informed
and to have had a positive experience with NA.
There are a few points that local committees will want to consider when using
non-addicts in a public venue. The first is the concern that an outside nonmember
could possibly become associated as ‘the face’ of NA. One way a local
service body can ensure that they have been responsible in this type of
situation is to make certain that they have clearly defined the non-member’s
role and relationship to NA. Being responsible helps these relationships to be
successful.
Each public event and opportunity is unique; the local service body is often best
equipped to make judgments about the appropriate use of non-addicts.
Evaluating the nature of the event and the relationship with the non-addicts
involved could help a local NA community to decide if including a non-addict is
appropriate for the situation.
The traditions describe a fellowship that takes collective guidance from spiritual
principles rather than individual personalities. That kind of selflessness is what
the Twelfth Tradition means by the word “anonymity” It Works: How & Why
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Anonymity and Equality
Anonymity gives every addict who attends NA meetings an equal chance at
finding recovery. When members live by our principles, it doesn’t matter how
addicts look, where addicts came from, how educated or uneducated an addict
may be, or how much money an addict has or doesn’t have. For example, if an
attractive newcomer begins attending a meeting and the members in the group
give that newcomer more attention, then the group members would be treating
this newcomer differently. Would these members have behaved the same had
the newcomer not been so attractive? Is this attractive newcomer receiving a
certain type of attention that might prevent them from hearing the NA message?
We try to treat all members equally, so everyone has a chance at finding the
freedom our program offers.
…In the final analysis, our personal differences make no difference: we are all
equal. It’s true that we all come to Narcotics Anonymous with our own personal
histories, using patterns, backgrounds, talents, and shortcomings. But for the
purpose of our own recovery, our occupational identity has no bearing on our
ability to care for one another in NA. A college degree, a trust fund, illiteracy,
poverty—these circumstances that so powerfully affect so many other areas of
our lives will neither help no hinder our chances at recovery. Likewise, they will
not aid or impede our efforts to carry the message one addict to another.
It Works: How & Why
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Our Third Tradition…the only requirement for membership is the desire to
stop using
Narcotics Anonymous offers recovery to addicts around the world. We focus on
the disease of addiction rather than any particular drug. Our message is broad
enough to attract addicts from any social class or nationality. When new
members come to meetings, our sole interest is in their desire for freedom form
active addiction and how be can be of help
Tradition Three, It Works: How & Why
Narcotics Anonymous is open to anyone seeking freedom from active addiction
and our PR efforts need to support that inclusiveness. Our service efforts need
to ensure that everyone is welcome in NA—from the housewife to the convict.
As our Basic Text says, our service efforts should strive to reach all addicts
“…regardless of age, race, sexual identity, creed, religion or lack of religion.”
Unity…Together We Can
NA is more attractive and inclusive when we are able to demonstrate unity. One
way our unity is exemplified is in our ability to use our diversity as a strength in
our meetings and services. A group of addicts’ serving together (from different
backgrounds and with varying beliefs) highlights our unity in a way that is
extraordinarily attractive. When thinking about our unity in terms of attracting a
variety of using addicts, we can ask ourselves the following questions:
o How do we demonstrate an atmosphere of recovery in our meetings?
o Are we open and welcoming to all those who attend our meetings?
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o In our service committees, are we receptive to members in the fellowship
and attractive to the public?
We are the ones who bring to life Narcotics Anonymous’ simple message of
recovery from addiction; a message that ensures freedom for any addict, from
any background and age group, to experience recovery from active addiction.
In our efforts to accomplish the all-encompassing goal of remaining open and
inclusive to all addicts, members may want to take time to learn who resides in
their city, town, or local community. Asking questions like, who is missing from
our meetings? and who does NA need to reach? will help to focus service
efforts where they may be needed the most. Awareness is often the initial
action. Having group discussions and planning sessions about desired actions
and directions to fill identified gaps in the community will help to focus PR
efforts. If members live in a community where the largest population is made up
of retired citizens or those confined to convalescent homes, members of the NA
community might consider creating a presentation specifically designed to
reach those potential members. Service committees may want to ask some of
the older members in the local fellowship to participate in a presentation that
considers the physical limitations and cultural experiences of that targeted
population. These preparatory steps reinforce that advanced planning is
needed to make our public relations efforts valuable and effective.
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Tradition One: Our Common Welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on
NA unity. Unity is the spirit that joins thousands of members around the world in a spiritual
fellowship that has the power to change lives.
It Works How and Why
It is our collective effort, one of which is service that helps other addicts find
recovery. NA has been growing since the 1950’s because of members working
together to further NA’s primary purpose. Many of us are familiar with the
group’s power to carry the message of recovery to addicts coming to our
meetings, and we use groups of members in service in the same way. We can
see our First Tradition at work when members put their individual wants and
needs aside for NA’s common good. Working together to make NA more visible
and viable in our local communities not only helps addicts find our program, but
is a powerful way of practicing the unity described in the First Tradition.
Attraction…
Another important consideration in making our public relations efforts more
valuable is the attractiveness of the behaviors and attitudes of individual NA
members, and the collective appearance of our fellowship. Attraction means
that we function (as members and as groups) in ways that naturally draw others
to us. When members act in way that is attractive, this fosters identification and
gives potential members a sense of belonging. We can also think about
attraction as it relates to those who help addicts find NA (who may not be
addicts themselves). Our individual attitudes have an affect on our collective
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appearance. How do we help professionals become aware of what NA has to
offer? We cannot expect non addicts to fully understand addiction in the same
way we as addicts do. What we can do is illustrate the power of recovery within
the NA program to those who are not members.
What is likely to be attractive, to the public and to professionals who interact
with addicts, is reliable communication, responsibility, commitment, and
behavior that reflects recovery. We demonstrate the reliability of NA by showing
up and fulfilling the obligations we make, whether it is to return a telephone call
for information about NA or supplying meeting directories at a public library. We
learn to draw on the experiences of NA members to fulfill all the commitments
we make with professionals. In the event that a situation interferes with our
keeping an appointment, we ask a fellow member to fulfill our commitment for
us and notify the person with whom we have the commitment to let them know
someone else will be coming in our place. For example, a work crisis prevents
us from meeting an NA obligation in a timely fashion. We contact another
recovering member to ask him to fulfill our commitment. And, we contact the
committee chair to responsibly inform her of our actions. We need the NA
members in our local fellowships to truly be successful in building and
maintaining relationships with the public. Cooperation and collaboration with
our service efforts in our communities usually helps us provide an attractive
recovery message to the public.
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…Rather Than Promotion
When thinking about the difference between promotion and attraction, it may be
helpful to think about the difference between informing the public about NA and
insisting that NA is better than any other drug program. Our literature describes
promotion as “fanfare, overblown claims, [and] celebrity endorsements.”
Informing the public that we are a credible program of recovery is a principled
action, whereas comparing us to other programs or approaches, offering
recovery incentives, or making claims about our effectiveness, can all be
considered actions of promotion. The only promise we make is the opportunity
for addicts to experience freedom from active addiction, guaranteeing any other
outcome is promotion.
Promoting Narcotics Anonymous doesn’t need to be an option for us because
we can humbly and honestly share how the program of NA works. Consistently
providing services to the community and to professionals, letting everyone know
about NA and what the NA program has to offer is a way for our service efforts
to make our program more attractive to the public and to potential members.
As it is outlined in Tradition Eight of It Works: How and Why, we perform our
service work energetically, and we seek to carry the message of recovery
throughout our cities, towns, and villages. We take vigorous steps to attract stillsuffering
addicts to our program. We have faith in the effectiveness of our
fellowship. We know that NA works because we have experienced it working in
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our own lives. We know that any addict seeking recovery in NA can find the
same freedom we have found.
Self-Support
Our first experience with the seventh tradition may be when the basket is
passed at the meetings we attend. Our contribution in a meeting may have
been the first time we experienced feelings of responsibility and a growing
sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves. Yet, a broader
definition of NA’s principle of being fully self-supporting means that our
organization is sustained by our own energy, member donations, and service
efforts. We don’t solicit for financial contributions from the public.
We are a not-for-profit organization; therefore, we are often offered charitable
rates on things like group meeting space rentals or public service
advertisements. This might seem contradictory to the principle of self-support.
Accepting charitable rates and discounts that are offered to similar
organizations, who provide services to communities, is in keeping with the
principle of self support. We are not treated differently.
When we practice the seventh tradition, the spirit of self-support encourages
responsible actions, anonymity, and integrity in our relationships with the public.
Self-support cautions us from relying on other organizations. It guides us to rely
on our own efforts and contributions.
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We may fear that when we aren’t charged for a thirty second spot on a radio
program or for an informational NA poster in a train station, we are not self
supporting. One way to forward NA’s message of recovery in the public is
through the use of public service announcements, such as radio spots or public
transit placements. Public service announcements are sometimes available to
charitable organizations. Media provides the public with a service; the
announcements provide information to the public. These announcements do not
compromise or jeopardize our principle of self-support. These are opportunities
that the public creates for community service organizations. What we offer the
still suffering addict in NA has a benefit to society. We provide a program of
recovery for the addict. The community offers their cooperation with our pubic
relations efforts through their service to charitable organizations. This is a
common example of building relationships with the public based on cooperation
rather than attaching ourselves through affiliation.
Just as we can receive discounted rates for meeting space and public service
announcements, we can accept help from those outside of NA. These discounts
may be considered a typical part of their community service. For example, a
healthcare professional may offer to volunteer time to NA by sitting on an
inventory session to discuss challenges both parties are facing in finding ways
for addicts to easily reach NA. In this example, there is a distinction between
services that are normally billable (such as a non-addict accountant offering to
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manage a local committee’s bank records) and a relationship that benefits both
NA and the outside party. When both parties are benefiting from the interaction,
and are closer to reaching their mutual goals, then both parties involved equally
support the relationship. NA is not being given anything exceptional by
accepting volunteer service from a non-member. Instead, NA is merely one of
many not-for-profit organizations that obtains a volunteer’s time. When
considering using a non-addict volunteer, local communities can ask
themselves the following questions: Will accepting this service give the person
or organization undue influence over NA? Will accepting this service make us
reliant on this person or organization?
In Understanding the principle underlying the Seventh Tradition, practical
simplicity walks hand in hand with our faith in a Higher Power. So long as we
take direction from that Power, our needs our met. Likewise, the decision to
decline outside contributions, meeting the group’s need from the group’s own
resources, is based firmly in faith. It Works: How & Why
Our experience has shown that as the public gains more knowledge about NA
they are more inclined to offer their support. Often this support is expressed
through referring clients, family or friends to the NA program. They refer people
to us because they support our organization’s mission. This type of rapport
builds relationships with the public founded on trust and goodwill.

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Often, we will find that the question we need to ask ourselves is if we are doing
all we can do in the relationships we have formed with those outside of NA. It
would be good for members of professional and community organizations, who
share a similar goal of helping addicts get clean, to feel as though NA is
available, willing, accessible, and helpful. Self-support means more then just
carrying our own financial weight—it means that we provide information and
engage in meaningful relationships.
Another way that those outside of NA may lend their support is through helping
us reach suffering addicts. Sometimes professionals may help carry information
about NA’s message of recovery because they know that the NA program of
recovery is credible. There are people outside of NA who can help start
recovery meetings in homeless shelters; there are professionals who may help
make recovery literature available to incarcerated addicts. Those outside of NA,
who share with others what they have seen working in the lives of addicts, are a
testimony to the power of recovery that our program offers. There are many
ways to ensure that the NA message continues to reach addicts, and
sometimes advocates outside of the NA program help us to further our primary
purpose.
There are limits to the amount and kind of support we can receive from the
public. There have been times when family or friends of NA members are so
overwhelmed with gratitude because their loved one is no longer using drugs
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that they want to financially support NA’s vision and primary purpose. We
understand this and appreciate their good intentions. But we don’t accept these
financial contributions. We put ourselves at risk of compromising the autonomy
of NA and the spirit of the seventh tradition when we accept monetary
contributions.
Cooperation, Not Affiliation
Cooperating means that we work together; it means that we associate with one
another in actions that benefit all those involved. When we cooperate, we
willingly help someone who requests our assistance. In NA this may mean
supporting a struggling committee that has asked for help; we lend our ideas
and our time. Although our first inclination may be to criticize or blame the
committee, we are here to support one another. We cooperate when we
responsibly and reliably bring a meeting into a treatment facility at their request
or when we attend a gathering at the site where our group meets to better
understand the concerns of those who operate the facility. When we work
together with each other and with our communities, we are able to take positive
steps that help us make our message more available.
How can we work with the public and other organizations without merging or
affiliating with them? One of the ways that we practice cooperation is by
remembering that NA members are responsible for observing the principles of
our traditions. Facilities and other organizations do not have this responsibility.
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As representatives of NA, we focus our efforts on carrying the message of
recovery. With this single purpose, we are more likely to let go of personal
passions that may interfere with NA’s clear purpose. We simply and honestly
review what services we can and cannot bring. For example, we take a moment
to ask what the treatment or correctional facility wants and needs from NA and
what we want and need from that facility. We honestly assess whether we can
meet the facility’s wants and whether we can meet their needs. Although the
facility would like many meetings, a regularly scheduled informational meeting
may be more a more realistic commitment for us. If we do not have member
support to provide weekly meetings at that facility, we inform the facility that we
have the ability to bring a meeting to their clients on a monthly basis. In this
manner, we create and sustain cooperative, trustworthy relationships.
Another question about the principle of cooperation is the issue of outside
research. NA members may decide to cooperate in outside research projects.
If this is the case, there are some points to consider. First is that healthcare
professionals rely on data to make decisions about recovery options. Data
offers facts regarding effective treatment practices. When information about NA
is missing from data, it is a stumbling block for referrals. Therefore research has
the potential to open doors for addicts. Yet, NA has no control over the data that
is collected or how it will be used. We have much to learn about cooperating
with outside research. We don’t have much experience to draw on. We can
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remain open to gaining more experience and to learning how to cooperate with
those who conduct research.
On a rare occasion, a local service community could decide to conduct their
own internal research of NA. We have a lot to learn about how research could
benefit NA’s primary purpose. Although members are free to participate in
research, this may be something that a service body could discuss. A service
body could provide a forum for members to discuss this issue if they are feeling
uncertain about research that is occurring in their community. Members are
more likely to stay informed and aware about research of NA if local NA
communities provide the opportunity for open discussion.
Tradition Six: An NA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the NA name to any
related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, or prestige divert
us from our primary purpose.
-----------------------------
Tradition Ten: Narcotics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the NA
name ought to never be drawn into public controversy
Our relationships with the public are initiated and maintained with the
knowledge that our work is a reflection on NA as a whole. Our service efforts
unify NA and help to create a positive image of our program of recovery. We
can be seen as a credible organization and we can be present in decision
making, but the only way we can be drawn in to public controversy is if we offer
an opinion. A part of our credibility comes from the fact that we maintain our
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single focus of recovery from addiction. If a facility wants us to endorse or lend
our name to its facility, or an organization needs us to support a piece of
legislation, we refrain. If we become involved in an outside organization’s
decision-making process as representatives of NA, then we offer no opinion on
the organization’s business. We do not take sides on an issue, we do not put
NA at risk or compromise the clarity of our message. If we side with legal issues
or medical practices, then we undermine our credibility and our primary
purpose. We work to avoid being identified as taking any “side” or giving an
opinion in a controversy. We stay focused only on how we can help those
suffering from addiction. This focus allows us to build relationships where our
role is clear and free of controversy.
Non-addicts can advocate for NA. Our experience has shown that, not only
does NA have advocates, we have friends. If a professional wants to support
NA by sharing about the effectiveness of our program, they are free to do that.
What we can do is try to ensure that the non-member’s enthusiasm for our
program doesn’t misrepresent the addict-to-addict nature of our program. NA is
not a program where professionals treat addicts, but professionals often want to
advocate NA’s viability. The role of the local service body in a situation like this
is crucial. The NA community wants to provide training and establish
accountability with the non-member supporter; this way the non-member
support could become an asset to NA’s primary purpose rather than a local
controversy.
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One of our public relations goals is to build long-lasting relationships that further
our own primary purpose through mutual goals we may share with other
organizations. Compromising any of our traditions in our efforts to achieve
these relationships is never beneficial to members and NA as a whole. We
maintain a consistent focus on our primary purpose with the public. By not
jeopardizing our relationships with those outside of NA and with our own
members, we foster the opportunity for unity and harmony with each other and
the community around us. We put the common welfare of NA first and
remember that we are only autonomous as long as our actions do not affect NA
as a whole.
Personal Responsibility as a Member
Our personal interactions with the public have the potential to affect the way
members of the public view NA as a whole. As recovering addicts, we interface
with the public in our daily lives. And we are often faced with public relations
opportunities when we least expect it. We may happen to have made the
decision to share our recovery with our doctor. Although we hadn’t expected an
NA service opportunity, it may dawn on us that the PI committee could target
the local doctors in our community. We could bring this information to our local
service committee and have discussions about how to proceed with this
contact. We have demonstrated personal responsibility in our decision to share
our recovery with the physician and in bringing this idea to the local committee.
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The Accountability of Our Service Communities
Our entire service structure is based on the spiritual principle of accountability.
We go to the appropriate service body to seek direction for our planned public
relations actions. Service bodies, which were created by groups to provide
services, maintain accountability with their collective conscience and
communication. There should be no such thing as an unaccountable service
body. We further foster accountability by working with others in service. We
perform these services in a way that gives a Higher Power an opportunity to
work through our group conscience. We create an opportunity for a Higher
Power to influence our services when local committees work together and allow
a group conscience to be expressed in an area meeting (rather than be at odds
with each other over resources). By working with the area we are less likely to
let our personal agendas be the driving force of our service efforts. We strive for
the public to associate our message with the entire global organization as well
as the local NA community.
There are responsibilities that accompany the principle of accountability. These
responsibilities apply to all parties engaged in an accountable relationship. A
committee has responsibilities to fulfill to the larger service community and the
larger service community has a responsibility to its committee. For instance, if a
convention committee is accountable to a regional service committee that
means that the regional committee has agreed to take on certain
responsibilities for that committee. If the committee encounters challenges such
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as financial crisis or problems with NA’s public image during an event, the
service body would work to take constructive steps to help the convention
committee. It is helpful for service bodies, such as areas or regions, to
understand and accept this responsibility before creating a sub-committee. This
understanding can encourage regions and areas to be proactive in their role
with committees that are accountable to them. Requesting financial budgets
and asking questions of committees encourages accountability and can help
avoid larger problems in the future. Remaining within budget guidelines and
maintaining accurate financial records may save a NA community the
embarrassment of having a need to contact an accountant, a lawyer, or even
the local police. Accountability may also save us from having to cancel other
services because we have overspent our budget.
Another aspect of providing accountable and responsible services is through
delegation. Just as groups have delegated responsibilities to service
committees, those service committees can delegate appropriate responsibilities
to members. Delegation is a relationship based on people. When we delegate
responsibility, we expect members or committees will be accountable and keep
the larger service committee abreast of their activities. At the same time, the
larger service body practices trust by not micromanaging or trying to control the
responsibilities they have delegated to another body or another member. It may
be in the best interest of a public relationship to have the point person who is in
contact with the public remain in that position even after their term is up. This
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could be beneficial both to NA and the public organization. The local NA
community will be best suited to make this decision based on their needs.
Sometimes we fear that delegation will mean a loss of control over our services.
Together Concepts One, Two, and Three have been designed to help us
maintain responsibility for our service structure without tying our trusted
servants’ hands.
Twelve Concepts for NA Service
… Remain Forever Non-professional
During a public presentation, we remember that we are simply trusted servants
helping to carry the message of recovery. What does remaining forever
nonprofessional mean in NA’s public relations efforts? In NA it is defined as the
equality we share. As members, we have an equal place within the fellowship
and are equally valued in our efforts to carry the NA message. Most members
may be able to provide information about NA to the public; however, in a
planned public relations effort we can utilize the skills and talents of certain
members. Some of the members in our service community may have public
speaking skills and may fit the demographics of our identified public audience.
This affords us the opportunity to utilize particular individuals’ skills for our
service efforts. When we speak about the NA program, we are not speaking as
professionals although we could. Sometimes we do use members who are also
professionals to present as professionals at conferences. The physician, who is
also an addict, is likely to be the best presenter for an audience of physicians.
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The principle of remaining non-professional supports the groups’ integrity—we
are working in service of the group. We understand that by providing planned
professional presentations to the public we can forward the primary purpose of
NA groups, whether this public is those who manage the helpline, those who
provide us with meeting space, or those professionals in a facility who allow H&I
panel meetings access.
Communication
Our service structure depends on the integrity and effectiveness of our communications.
Eighth Concept, Twelve Concepts for NA Service
Communication is a two-way street. We strive to be effective, honest, open,
consistent, and straightforward in our communications. We keep channels of
communication open with those in the public we are trying to reach.
Communication is not just feedback. It is listening, accepting constructive
criticism, and asking questions. Communication is verbal and non-verbal, it is
written and oral, and it affects all of our public relationships. Communication is
how well we listen to a member of the public after we have had an initial
interaction. It is the quality of our correspondences and our awareness of
cultural norms.
Above all, our communications are strengthened when we demonstrate
integrity, trustworthiness, consistency, and accountability. The principle of
integrity applies to all of our service efforts. In our communications, integrity
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means we present information in a clear and honest way, even in very
challenging situations. Trust creates unity in our service committees and
confidence in our communities. That trust is built when we are accountable for
what we say and do. It is our behaviors and actions that communicate most
clearly to those around us. Our integrity is expressed when we strive to practice
NA’s principles in all of our affairs; it is demonstrated in all that we do and don’t
do. We need to remember that we communicate when we take no action.
Communication is more than the words that come out of our mouths.
Communication is listening, following up, and responding; it is how we carry
ourselves through our service work and into the public.
Communication could be considered the foundation of all the principles we have
illustrated this far. As we begin dialogues with each other about how to bring the
principles of our program into our services and daily affairs, our public relations
efforts have already begun. The image we present to the public begins long
before we contact an organization to make a presentation about Narcotics
Anonymous. Often, the first impression of NA is made when a member of the
public sees us standing outside a meeting facility. NA’s image is affected by the
ways individual members live their lives.
Taking a moment to reflect on the underlying principles of our program, and
how our actions can demonstrate those principles, will provide our service
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efforts with a strong foundation. We begin by opening our minds and initiating a
dialogue within our own communities.

[eddie z.]

Thanks, Todd!

-ez