Issue 449 of The Road Back has now been published!
The Twelve Concepts
The Twelve Concepts for World Service were written by A.A.’s co-founder Bill W., and were adopted by the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1962. The Concepts are an interpretation of A.A.’s world service structure as it emerged through A.A.’s early history and experience.
1
Final responsibility and ultimate authority for A.A. world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.
2
The General Service Conference of A.A. has become, for nearly every practical purpose, the active voice and the effective conscience of our whole society in its world affairs.
3
To insure effective leadership, we should endow each element of A.A.—the Conference, the General Service Board and its service corporations, staffs, committees, and executives—with a traditional “Right of Decision.”
4
At all responsible levels, we ought to maintain a traditional “Right of Participation,” allowing a voting representation in reasonable proportion to the responsibility that each must discharge.
5
Throughout our structure, a traditional “Right of Appeal” ought to prevail, so that minority opinion will be heard and personal grievances receive careful consideration.
6
The Conference recognizes that the chief initiative and active responsibility in most world service matters should be exercised by the trustee members of the Conference acting as the General Service Board.
7
The Charter and Bylaws of the General Service Board are legal instruments, empowering the trustees to manage and conduct world service affairs. The Conference Charter is not a legal document; it relies upon tradition and the A.A. purse for final effectiveness.
8
The trustees are the principal planners and administrators of over-all policy and finance. They have custodial oversight of the separately incorporated and constantly active services, exercising this through their ability to elect all the directors of these entities.
9
Good service leadership at all levels is indispensable for our future functioning and safety. Primary world service leadership, once exercised by the founders, must necessarily be assumed by the trustees.
10
Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with the scope of such authority well defined.
11
The trustees should always have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives, staffs, and consultants. Composition, qualifications, induction procedures, and rights and duties will always be matters of serious concern.
12
The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote, and whenever possible, substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government; that, like the Society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.
News & Updates
GSR Wallet Pack
The NEW GSR Wallet Packs are now available for purchase from the online shop.
GSO Closure
The General Service Office will be closed on Thursday 27th June 2024 between 9:30am and 2pm.
Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
Thank you.
Service Handbook For Ireland – 2024 Edition
The Service Handbook For Ireland – 2024 Edition is now available to purchase from the online store.
AA For The Older Alcoholic – Revised Edition
AA World Services have revised and reformatted AA for the Older Alcoholic – Never too Late (P25) to a new redesigned book and is now available from GSO.
All Ireland Convention 2025
All Ireland 2025
68th All Ireland Convention
Clayton Hotel, Sligo
Friday 11th to Sunday 13th April 2025
Draft Conference Minutes March 2024 Now Available
A copy of the draft minutes from Conference March 2024 are now available to view and read.
Please Click Here for a copy.
Important Notice – GSO Closed Tuesday 16th April 2024
The General Service Office will be closed on Tuesday 16th April 2024 due to unforeseen circumstances.
GSO Closed Good Friday & Easter Monday
The GSO will be closed on March 29th, Good Friday and April 1st, Easter Monday.
The office will reopen on Tuesday 2nd of April at 9.30am
GSO Closed
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the General Service Office will not open until 2pm on Monday the 19th February 2024
We apologise for any inconvenience.
Phone System & Email disruption
December 22 Update 2pm – Internet and phone services have now been restored.
We thank you for your patience and understanding.
The Online Shop now lets you view items in Euro or Sterling.
The Online Shop now lets you view items in Euro or Sterling.
Meetings missing in Meeting Finder
We are currently working on a technical issue with our provider to resolve an issue that is affecting our meeting finder.