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**Disclaimer: Images do not depict actual Nar-Anon members**

MEMBER SERVICE

SERVICE STRUCTURE EXPLANATION

While the Nar-Anon Family Groups provides many services to those in need of our support  – including free meetings and  guest speaker events, newsletters such as The Serenity Connection, member-created literature (both free and for sale) and personal, one-one-one support through sponsorship and friendships (aka Nar-Anon Buddies) – the entire fellowship relies on the active roles of our members in order to adhere to our Twelve-Steps of recovery, the Twelve Traditions of Nar-Anon Family Groups and Twelve Concepts of Nar-Anon Service.  The volunteering of both time and money by our participants is crucial.  Please keep in mind: 

  • There is NEVER a financial requirement to participating in Nar-Anon.  In order to meet our financial obligations, we ask that members only donate if they choose to and in any amount that their personal finances allow.

    • The Seventh Tradition encourages financial donations from within our membership only:
      "Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions"

  • Volunteering should only be done when you feel ready and with the understanding that as a volunteer you have a right to set boundaries with your time and in choosing what activities or roles you feel most suited for.

    • Please don't be afraid to try something or learn something new!  Volunteering is a terrific opportunity for growth and for strengthening friendships and bonds within the Nar-Anon Family Groups fellowship.​

 

  • We often refer to volunteering as "Being of Service" and the Nar-Anon service structure is in-place to support the groups, members, and ultimately the newcomer to Nar-Anon.  Supporting the idea that being of service is extremely important both for your individual path to recovering from the trauma of having addiction in your life as well for the over-all well-being and progress of our important fellowship is the following:

    • Concept 1 "To fulfill our fellowship's primary purpose, the Nar-Anon Family Groups have joined together to create a structure that develops, coordinates, and maintains services on behalf of Nar-Anon as a whole."

    • Tradition 5"Each Nar-Anon Family Group has but one purpose; to help families of addicts. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of Nar-Anon, by encouraging and understanding our addicted relatives, and by welcoming and giving comfort to families of addicts."

    • Tradition 9"Our groups, as such ought never to be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve."

    • Step 12"Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs."

The Nar-Anon Family Groups fellowship structure is divided into several categories:

  • World Service – The World Service Committees are directly responsible to the Board of Trustees as noted in Concept Five, who in turn are directly accountable to the World Service Conference.

    • Click Here for more information about volunteering on the World Service level.​

  • Regions – The region is comprised of areas located within its geographic boundaries. The  region supports areas and groups by providing opportunities for them to  communicate with each other, acting on behalf of their common interest and encouraging growth of the fellowship. The structure consists of the regional service committee (RSC) and the regional service assembly (RA).  The RSC’s purpose is to plan for the general improvement of groups and areas by holding regular business meetings, and to conduct assemblies.

    • This website is specifically for the Southern California Region, which is one of six regions currently established in California.  ​

      • For a complete list of all regions as well as their websites, please Click Here

  • Areas – Areas are convenient segments into which a region may be divided. Approval for the formation of an area rests with the groups within the proposed area.  The Area Service Committee (ASC) meeting is held in a central location within an area to hear reports and to discuss area and group matters.

    • World Service Office – The WSO is the executive office located in Torrance, CA under the leadership of the Executive Director.  The WSO reports directly to the Board of Trustees.

At all levels of Nar-Anon, all members and officers should be bound by Nar-Anon’s Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts of Service.

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