The Young People’s Movement BY DAN JENKINS on October 17th, 2014
In Alcoholics Anonymous there has been an explosion of social events all across the country that is revolutionizing recovery. In what was first brought to light in a 1971 edition of the AA Grapevine with Bill W. regarding with love and admiration, the young people of AA have flourished over the following years into a host of enormous parties all over the country. The idea of young people in AA or people who got sober when they were younger, may be controversial in nature as it can imply a divisiveness amongst AA as a whole. Some would say that’s no truer than men’s meetings and women’s meetings are the downfall of AA. It brings to light the opportunity to connect with people who may be a little bit more similar as well as provide service opportunities, unite an area and create a pillar of entertainment for a new life. One of the most notable things said in a meeting was that “I did not get sober to be miserable”, or as the Big Book states it, “We are not a glum lot,” or “Why shouldn’t we laugh?” The young people’s movement makes their focus not only to celebrate sobriety, but to provide avenues where diligence through service can be achieved.
So, what is the young people’s movement exactly? From city to city all across the country AA meetings have taken shape under the title of a young
people’s meeting. No rule prohibiting anyone is instilled, and certainly all truly are welcome, but these meetings give a place where people who got sober young and faced certain challenges that are unique to that experience can congregate and share their experience, strength and hope. One challenge for instance is embedded in a common name for a young people’s meeting, which is Never Had a Legal Drink. It is a different experience. A very well respected member of AA spoke at a young people’s meeting and he said that he simply didn’t get the manual on life, that he couldn’t relate to someone who could function in any way while drinking and recovery became a necessity far sooner in his life than it did in another’s. There are a lot of different life lessons that are learned and taught by young people getting together, many of these experiences are gained through conferences, which has been the most exciting part of the young people’s movement. In almost all fifty states, in every region of the country and certainly the country as a whole, a young people’s conference is held every year at different times in each of these areas. A conference usually consists of three main speakers (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), marathon meetings going around the clock for the duration, big book workshops, yoga, dances, pool parties and other fun events put on and attended by members of AA, not that anyone checks you at the door. In fact, there is usually no official admission price, but a suggested donation which most regular AA conferences don’t adhere to. I’ve never seen anyone turned away due to money, and I’ve also seen attendees provided the opportunity to do service work to help “pay” for their attendance. There’s so much more to a conference than the three daylong event, the real story happens amongst the group hosting the event. The typical flow of things is the group gets together after being awarded the bid from the previous year’s host city or state, they then follow Third Legacy Voting procedures, to elect positions. They hold business meetings usually once a month, adhering to Robert’s Rules of order to make decisions and take action. They’ll also typically have an event or party to raise money and awareness each month, which can consist of anything from a citywide scavenger hunt (insanely fun) or a rave. There have also been more traditional events like dances, bingo, sponsorship panels and AA movie night and, of course, all are welcome. One of the driving forces of these events is to answer the question that everyone new in sobriety has, “Ok, I’m sober. Now what?” Now have fun. Live your life. A common thought while drinking was that having fun was partying, but usually life consisted of visiting the same bars with the same people, doing the same thing, and always dreaming of a better life, an exciting life, but never having the ability to do it. Figuring out what you truly like to do is no small task and the young people’s events allow for that as well as heartfelt connection to take place. It’s no wonder why the young people’s movement in AA is not only condoned, but encouraged as it is a bright example of upholding the traditions and providing an opportunity for recovery. Business meetings may not sound like loads of fun, but they serve as an opportunity to hang with friends and get to know some extraordinary people, especially at events where people are from all over. So, let’s be real about young people’s meetings. Some have had opinions concerning different groups, based on a variety of experiences or perspectives about a big party of bikini wearing moral lepers and energy drink chugging societal misfits. But, the point of AA is to provide a pathway that leads a person from a self-based lifestyle toward the solution to their drinking, which involves practicing a spiritual way of life. We don’t shoot our wounded and though a person may not have the best motives coming
in the door, all too often they feel and experience the real power of what’s happening in the young people’s movement. Put it another way, though they may come to scoff, they may remain to pray. Like so many other activities in AA, Young People’s events are just another sandbox where we learn about life and how to interact with others. Even the bid book that’s put forward to request to host the next conference reads exactly like a business plan. People who need to learn how to live life shouldn’t be expected to already know it when they first come in and the Young People’s movement is helping show the way. For more information on upcoming events and fun things to do, visit our Palm Beach Weekend Review. Or visit the official webpage for the ICYPAA “International Conference of Young People in AA”. Or the FCYPAA Florida Conference of Young People in AA.