What is an Intergroup Rep?
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An Intergroup Representative (IR) is an Al-Anon member elected by an Al-Anon meeting in one of New York City’s five boroughs to represent the meeting’s interests at city-wide Intergroup Rep meetings.
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IR meetings are held four times a year and organized by Intergroup’s Board of Trustees to hear from the Al-Anon meeting groups we serve. IRs advise Intergroup’s Board of what their meetings would like Intergroup to do for them. This is how Intergroup learns about individual members’ concerns. IR meetings also address important Intergroup business with board members reporting on decisions Intergroup is facing such as office operations, fundraising, approval of budget, increasing volunteer participation, offering new services, event planning, etc. Intergroup benefits greatly when IRs offer their insight and propose motions on how to address these issues. When a motion is made, IRs vote, deciding by consensus what Intergroup should or should not be doing. For example, Intergroup’s mission statement was presented to, discussed by, approved and voted on by the IRs in 2013. Each IR gives his or her group a voice at Intergroup. When an Al-Anon meeting in New York City does not have a member serving as an IR, the group misses this opportunity to participate. Any Al-Anon member is welcome to attend a meeting of IRs, but only an IR or an alternate IR can vote on behalf of the meeting that she or he represents. |
As a new IR, we suggest you speak to your meeting’s previous IR for information on this service position. If no such guidance is available, please email us at info@nycalanon.org and we will put you in touch with an Intergroup board member serving as a liaison to IRs. You can also ask other IRs at our meetings about how they fulfill their duties. We suggest that you mark your calendar with the schedule of our meeting dates, attend our next meeting and come prepared to share, listen, take notes, and vote as a trusted servant from your meeting group. When you return to your group, you can report on what happened at our meeting or report this at your group’s next business meeting. As an IR, you are welcome to report at the business meeting of any Al-Anon meeting that invites you to do so, but an IR gets only one vote at Intergroup meetings and may represent only one meeting at any time. Remember you are not alone, you are a trusted servant, and your participation is welcome and encouraged. Thank you! |
