wacypaa region

WACYPAA was conceived at the 1996 ASCYPAA (Arizona State Conference of Young People in AA), and was later founded in Anaheim, California on September 8th, 1996 at the 39 ICYPAA (International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous) in a meeting of AA members from around the region to be served by WACYPAA. At that meeting the region was defined as the states of: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; as well as Baja California Norte, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Durango, Sinaloa, Sonora, and the Canadian Provinces of British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Alberta. Since that time, our region definition has been broadened to include Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. Each year, the conference must be held within this region.

The purpose of WACYPAA is to build and strengthen unity in Young Peoples Groups in Alcoholics Anonymous in the western area of North America and Hawaii. The focus is especially to reach those areas which historically had little exposure to such conferences. The WACYPAA Advisory Council and the members of the Conference will encourage the participation from all states, provinces, and countries within the scope of the Conference. All bids will be given equal consideration regardless of size, population, or location. We recognize that not all AA members will find our conference necessary to their recovery from alcoholism, we seek only to provide it for those who find it desirable.

At the Anaheim meeting, the state of Arizona was tentatively chosen as the site for the first WACYPAA. The Arizona group was to present their bid in February 1997 at the All California Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous in San Francisco. Seven AA members volunteered to attend and serve as a temporary advisory council for the purpose of approving Arizona’s bid, or to solicit further bids at a later date if the Arizona bid was not deemed to serve the best interests of the region. Once an initial site is chosen, a bid session will be held annually at each subsequent WACYPAA where a site will be chosen for the next year’s conference. Any group of three or more AA members from within the region is welcome and encouraged to bid for a chance to host a WACYPAA in their local area.

Each year, AA conferences provide overwhelming evidence that large numbers of alcoholics are achieving a lasting and comfortable sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous. These conferences offer an environment for celebration of our sobriety, as well as an opportunity to meet and share experience, strength, and hope with AA members who reside in areas other than their own.

Suggested Business-Meetings and Event Schedule

Many past host committees have chosen to hold a general or steering committee meeting once a month and meet as sub committees throughout the week. It is suggested when the conference is two months away the host committee begins meeting every two weeks; and when the conference is one month away that the host committee begins meeting weekly. 

Begin having fundraising events. Non-traditional ideas have worked well in the past, some examples of these are: comedy shows, drag shows, AA service days, etc. It is strongly suggested that all events include a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous for which there is no charge.

Suggested Host Committee Positions 

A TRUSTED SERVANT IS?

The group elects a Trusted Servant. The person acts with the good of group in mind. They are in that position because the group trusts that they will act in the interest of the group. This is not a chore or unwanted duty. If anyone is elected to a position and does not want it please, for the good of group, decline and give someone who wants the opportunity to be of service to their group.

Chairperson: Maintains order and runs the regular business meetings, delegates responsibility, keeps overall responsibility to group in mind, resolves committee problems as they arise, upholds group conscience and traditions.

Co-Chair: Takes on the duties of the chairperson when the chair is unavailable. The co-chair helps the overall group by assisting all position holders and committee members.

Secretary: Responsible for taking minutes during business meetings (recording discussion and documenting motions, etc...), furnishing committee phone list, collecting archives and all other assigned duties.

Treasurer: Responsible for the financial aspect of the committee, taking money, making deposits, accurately recording transactions, creating a budget and keeping the group informed of financial status.

Co-Treasurer: Takes on the duties of the Treasurer when the Treasurer is unavailable.

Hotel / Facilities Chair: Investigates all possible event locations for the conference, entails hotel/venue negotiations, and main meeting sight negotiations (if different from conference site).

Registration Chair: Responsible for registration database, collection and entering of all pre-registrations, does registration mailings and coordinates registration table at the conference as well as all other registration related duties.

Program Chair: Responsible for designing the entire program, getting speakers, panelists and chairs for marathon meetings. Coordinates times and places for all conference meetings and events and oversees the design and printing of the program.

General Service Liaison: Keeps activities visible to intergroup/central office, district and area. Attends local assemblies and establishes contacts throughout the area, responsible for obtaining letters of support.

Events Chairperson: Plans and coordinates events throughout the year with the purpose of carrying the message of AA, outreaching WACYPAA and having fun. Some such events speaker meetings and dances, workshops, campouts, etc...

Outreach Chair: Everybody is a member of the outreach committee. The outreach chair is responsible for informing local and regional AA's about WACYPAA primarily through attending conferences, assemblies, round-ups, other AA meetings and passing out fliers and making announcements. ** Outreach is integral to the success of WACYPAA so it may be beneficial to form a subcommittee to take on this enormous responsibility.

Prayer Person: Leads group in closing prayer may find it necessary to pray before a vote or interrupt heated discussion during business meetings for prayer. Is responsible for the overall spiritual welfare of the committee.

Arts & Graphics Chair: Responsible for supplying committee with fliers, provides artwork for logo and merchandise (if the committee chooses to have merchandise).

Many committees add other positions, including co-chairs to the above said positions. It depends on the area and the needs of the host committee. The positions, descriptions, and sobriety requirements are determined and voted on by the host committee. It is also strongly suggested that as a part of this committee you elect or appoint liaisons to specific communities in your area, which are often otherwise overlooked, specifically; Native American/First Nations Liaison, Hispanic Liaison, Mexican National Liaison, GLBTQ Liaison and Al-Anon Liaison. These liaisons head up outreach in all of the aforementioned areas and are responsible to the program chair for finding diverse speakers.