12 Steps Facilitation by Hamrah Co.

Contents 1- Introduction _______________________________________________________________________ 1 2- What are 12 Step groups____________________________________________________________ 4 Objectives ___________________________________________________________________________ 4 Structure ____________________________________________________________________________ 5 Requirements to facilitate _______________________________________________________________ 6 Rules & criteria _______________________________________________________________________ 6 Logistics ____________________________________________________________________________ 7

3- Advantages & limitations ___________________________________________________________ 8 Advantages of a 12 Step Study Group _____________________________________________________ 8 Limitations of a 12 Step Study Group ____________________________________________________ 10 Considerations for group participants ____________________________________________________ 10

4- How to start ______________________________________________________________________ 12 Establish motive & commitment _________________________________________________________ 12 Find co-facilitators ___________________________________________________________________ 14 Decide how to conduct ________________________________________________________________ 14 Sort out logistics _____________________________________________________________________ 14

5- How to conduct ___________________________________________________________________ 15 Establish your 12 Steps method_________________________________________________________ 15 Ascertain participants _________________________________________________________________ 16 Delegate your roles __________________________________________________________________ 17 Devise facilitation guidelines ___________________________________________________________ 18 Devise group rules ___________________________________________________________________ 18 Devise weekly schedule _______________________________________________________________ 18 Devise session format ________________________________________________________________ 18 Conduct initiation meetings ____________________________________________________________ 18

6- Facilitator guidelines ______________________________________________________________ 20 Suggestions on how to work effectively as a team __________________________________________ 20 Suggestions on how to conduct your group effectively _______________________________________ 22

7- Group rules _______________________________________________________________________ 25 Membership rules ____________________________________________________________________ 26 Group member rules _________________________________________________________________ 26

8- Weekly schedules _________________________________________________________________ 27 Merits of a weekly schedule ____________________________________________________________ 27 Sponsor needed Steps ________________________________________________________________ 28 Example of NA Weekly Schedule _______________________________________________________ 29 Example of AA Weekly Schedule ________________________________________________________ 30

Weekly Schedule template _____________________________________________________________ 32

9- Format ___________________________________________________________________________ 33 10- Logistics ________________________________________________________________________ 35 Find a venue ________________________________________________________________________ 35 Sort out Expenses ___________________________________________________________________ 36 Raise awareness ____________________________________________________________________ 36

11- Initiation meeting ________________________________________________________________ 38 What are Initiation meetings ____________________________________________________________ 38 Sample initiation meeting format ________________________________________________________ 38

12- Worksheets______________________________________________________________________ 41 Facilitation Guidelines ________________________________________________________________ 41 Group Rules ________________________________________________________________________ 41 Session Format _____________________________________________________________________ 41 Weekly Schedule ____________________________________________________________________ 41 Initiation meeting format _______________________________________________________________ 41 Attendance sheet ____________________________________________________________________ 41 Finance sheet _______________________________________________________________________ 41 Flyer ______________________________________________________________________________ 42 Mock certificate _____________________________________________________________________ 42

Appendix ___________________________________________________________________________ 43 Sample: 12 Step facilitator guidelines ____________________________________________________ 44 Suggestions on how to work effectively as a team __________________________________________ 44 Suggestions on how to conduct your group effectively _______________________________________ 44 Sample: 12 Step study group rules ______________________________________________________ 46 Group member rules _________________________________________________________________ 46 Sample: 12 Step study session format ____________________________________________________ 47 Sample: 12 Step study weekly schedule __________________________________________________ 48 Sample: 12 Step study initiation meeting __________________________________________________ 49 Sample: 12 Step study attendance sheet _________________________________________________ 50 Sample: 12 Step study finance sheet _____________________________________________________ 51 Sample: 12 Step study mock certificate ___________________________________________________ 54

Figures & Tables ____________________________________________________________________ 55

1- Introduction 12 Steps Study Groups offer addicts an opportunity to work through the Steps in a systematic way in a group setting and with the guidance of facilitators. They are based on the 12 Steps of a particular Fellowship and offer addicts the means to gain a working knowledge of the solution towards recovery. The 12 Step facilitation section is aimed at addicts in recovery wishing to facilitate such a group and it provides step-by-step suggestions on how to start and conduct one. The information provided is generic and so can be useful and adapted to conduct any 12 Steps oriented Study Group. 

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As there are many of addicts still suffering due to ignorance of the 12 Steps, Step Study Groups provide a great opportunity to learn and work them towards the solution to our recovery. This method of working through the 12 Steps can be especially valuable to addicts who due to living in a foreign country cannot easily find a sponsor. There are also many of us in recovery who would welcome an opportunity to enhance their knowledge of the Steps by participating in a Step Study Group. If you are an addict in recovery who has a good working knowledge of the 12 Steps of a specific Fellowship, why not start a Step Study Group. With today’s technology, you can even conduct one simply online. Although 12 Step Study Groups are not affiliated and are separate from 12 Step Fellowships, they act in terms of gratitude and service a great way “to carry the message” of recovery to others. If you wish to facilitate a 12 Step Study Group but don't know how to go about it, this booklet will show you how. Information is provided that systematically guides you through the procedures involved in starting and conducting such a Group, irrelevant of the Steps of the Fellowship you want to base it upon. The information provided acts as a template from which you can simply take ideas and or adapt for the making of your own 12 Step Study Group. Note too that there are no rules on how to conduct a 12 Step Study Group. All material offered here is based on suggestions; things that has helped some of us conduct an effective and successful Step Study Group.

The 12 Step facilitation section is divided into the following:

2- What are 12 Step groups This page provides facilitators with an overview of 12 Step Study Groups to help them understand their purpose and how they are structured.

3- Advantages & limitations This page describes the advantages and limitations of working the 12 Steps in a Step Study Group setting. The information can also be beneficial for potential group participants to help with their decision to join such a group.

4- How to start This page describes the things facilitators need to do in order to start a 12 Step Study Group.

5- How to conduct This page provides facilitators with step-by-step suggestions on how to structure and conduct a 12 Step Study Group.

6- Facilitators guidelines This page provides some guidelines that will help keep you unified as a team of facilitators. In addition some guidelines are offered to help you conduct your 12 Step Study Group more effectively.

7- Group rules A 12 Step Study Group has rules that must be observed by its participants to enable it to fulfil its objective and function effectively. This page offers some membership and group rules to help keep your 12 Step study Group unified.

8- Weekly schedule For a 12 Step Study Group to run smoothly, facilitators need to have a weekly schedule. This is so that you can plan what steps and material you want to cover on a weekly basis for the duration of your 12 Step Study Group. Also included are two sample weekly schedules, one based on the 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous and the other on Alcoholics Anonymous as examples for your use or inspiration.

9- Session format This page provides facilitators with a sample format on how to conduct an hour and a half long 12 Step Study Group session.

10- Logistics This page provides facilitators with suggestions on how to find a suitable venue, pay the rent and raise awareness of your upcoming 12 Step Study Group.

11- Initiation meeting Prior to the start of a 12 Step Study Group, facilitators need to hold a couple of initiation meetings. These meetings aim to raise awareness of your upcoming 12 Step Study Group and inform potential participants about its set up and criteriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Also included a sample format on how to conduct an hour and half initiation meeting.

12- Worksheets Based on the material presented in this booklet, here you will find some of its pages in Word version to adapt according to your 12 Step Study Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and preferences.

Notice: ď ś Please do not promote your 12 Step Study Group in any 12 Step Fellowship meetings. 12 Step Study Groups are separate entities and should not be affiliated in any way with any Fellowship. Promoting your 12 Step Study Group in a Fellowship meeting contradicts Tradition 6 and may cause harm to both parties. ď ś The information provided are not rules on how to conduct a 12 Step Study Group but rather experience and suggestions, which has helped some us facilitate an effective group. Please take from it what you like and leave the rest behind.

2- What are 12 Step groups This page provides facilitators with an overview of 12 Step Study Groups to help them understand their purpose and how they are structured. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Objectives Structure Requirements to facilitate Rules & criteria Logistics Figure 1 : What are 12 Step groups

1- Objectives 

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12 Step Study Groups are when a group of addicts gather together to work through the 12 Steps of a specific Fellowship with the guidance of facilitators. The objective is to systematically work the Steps in a manageable and organized way within a specific time frame. Experience has shown that as indispensable as the support of Fellowship meetings are, the way to recover is by working the 12 Steps. It is through the Steps that those of us who have suffered years or decades of painful addiction find the tools and the means to live a new way of life. Conducted by facilitators with knowledge and experience of the 12 Steps, Step Study Groups offer an invaluable service for anyone trying to recover. They can be an alternative way to be guided through the Steps for those of us who cannot find a sponsor. They can be especially valuable for those of us who live in a foreign country, who due to language barriers don't have the same access or choice of sponsors to guide them through the program. Many of us addicts in recovery still find ourselves miserable. We have stopped using drugs, yet we are irritable and unsatisfied with our lives. Or we may have somehow managed to stop the drugs but have switched to another type of addiction that is making our life equally unmanageable. The main reason for this is that many of us do not have knowledge of the 12 Steps. We are not aware they provide us

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with the tools to live a new way of life. After all this is what the program promises us, a life that is beyond our wildest dreams. Joining a Step Study Group can be a solution. With the guidance of facilitators we are able to gain knowledge of the Steps and work them to experience all the gifts and miracles of recovery. Working the Steps in a 12 Step Study Group is not as traditional as doing them oneto-one with a sponsor, but it is nevertheless highly effective. Above all, if our choice is between not working the Steps or doing them in such a group setting, then there is no question joining such a group can be beneficial to our recovery. If we want to experience a life free from addiction and are willing to go to any length to recover, then working our Steps in a 12 Step Study Group may the way especially for those of us who are limited in our choices because of our circumstances.

2- Structure 

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Step Study Groups are not a part of 12 Step Fellowships and should not be affiliated in any way to any Fellowship. They are independent groups made up of addicts who gather together with the specific purpose of working through the 12 Steps of a particular Fellowship in a systematic and time specific manner under the guidance of facilitators. 12 Step Study Group should not replace Fellowship meetings. In fact, participants in Step Study Groups are advised to increase the number of meetings they normally go to, because this will help them work and process the Steps better. We can use our 12 Step Study Group as a place to learn and work our 12 Steps but we need our Fellowship because it provides us with an indispensible support that is vital for our daily recovery. 12 Step Study Groups do not assume themselves to be the “perfect” or the “only” way to work the 12 Steps. Rather they are part of the 12 th step work of addicts in recovery, who acting as facilitators guide a group of people through the Steps of a specific Fellowship by sharing their experience of it. Addicts interested in learning how to work the Steps of a specific Fellowship, join an according Step Study Group. For example if you primary addiction is with alcohol, then participating in a Step Study Group based on the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is the one that will benefit you. But, if your primary addiction is with food, then participating in such a group may not be as productive since the group will be focused on recovery from alcoholism. This is because each Fellowship identifies with a specific type of addition and offers the solution through its own interpretation of the 12 Steps. Having said this, you can benefit from participating in any type of Step Study Group so long as you focus on the solution- namely Steps two to twelve. This is because the 12 Steps are a set of spiritual principles and tools designed for recovery from the disease of addiction. They show us how to live a new way of life free from addiction and apart from Step 1, which focuses on a specific type of problem, the rest of the steps provide us with the means and the tools to live in peace and harmony with others, our God and ourselves. 12 Step Study Groups are common in the West and within most 12 Step Fellowships. The concept has even extended to the Internet, where members register and make a commitment to work through their Steps together at regular intervals. You can easily join one of these online 12 Step Study Group though the majority are conducted in English.

3- Requirements to facilitate 

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Any recovering addict with experience in the Steps of a specific Fellowship can take on the challenge of facilitating a 12 Step Study Group. The concept of a facilitator is similar to that of a sponsor. The difference is that in a Step 12 Study Group a facilitator would be sharing their experience, strength and hope to a group of addicts – rather than to a single sponsee. Like a sponsor, facilitators have responsibilities towards their group participants, the main being a commitment to guiding them through the Steps and showing them the solution to the disease of addiction. Anyone interested in becoming a facilitator should be aware of what the role involves and the extent of the commitment required in taking on this challenge. Taking on this service without thinking through what it involves by way of responsibility and time commitment can be detrimental to the recovery of both you and your group participants. Who can facilitate a Step Study Group: 1) An addict in recovery who has completed the 12 Steps of a specific Fellowship and has experience of how the Steps apply and have improved the quality of his or her daily life. 2) An addict in recovery who is organized and can commit to the responsibility of conducting a group of addicts through the 12 Steps. 3) An addict in recovery who can commit to the time duration of a 12 Step Study Group.

4- Rules & criteria 

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Unlike 12 Step Fellowship meetings, Step Study Groups are like a classroom where there are rules and criteria that group participants have to observe. In regular Fellowship meetings members gather to carry the message of recovery by sharing their experience, strength and hope with one another. But in Step Study Groups there are specific objectives that need to get implemented – namely systematically working through the 12 Steps of a specific Fellowship within a scheduled time frame. Group participants interested to join in a Step Study Group need to be aware of its primary objective, and they need to register beforehand to attend such a group. Once the Step Study Group has started, others cannot join in at random. Also, regular attendance is expected and group participants may be dismissed if they continually miss sessions or disrupt the group’s progress. Those joining a Step Study Group must abide by its rules; they have to make a commitment with one another to work through their 12 Steps in this organized and structured fashion. They are asked to unite as a team and put in the work required that would help them complete the 12 Steps within a time frame. Participating in a Step Study Group takes a lot of hard work and time. Anyone thinking of joining must have recovery as their number one priority. This means putting all life issues or problems aside for a while and focusing your time and energy towards learning and on working the 12 Steps. The greatest amount of time is spent on working Step 4, which usually takes 2 to 3 months, depending on the Steps of which Fellowship you are being guided through. When it comes to Step 5, participants who do not have a sponsor are asked to share it with another group member. It is highly recommended for participants to have their own sponsors to work with as they go through the Step Study Group, since facilitators cannot act as

individual sponsors for each participant. Facilitators merely act as “teachers” who guide participants through the Steps in a structured way. 

Who can benefit from a 12 Step Study Group 1) An addict who has a desire to learn and work the 12 Steps of a specific Fellowship. 2) An addict living abroad who has found it difficult to find a sponsor yet would like to work the 12 Steps. 3) An addict who -- despite having a sponsor -- wants to gain new knowledge of the 12 Steps and work through them in a group setting, benefiting from new experiences and perspectives 4) An addict who can work as a team member and commit to the time frame and the 12 Step Study Group’s objectives, rules and criteria’s.

5- Logistics 

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12 Step Study Groups usually meet weekly for about one to two hours, depending on the size of the group. Sessions are generally held at an independent venue and not in someone’s home. Typically such groups lasts around 24 to 28 weeks -depending on the size of the group and the Steps of the Fellowship being worked on. Facilitators usually hand out a schedule spelling out what will be covered on a weekly basis and the duration of the course before a 12 Step Study Group starts. There are no fees to participate in a 12 Step Study Group. In line with the principles of 12 Step Fellowship, these groups are simply another type of 12 th Step service. Those who facilitate a 12 Step Study Group are members of a Fellowship who conduct a group as a way to carry the message to the still suffering addict and to maintain and enrich their own recovery. The only fee to be paid is the rent for the venue, which is usually collected at the beginning of each month and which everyone contributes to equally.

Advantages of a 12 Step Study Group Limitations of a 12 Step Study Group Considerations for group participants Figure 2 : 12 Step group advantages & disadvantages

Advantages of a 12 Step Study Group 1. Effective alternative Addicts in recovery need to learn and work the 12 Steps in order to recover. They need the Steps to avoid slipping back into the grip of their addiction, and to learn for the first time about a new way of living more rewarding than anything they have ever known. These are facts. Whereas most members of Fellowships work the Steps in a one-to-one relationship with a sponsor, a 12 Step Study Group can be an effective alternative way to be guided through them. Such a group can be the answer for those of us who are desperate to learn how to work the program, but who have been unable to find a sponsor. Finding a sponsor can be especially difficult and frustrating for those of us who live in a foreign country, who due to language barrier may not have the same access or choice of sponsors.

2. Systematic approach A 12 Step Study Group is an organized and structured set up that gives you peace of mind. You will study and work through your 12 Steps week by week in a systematic fashion – and are guaranteed to complete them by a certain time. Of course, working the Steps is never completed but something we need to practise on a daily basis. Yet a Step Study Group provides you with the opportunity to gain a basic knowledge of the 12 Steps and how their practise can provide you with the tools to live free from addiction – a day at a time.

3. Time framed When working your Steps with a sponsor, you usually have the luxury of working the Steps at your own pace. On the one hand this is fine, but on the other hand, it can lead to your procrastinating. On occasion, the sponsor and sponsee never get around to finishing their study of the Steps, and this of course means you will loose the opportunity to experience the full benefits of the program. But in a 12 Step Study Group setting, with a predetermined timeframe for advancing through the Steps, you are denied this “luxury”, of working at your own pace. Here against a structured schedule and alongside your fellow group members you will have the encouragement and motivation to work and complete your 12 Steps.

4. Solution focused A 12 Step Study Group is focused on the solution. Whereas Fellowship meetings are an indispensable source of support, places we go to find identification and share about our experiences; the objective of a Step Study Group is purely to study and work the 12 Steps in a structured way, with the guidance of facilitators.

5. Group unity A great feature of a 12 Step Study Group is that you will be with likeminded people, who share the same addiction and who have the same determination to work their 12 Steps. Here you will all be focused purely on achieving this objective whilst also benefitting from different views, interpretations and experiences of how each works their Steps.

6. Team support A 12 Step Study Group is based on teamwork. As a group you are united in your goal to work the 12 Steps and dependant on one another to complete them. Here you will not feel overwhelmed or confused at your efforts to work the Steps alone. But you will have each other’s support and encouragement to push thorough even the Steps that you may find most difficult. Note that in a 12 Step Study Group you are encourage to buddy up with another group member, so you are certain to have at least one other participant with whom you will connect in a meaningful way.

7. Recovery tools The ultimate advantage of participating in a 12 Step Study Group is that you are guaranteed to work and complete your 12 Steps within a specific time frame. Then you will be able to apply the tools provided by the 12 Steps to live a new way of life free from addiction. These are the tools whose principles when applied will help you overcome any of life’s difficulties, to live in peace and serenity.

Limitations of a 12 Step Study Group 1. Unorthodox sponsorship A 12 Step Study Group is not the same as working your Steps with a sponsor. With sponsorship you enter into a relationship where you benefit from personal support and guidance throughout your recovery. A 12 Step Study Group on the other hand is more like a classroom where you study and complete your 12 Steps within a time period. Here you are bound by rules and criteria’s and are expected to work as part of a team. Although Step Study Groups are not ideal nor the traditional way to work your 12 Steps, if the alternative is not to work them and remain ignorant of the 12 Step program, then they can be an effective way forward towards the solution.

2. Classroom setting You are in a group setting and must comply with its rules and schedule of working through the 12 Steps or risk being asked to leave the group. Usually when working your Steps with a sponsor, you have more time to process, ask questions and experience how each Step works in your life before you move on to the next one. But in a 12 Step Study group you are theoretically taught about a Step in a formal way over the course of a session or two – and then move on to the next Step. It is then up to you to apply and experience how the Steps work in your life. In addition being part of a team you have to keep up with the speed and progress of the 12 Step Study Group schedule.

Considerations for group participants In helping your potential group participants decide whether they can commit to Working their 12 Steps in your Step Study Group, you may want to ask them to consider the following questions. Answering these will help them understand the criteria’s and commitment involved in joining your 12 Step Study Group. You may also want to provide copies of this document to them during your Initiation meetings for their consideration. 1) Establish your motive for wanting to work your 12 Steps in a Step Study Group setting. Is your goal purely to study and work your 12 Steps or do you have other intentions, such as using it as a forum for social purposes? 2) Is recovery your number one priority or are you preoccupied with other issues in your life? A 12 Step Study takes a lot of focus and a lot of effort. It's a big commitment. For instance, if you are planning to move, or are going through a divorce, or your job is in a busy period, this may not be the best time to join a Step Study. Simply put, you must be able to answer yes to the questions: Can you commit to its workload and time schedule? Does your life today allow you to commit to the 28 weeks that a typical 12 Step Study Group lasts? 3) Will you be able to work as part of a team? That means joining a 12 Step Study Group in a spirit of unity and camaraderie and working progressively alongside others. Can you be respectful of other group members journey through the Steps and not be judgmental or argumentative?

4) Can you adhere to the criteria and rules of the 12 Step Study Group and treat it like a classroom. This means not coming in with your own fixed ideas about how and when to work your Steps. Remember that It will be the facilitators who will be teaching you and that you have to comply with their suggestions and instructions. 5) Are you willing and open minded to put in the work suggested to you by the facilitators, even if you may not want to or disagree with them? This includes doing the homework, readings, etc. that the facilitators ask you to complete within a specific time period. 6) Can you abide with the limitations of a 12 Step Study Group? Remember they do not offer the same attributes of sponsorship. Facilitators cannot act as personal sponsors nor are they 12 Step gurus but merely addicts in recovery passing on their personal working knowledge and experience of the 12 Steps.

4- How to start This page describes the things you need to do in order to start your 12 Steps Study Group. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Establish motive & commitment Find co-facilitators Decide how to conduct Sort out logistics Figure 3 : How to start a 12 Step group

1- Establish motive & commitment 

12 Step Study Group facilitators are addicts in recovery who have a solid knowledge of the Steps and want to guide others through the 12 Steps of a specific Fellowship within a group setting. Needleless to say if you are interested in facilitating a Step Study Group you have to have a good working knowledge of the 12 Steps and how to apply them on a daily basis to your own recovery. As the saying goes in the Fellowships, “you have to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.” Which means you have to know from first-hand experience how working the Steps has not only helped you maintain your recovery but has improved your life. At the same time, the program teaches us that recovery is about progress, not perfection. In that none of us can work a perfect program but are entitled to our own individual journey. It therefore makes no sense to wait until you are working a “perfect program” to take on the challenge of starting a Step Study Group. The irony is many of us have found that the quality of our own recovery greatly improves when we have helped others in this manner. So do not allow fear to dissuade you from taking on this worthy commitment. There is incredible satisfaction in witnessing others work their Steps, to see them experience the joys and freedom that come from discovering this new way of living that works.

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While the impulse to start a 12 Step Study Group is praiseworthy, it is a big commitment. As a would-be facilitator, you need to make sure you have the time to devote to such an undertaking, which takes a fair amount of organizing and can last for several months. What you want to avoid is to taking on the commitment and then being forced to drop out half way through because of other life commitments. It is therefore a good idea to make sure before deciding to start a 12 Step Study Group whether you have the energy for such an undertaking and whether your schedule over the next months allows you to commit to this time-consuming process. Then ask yourself what your motivation is for wanting to start a 12 Step Study Group. Is it based on your ego, about making yourself feel important or is it purely as part of your 12th step work, wanting to carry the message of recovery to other suffering addicts? Remember that doing 12th Step work should always be rooted in the principles of our Fellowship and the means to helping others and ourselves. That we should embark on this task not for financial gain, power or prestige. Bear in mind that our motives should not be based on gaining power. To start a 12 Step Study Group for any other purpose usually leads to disappointment and resentment for all parties. If we take on the job of a facilitator with our motives based on spiritual principles it will be easier to do our work and then leave the results to our God. For instance, it should not matter how many people attend our Step Study Group or if they decide to leave half way through. These are concerns based on our egos and beyond our control. In fact, be ready for group participants to drop off especially once the work on Step 4 starts. But then again, we should let go of pride and not view this as a personal reflection of how we are conducting the group, nor feel discouraged by it. It may even be a blessing to start with a small Step Study Group to get a taste of it and become more experienced as facilitators. We can never know how our 12th step work affects others. Whether they will get the message and start their journey into a new way of life or whether they continue with their life of addiction. But if our motives are right and we do our best to guide others through the Steps, then we can have faith that we have shown the way to an addict, that the seed of recovery has been planted. Recovery is an individual journey for each one of us. You may find someone who left your Study Group early may very well later on discover– as a direct result of attending even a few sessions -- the desire to work the rest of the Steps. Therefore as facilitators we let go of control and respect each addict’s journey into recovery, in other words, “We let go and let God.” Whatever else, as people interested in facilitating a 12 Step Study Group we should not allow our fears or insecurities prevent us from taking on this worthwhile commitment. We need to remind ourselves that we too are addicts in recovery, working our program to the best of our ability on a daily basis and that we are there to purely share our experience, strength and hope of the 12 Steps to a group of addicts. Fears of not having the “perfect” knowledge of the Steps by the virtue of our program are baseless because perfection does not exist and it should therefore not deter us from doing this. When we facilitate a 12 Step Study Group on motives in line with the principles of our program then whatever happens -- whether someone benefits from our Step Study Group or finds faults with it and leaves – we have done our part for our Fellowship and have helped keep our own recovery.

2- Find co-facilitators 

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Conducting a 12 Step Study Group is not something you can do by yourself. So before forming such a group, you need to find at least one or two other facilitators people in recovery with working knowledge of the Steps. You need co-facilitators for the simple reason that the job is too demanding and too much of a responsibility for a single person. Co-facilitators have their own roles and responsibilities in addition to supporting the main facilitator throughout the course. Once you have found a couple of other people interested in facilitating a 12 Step Study Group, then you want to make sure you all agree on what the undertaking is about. To establish your commitment is based on the right motives and criteria’s discuss the points below: 1) What are our motives for wanting to start a 12 Step Study Group? 2) Do we have a good knowledge of the 12 Steps of the same Fellowship? 3) Do we have experience of how the steps have worked in your life? 4) Do we have the time and can commit to this demanding process? 5) Do we have other life issues needing our attention and energy more? 6) What are our expectations for the outcome of the 12 Step Study Group? 7) What are the fears holding us back from doing this? For information on individual tasks for each facilitator, please refer to: How to conduct

3- Decide how to conduct 

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Now that you are all in agreement on your motive and commitment, you need to decide how you want to organize and conduct your 12 Step Study Group. You have to decide how you will take your group through the 12 Steps, allocate your roles as facilitators, plus establish some guidelines amongst yourselves. Then you will want to set up some rules and criteria’s for your group participants. In addition, you will need to devise a schedule on what you plan to cover on a weekly basis and how long your 12 Step Study Group will last. For information and suggestions on how to go about this, please refer to: How to conduct

4- Sort out logistics  

Next you need to sort out the practicalities of starting your 12 Step Study Group. You need to find a venue, and how to pay the rent. Then you have to decide how you will raise awareness for your new 12 Step Study Group so that others can join. For information and suggestions on how to go about this, please refer to: Logistics

5- How to conduct This page provides facilitators with step-by-step suggestions on how to structure and conduct a 12 Step Study Group. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Establish your 12 Steps method Ascertain participants Delegate your roles Devise facilitation guidelines Devise participant rules Devise weekly schedule Devise session format Conduct initiation meetings Figure 4 : How to conduct a 12 Step group

1st - Establish your 12 Steps method 

Conducting a 12 Step Study Group requires a lot of organizing and attention to detail, and as facilitators you must work cohesively as a team. Needless to say, you have all worked the 12 Steps of a particular Fellowship -- and now are going to put that knowledge to use in taking your group through them in the same manner. Since each of us has their own interpretation and experience of working the 12 Steps, for the purpose of your 12 Step Study Group you need to agree amongst yourselves on one approach to guide your group through them. For example, you may have worked the Steps of NA using NA’s Step working guide, while your co-facilitator may have worked them based on another NA conference-approved text. So to begin, it is a good idea to discuss amongst yourselves how each of you has worked your Steps and what has helped your understanding of them -- and then agree on one format for your Step Study Group. What you want to achieve is unity in the message and agreement on the exact way you will be taking your group through the 12 Steps. What you want to avoid – especially once you have started your group -are differences of opinion or clashes amongst yourselves regarding the “best” way

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or “my” way to work a particular Step. So decide from the outset that you will work as a team and guide your group with one voice and in one way. Most of us who conduct 12 Step Study Groups use a world conference-approved Fellowship book or workbook. This is highly recommended. Using such a text enables you to stick to an established format and provides a clear guide for leading others through the 12 Steps in an organized and structured way. Not only is this way effective, but it is also the simplest method. Using an approved workbook means saving yourself the time and trouble of coming up with your own format. For example, you can guide your group through the 12 Steps as suggested in Narcotics Anonymous’ “Step Working Guide”. In this conference-approved workbook each Step is described in a chapter and is followed by questions. You can devote a session to a particular chapter on the Step you are studying that week. Group members can take turns reading this chapter with you, as facilitators indicate places of significance that need highlighting. As homework, participants can answer the questions at the end of that chapter, and you can spend the following session discussing their answers and what they have understood from last week’s readings. In addition, you can add readings and information from other conference-approved literature, along with your own experience of how the application of a particular Step has benefited your recovery. The way you format and guide your 12 Step Study Group through the 12 Steps is up to you as facilitators to decide. But once you have decided on a format, stay with it – be consistent. Making changes half way through the course will simply create confusion. As has been pointed out, using a conference-approved Step workbook saves time and effort. Another very important reason for using such a text is that by doing so you can be relatively secure in the knowledge that the way you are guiding others is based on the collective wisdom of the Fellowship – and not simply your own.

2nd - Ascertain participants 

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Next you need to establish whom your 12 Step Study Group is aimed towards. For example, can anyone – with any type of addiction -- attend your group, or is it for drug addicts only? Would you, for instance, be OK with a food or sex addict attending your group? It’s simply a matter of being clear at the beginning about your group’s objectives. Most of us who have conducted Step Study Groups have found that if we let it be known the Steps of which Fellowship we shall be working on, we can then leave it to each individual to decide if they want to join. We need to make it clear, though, that our Step Study Group is focused on working the solution and recovery program for a specific problem and might not be as effective for other types of addictions. We can ask our group participants to be mindful of the primary objective of our 12 Step Study Group and to avoid discussing other types of problems. Having said this, there is no reason people suffering from any kind of addiction should not benefit from our 12 Step Study Group. After all, apart from Step 1, which presents the problem, the rest of the Steps are the same in all Fellowships. And they all offer a path toward recovery, to a life free from addiction.

3rd - Delegate your roles 

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Facilitators need to establish individual roles among themselves for their 12 Step Study Group. When you know what each of you is supposed to do and what your role and responsibilities are, then you have a better chance of conducting a successful 12 Step Study Group. Delegation of your roles as facilitators means there will be relative equal distribution of work. This way no one will feel overwhelmed, or confused. The aim of delegating responsibilities is to help you work better as a team and head off conflict that could cause one of you to become discouraged and ultimately quit the group. Ideally, you should have at least three facilitators for conducting a 12 Step Study Group. Having three allows for all the work involved to be equally distributed amongst you. For Step Study Groups with large numbers of group participants, the ratio of 1 facilitator per 5 group participants is ideal. The recommended roles for facilitators are: 1) Main Facilitator  The main facilitator who conducts each session and who guides the group through the readings and the Steps. 2) Attendance Facilitator  The person who keeps a weekly attendance record of group participants. This facilitator talks to any group member who has missed more than two sessions in a row, explaining that missing sessions impedes the progress of everyone in the group. This facilitator may have to ask a participant to leave if they are unable to attend regularly or abide with the Step Study Group rules.  The other responsibility for this facilitator is to support the main speaker during the sessions. For instance, if the main facilitator needs help explaining a particular aspect of a Step or does not have any experience in relation to a particular issue, then the co-facilitator is there to give their perspective on the issue.  For a sample of an Attendance sheet in Word version, which you can alter according to your group’s size and where you can keep record of group participant’s attendance, please refer to: Worksheets 3) Finance Facilitator  Person who collects the rent for the venue from group participants and also acts as auxiliary support for the facilitators.  The main responsibility of the rent collector is to make sure that every participant, including the facilitators, has contributed equally to paying the rent for the venue.  In addition it is the finance facilitator’s responsibility to collect the money for any other costs such as copy of hand-outs made for group participants.  For a sample of a Finance Sheet in Word version, which you can revise according to your venue’s rent requirements and group’s size, please refer to: Worksheets

4th - Devise facilitation guidelines 

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Now that you have assigned your roles as facilitators, you need to establish some guidelines among yourselves. This will help you work more effectively as a team and will ensure your group is being successfully conducted according to its criteria’s and objectives. For suggestions on how to set guidelines amongst yourselves and for your group members, please refer to: Facilitation guidelines

5th - Devise group rules 

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6th - Devise weekly schedule 

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Finally you need to create a weekly timetable schedule. This will help you plan the material and the Step you will cover in each week’s session and provide you with a timeframe indicating how long your Step Study Group will last. In addiction you need to devise a system for group participants who do not have a sponsor to work their Steps 5 and 8. For suggestions on how to devise a weekly schedule to systematically take your Step Study Group through the 12 Steps, please refer to: Weekly Schedule

7th - Devise session format  

Then you would need to establish the format for your 12 Step Study Group – that is, how each session will be organized and conducted. For a suggested sample of how to conduct a Step Study Group session, please refer to: Session format

8th - Conduct initiation meetings 

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Now that you have established all the practicalities, you need to hold an initiation meeting before you start you 12 Step Study Group. These are meetings aimed at raising awareness of your upcoming Step Study so that people interested in joining can see for themselves what the Group is about, and can ask questions, and decide whether they would like to participate. For a suggested sample of how to conduct an initiation meeting, please refer to: Initiation meeting

ď ś There are a variety of ways you can raise awareness about your upcoming 12 Step Study Group, one of which is through a flyer. So long as you do not use any 12 Steps Fellowship logos on them nor distribute them in any Fellowship meetings they can act as an effective way for people to learn about your upcoming 12 Step Study Group. For more information on how to create a flyer, please refer to: Logistics ď ś Some 12 Step Study Group facilitators provide certificates of completion to group participants upon completion of the course of study. Although such a certificate is obviously not in any sense official, it does serve an important purpose. It is a token of recognition for group participants that they made their recovery a number one priority, that they worked hard, that they put in the time, and that they took the actions necessary to complete their 12 Steps towards a new way of life in freedom. Click here for a Word version sample of a 12 Step Study Group certificate you can adapt according to your needs and preferences, please refer to: Worksheets

6- Facilitator guidelines This page provides some guidelines that will help keep you unified as a team of facilitators. In addition some guidelines are offered to help you conduct your 12 Step Study Group more effectively.  

Suggestions on how to work effectively as a team Suggestions on how to conduct your group effectively

Conducting an effective 12 Step Study Group means knowing what your goals and responsibilities are as facilitators. This means establishing guidelines among yourselves on how to work as a team and how to best conduct your group to achieve its objectives. When you are clear about your responsibilities and limitations, you are better able to keep your group focused and productive. The point is you want to avoid taking on more than you can handle or assuming responsibility for tasks that fall outside your roles as facilitators. Establishing guidelines will help you function better as a team as you lead your group through the 12 Steps systematically within a specific time frame.  Below are guidelines designed to help you work effectively together to conduct a successful 12 Steps Study Group.  Note that these are only suggestions. You are free to amend them in any way you like to make them conform to your own needs, preferences and criteria using the Word version of this page in: Worksheets Figure 5 : Suggestions for group facilitators

Suggestions on how to work effectively as a team  

Establish the method and the format that you will use in taking your group through the 12 Steps -- and stick with it. Do not make changes in your approach half way through the course since this can lead to confusion. Treat your 12 Steps Study Group like a classroom with you as teachers sharing your knowledge of the 12 Steps of a particular Fellowship – talking about how to work them based on your experience.

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Meet each other about 30 minutes before each session for a coffee to review and confirm what you will be covering that session. Start and finish your 12 Step Study Group at the designated times. When conducting your group, keep your remarks short and to the point. Don’t let the group get out of control or diverted from its objective. It may be a good idea to remind your group of its Rules by reading them out loud every couple of weeks. Don’t air any disagreements in front of your group. For instance, don’t argue, put each other down or contradict one another in front of the group. Such behaviour will only discourage group participants. If there are differences of opinion amongst you, discuss them outside the 12 Step Study Group. It is not your responsibility to convince group members to work their 12 Steps. If any member is defiant or argumentative, remind them that you are simply sharing your experience of the Steps, and that they have the choice to leave or find their own answers. At the same time, have the humility and the respect to allow each member their own experience of the Steps and journey towards recovery. When speaking to the group, be in the habit of framing your remarks with: “My experience is”. We are simply facilitators, not gurus or authorities on the Steps. Neither do we possess knowledge of recovery from every type of addiction. We share our experience of dealing with the addiction that afflicted us. Using that experience, we try to guide others by sharing how working the Steps of our Fellowship helped us find recovery. Do not feel obliged to have all the answers to group participants’ questions. You are not god. If you do not have first-hand experience on a subject under discussion in the group, simply state you do not have any experience of it and ask one of your cofacilitators to share his or her experience. You may even ask the group member to search for the answer himself or herself and share it with the group the following session. Remind yourselves that as facilitators you are simply sharing your experience of the 12 Steps in a group setting and offering guidance. You are not 12 Step gurus, nor do you practice a perfect program. Do not allow pride or ego to rob you of working your own program with humility. Make sure you do not act like a therapist, a doctor, a professional, a caretaker or a family member. Despite any professional background you may have, or how passionate you may be about your Step Study Group, remember as facilitators your are solely there to guide others through the 12 Steps as you have experienced them. Getting involved emotionally or any other way will confuse your group members and ultimately lead to disappointment or resentments. Avoid assuming responsibilities that fall outside your role as a facilitator guiding others through the 12 Steps. Being a facilitator is a big enough task – and one that is critical to saving lives. Trying to be everything or do everything for your group members can divert you from your primary goal and wear you out. Remember that it is the group member’s responsibility to put in the work – and take the actions required for their recovery. Equally it is their right to quit the Step Study Group if they wish to. Do not take it personally or allow it to dampen your enthusiasm. Be comfortable with the idea that some group participants may not like you personally. Remind yourselves that this is not about your ego or expectations of praise and prestige. Remind yourselves that you are facilitating a Step Study Group as part of your 12th Step work and the maintenance of your own recovery - that you are helping others to help yourselves.

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Do not try to sponsor all group members. Sponsorship is a different process to facilitating a 12 Step Study Group. A sponsor has the time and energy to support an addict through their ups and downs of recovery. As facilitators, you are there to pass on your experience of the Steps to a group of fellow addicts in a classroom setting. Your role is similar to that of a teacher passing on your knowledge and experience, while leaving your pupils to have their own journey. From the onset you need to highly recommend to group participants that they get a sponsor, if they don’t already have one. Yet, very likely one main reason people have joined your Step Study Group is because they do not have sponsors with whom to work their Steps. For this reasons you need to come up with a way for these participants to work Steps 5 and Step 8. The solution is that you highly recommend from the beginning that group participants buddy up with one another -- that is that they find another group member they can team up with and act as co-sponsors. Such members can share their Step 5 with one another and use each other’s support and guidance to work through their amends list in Step 8. Alternatively, you as facilitators can support a couple of your group members through these two Steps or hook them up with Fellowship members outside the Step Study Group who are willing to act in this role. But you have to be careful not to take on the responsibility of acting as sponsor to all group members. If you are willing, you can do so for a couple of them, but be sure it does not burden your own recovery, nor hurt your effectiveness as a facilitator. Be gentle and compassionate with your Step Study Group members. Remind yourself of the early days when you lacked working knowledge and experience of the program. Don’t forget to practise Step 3 -- to hand your will over to the care of God during this process. This will help you avoid assuming other people’s burdens or getting emotionally involved. Remember the principle of doing the work and leaving the results to your God. Allow facilitation to be a learning and enlightening experience for you. Be humble, and so be willing and open-minded to learn from your group participants. The quality of your own recovery will greatly benefit as a result. Being a facilitator is a great experience and a real privilege.

Suggestions on how to conduct your group effectively 

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A 12 Step Study Group is not bound by any rules or Fellowship Traditions, so you are free to conduct your group pretty much however you like, using whatever material or source has helped you work your Steps. Ultimately conducting a 12 Step Study Group is about your 12th step work and it boils down to sharing your experience, strength and hope to carry the message of recovery to other addicts. So be sure to let your group know that the way you are guiding them through the 12 Steps is purely based on your personal experience -- that it is not set in stone or the only way. Let your group members know that you will be respectful of their own interpretation and experience of the Steps and that you do not demand that anyone follow your recovery path. The principles of a 12 Step Study Group are similar to that of the Fellowship – namely, they are based on suggestions and do not claim a monopoly on how to work a perfect program.

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Remind your group of the purpose of the 12 Step Study Group, namely that we suffer from a life-threatening disease and are here to work the Steps to find a solution and learn a new way of life. When the group is reminded of the importance of working the Steps, they are more likely to stay focused on the solution and not allow trivial issues or personality conflicts to distract them. There is also less likelihood for them to sabotage their recovery by being argumentative or judgmental towards others. Remind group members of the commitment they have made to make recovery their number one priority and their willingness to go to any length. In this frame of mind, participants will be motivated to take the actions required to work the Steps. Let your group members know your role as facilitators is to guide them through the 12 Steps of a particular Fellowship by sharing your strength, hope and experience -that is all. Make clear to the group that it is not your responsibility to convince or pressure anyone to work their Steps. This includes spelling out your limitations and, in general, explaining what you can and cannot do - including not being able to act as personal sponsors to each of them. Remind your group members that those who do not have a sponsor need to buddy up with one another for the duration of the 12 Step Study Group. Explain that those without a sponsor will need a buddy in the group with whom to share their Steps 5 and 8. Remind them that the 12 Step Study Group is like a classroom and not a Fellowship meeting -- and that there are rules to be observed. For example, if a group member persistently disturbs the unity and the objective of the group, the Attendance facilitator will have to ask him or her to leave. This is because pursuing the objective of the 12 Step Study Group takes precedence over individual participants. Remind participants that the 12 Step Study Group is not a social gathering, nor a place to make best friends. We may not all like one another but so long as we keep our focus on learning and working the Steps, we can put any personality differences aside and work together as a team. Based on this principle there is less chance for argument or conflict deterring a member from continuing with the course. Remind them that the 12 Step Study Group has one primary objective that it needs to achieve within a specific time frame. It therefore has to work on a rigid schedule, allocating each session to studying and working on a particular Step. The facilitators need to run the sessions so as to be able to cover the material in the time allowed. And questions or discussion of any sort are permissible only if there is time enough after the main work of the session is completed. Remind group participants that the 12 Step Study Group is not a discussion or sharing meeting. That in order for the Step Study Group to achieve its objectives, facilitators will ask group participants to hold any comments or questions until after the session, and then they can talk with one of the facilitators -- or have a discussion with other participants. Make clear to participants that the 12 Step Study Group is not a replacement for their Fellowship meetings. In fact, it is recommended that group participants attend more than their usual number of meetings during the course of the Step Study Group. Doing so will help them process what they are learning about the Steps. Remind them that we need our Fellowship meetings, as they are the vital source of support for our recovery.

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Remind group members that they need to keep up to date with the material being studied and any homework, so as not to hold others back. Continuous failure to do so may lead to them being dismissed. Advise group members to avoid leaving their homework until the last night. Experience has shown that those who do so find themselves unable to keep up and wind up leaving the group. In addition learning and working the Steps is a process. The earlier we do the homework, the better able we are to reflect on – and experience -- how that Step can work in our life. Recommend for group members to meet up in informal small groups during the week to do their homework with the support of one another. This not only has the benefit of broadening their understanding of how the steps are worked, but also promotes camaraderie and encouragement to pursue the course. Ask group participants to observe the 12 Traditions of all anonymous Fellowships. A Step Study Group is not affiliated with 12 Step Fellowships and should not in any way be promoted or advertised in a meeting. Certainly, you can talk with others in the Fellowship about your participation in a Step Study Group and how it is helping you, but you should do so outside the meetings. Finally, every once in a while praise your group participants for their diligence and hard work. Let them know that working the Steps is the path towards learning how to live a new way of life in joy and freedom.

Membership rules Group member Rules

To help your group adhere to its primary objective of taking participants systematically through the 12 Steps within a specific time frame, you need to set some rules and criteria for group participants. This is for the greater good of your 12 Step Study Group and ensures its ability to function effectively. Basically, by having rules you are guarding against group members acting in a way that may be detrimental to the objective and progress of your 12 Step Study Group. Setting rules will also help your group members keep their focus on working their 12 Steps. In accordance with Tradition 3, no one is ever going to be dismissed from a Fellowship meeting for poor attendance, but failing to show up regularly and on time at a Step Study Group may result in a participant being asked to leave. Unlike Fellowship meetings 12 Step Study Groups have rules that group participants have to observe – or face being dismissed. Along with spelling out when it may be necessary -- for the good of the group -to ask a participant to leave, these rules provide members with guidance on how to better work towards the specific objectives of a 12 Step Study Group. Certainly, any participant who hinders the progress of the group or disrupts its functioning may have to get dismissed. To repeat, a meeting of a 12 Step Study Group and a meeting of a Fellowship are two different things. Whereas in a Fellowship meeting, there is no hierarchy and everyone is on an equal footing in sharing their experience, strength and hope of recovery, a 12 Step Study Group is more like a classroom, where facilitators act like teachers who take the pupils – group participants --systematically through the 12 Steps within a specific time frame. Setting rules is going to help your group function effectively as a team in the common purpose of working their 12 Steps toward recovery, thereby enabling them to make maximum use of the Step Study Group. Having guidelines will also make it clear to participants your role and function as facilitators and what they need to do to keep up with the group and help it run smoothly. Having guidelines lessens the possibility of group members dropping out of the group because they were not clear from the start what the group was about and what was expected of them. There will be less likelihood of them getting resentful, having unrealistic expectations or finding an excuse to leave the course, thereby missing out on working their 12 Steps and finding recovery. Below is a sample list of 12 Step Study Group Rules, including its Word version, which you can apply as written, or amend to suit your group’s needs and criteria. It is recommended that these Rules be read to the group every couple of week to remind participants of the primary objective and to keep them unified. For the Word version of Group rules, please refer to: Worksheets

Membership rules You will be asked to leave the 12 Step Study Group if you: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

Use any mind-altering substances. Miss more than 2 sessions in a row. Miss every other session. Regularly fail to complete the homework on schedule for each week. Divert the group from its objective of systematically working through the 12 Steps. In any way disrupt the group’s progress.

Group member rules  Trust and anonymity are essential for the survival of this 12 Step Study Group. Please maintain the confidentiality of your fellow group members.  We have gathered in unity to work our 12 steps to save our lives and recover. Do not allow minor or personal issues amongst yourselves to distract you from this purpose. Instead, keep your focus on the common solution we are working towards.  The meetings start and end promptly at the assigned hour. Tardiness and or leaving early disrupts the group and are not recommended.  Keep your focus – and any comments, questions, or observations – on issues pertaining specifically to the Steps. Bringing up unrelated issues during the Step Study Group sessions is a distraction – and a disservice to your fellow participants. Anyone who does this regularly may be asked to leave.  Do not interrupt the facilitators or argue with one another during the sessions. Address any questions or concerns to the facilitators only and at the end of the session or afterwards.  If you have a problem with a group member or a facilitator, discuss it with one of the facilitators and not amongst yourselves.  Refrain from cross talk, advice giving or judging your group members.  Avoid any activity that may disrupt the session, such as eating, making phone calls, texting, etc.  Anger, gossip, resentment, manipulation can destroy the group. Endeavour to keep the integrity of the group. Please be mindful and respectful of each group member’s journey and experiences of the Steps.  Facilitators cannot act as personal sponsors. It is highly recommended that you have a sponsor, at least during the course of the 12 Step Study Group. If you do not have one, ask your facilitators to help you find one or buddy up and co-sponsor with another group member.  Be mindful that facilitators are purely sharing their experience and working knowledge of the 12 Step and may not have the answer to all your questions.  Contributions toward paying rent for the venue are equally shared among group participants and facilitators. Note that you do not get your money back if you decide to drop out of the group or are asked to leave.  Please respect the 12 Traditions of all Fellowships. Do not promote or publicize your 12 Step Study Group in any Fellowship meeting.

8- Weekly schedules For a 12 Step Study Group to run smoothly, facilitators need to have a weekly schedule. This is so that you can plan what steps and material you want to cover on a weekly basis for the duration of your 12 Step Study Group. Also included are two sample weekly schedules, one based on the 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous and the other on Alcoholics Anonymous as examples for your use or inspiration.     

Merits of a weekly schedule Sponsor needed Steps Example of NA Weekly Schedule Example of AA Weekly Schedule Weekly Schedule template

Merits of a weekly schedule It is a good idea to devise a weekly schedule before you start your 12 Step Study Group for it will help you and your group members in the following ways: 1) A weekly schedule will provide you with a weekly plan on how to systematically guide your group through the 12 Steps within a specific time frame. It will help you be organized and practical on how best to guide your group through the 12 Steps. 2) A weekly schedule will help you, as facilitators know what step work you will need to cover on a weekly basis. This way you will not have to spend time each week deciding on what to do for each session, but will simply follow your pre planned schedule. It is important though not to change your weekly schedule once you have devised it, for it may lead to confusion to both you and your group members. It is also a good idea to meet for 30 minutes prior to each weekly session, to confirm amongst yourselves what you will be teaching and your duties as facilitators for that session. 3) A weekly schedule will help your group participants know in advance how long the 12 Step Study Group will run. This way they can arrange their life affaires accordingly as to devote their time to the duration of the course. For example you may have to rearrange your travel plans so as not to miss more than two sessions in a row. 4) A weekly schedule will help your group participants know what step work will be covered each week and what homework is expected of them. This way they can come in prepared for each session and or catch up with any homework if they have missed a session. It is a good idea to provide copies of your Step Study Group’s weekly schedule to your group participants at the beginning of the 12 Step Study Group.

Sponsor needed Steps Most likely some of your group participants will be without a sponsor and you will need to come up with a plan for them to work the Steps that specifically require the help of another – namely Steps 5 and 8. Although most of the Steps can be effectively worked in a Step Study Group setting where members benefit from the guidance of the facilitators and the support of their group members, Steps 5 and 8 do require personal attention. Traditionally most of us work our 12 Steps with a sponsor where along the way we share our Step 5 and get guidance in reference to our list of amends. But for those of us who have joined a 12 Step Study Group and who do not have a sponsor, working these two Steps in a Step Study Group requires finding alternative ways. The truth is a 12 Study Group is an effective way to learn and work the Steps, but it is like a classroom and not designed to offer the benefits of personal sponsorship. For example, as facilitators -- especially if conducting a big Step Study Group, you will not be able to act as sponsors to 20 participants who need someone to share their Step 5 with. Nor are you going to be able to offer the proper attention in guiding them all with their amends list in Step 8. But there are solutions, and you can deal with this situation in one of the following ways: 1) Recommend that group participants buddy up with one another. In a buddy system two members team up with each other in an arrangement similar to co-sponsorship. They can then share their Step 5 with one another and use each other’s support and guidance to work through their amends list in Step 8. You may want to tell them that they can come to you for guidance and suggestions – but only if they feel stuck in particular areas. Note that buddying up with other group members for the duration of the 12 Step Study Group is highly recommended even for participants who have sponsors. 2) If there are not too many participants without sponsors, you as facilitators can divide them equally between yourselves to help them through Steps 5 and 8. But make sure you act in the capacity of a “sponsor” only for these two Steps and share the workload amongst yourselves. Otherwise taking on the responsibility of sponsoring every group member will overwhelm you and impair your effectiveness as a 12 Step Study Group facilitator. 3) You can find other Fellowship members willing to help out in such capacity. Previous 12 Step Study Group participants are often great candidates to fill this role. Having gone through the course, they are usually willing and eager to help.

Example of NA Weekly Schedule Below is an example of Weekly Schedule based on Narcotics Anonymous’ “Step Working Guide”. You can use this for your Step Study Group or take incentive from it to devise your own weekly schedule. Table 1 : Example of NA weekly schedule

Example of AA Weekly Schedule Below is an example of Weekly Schedule based on the Alcoholics Anonymous “Big Book”. You can use this for your Step Study Group or take incentive from it to devise your own weekly schedule. Table 2 : Example of AA weekly schedule – Step 1 to 3

Table 3 : Example of AA weekly schedule - Step 4 to 6

Table 4 : Example of AA weekly schedule - Step 7 to 12

Weekly Schedule template For a template of a Weekly Schedule in Word format which can be used according to your and needs and preferences, please refer to: Worksheets

9- Format This page provides facilitators with a sample format on how to conduct an hour and a half long 12 Step Study Group session.

Preliminaries (10 minutes) Attendance facilitator  Takes record of group member attendees  If any participant has missed more than 2 previous sessions in a row, the attendance facilitator should wait until the end of the session to remind that person that regular attendance is an expected part of their continued participation in the 12 Step Study Group. Finance facilitator  At the beginning of each month the Finance facilitator collects each participant’s share for the rent. This can also include other expenses made on behalf of the group such as cost of photocopying hand outs, etc.  After the session has ended, the facilitator should remind anyone who is behind in contributing their share of the rent. Main Facilitators  Welcome the 12 Step Study Group and call for two minutes silence to remind all in attendance of their purpose in meeting, and to invite their Higher Power to guide them in their efforts.  Ask a group member to read the Group Rules.  Ask if everyone has completed the week’s homework, and encourage anyone who has not completed the assignments to do so by the following week as not to slow the group’s progress.  Describe what will be covered at the session  Ask if everyone is willing to make a commitment to work the Step covered in tonight’s session.

Down to Business (50 minutes) Main facilitator  Main facilitator asks group members to take turns reading the designated Step passages, using the selected Fellowship book or workbook.  At the end of each paragraph the main facilitator indicates places of significance and asks group participants to highlight or underline them in their own book or workbook copies.  The main facilitator then explains these significant passages and shares his or experiences around them. The co-facilitators also have the option to share their experiences of these significant passages.  After the reading for the week is completed, the main facilitator explains the homework for the following week to group participants. This can be: 1) To reread the passages studied at the session and to write their own interpretation and understanding of it.

2) To answer the relevant questions at the end of the chapter. Most Fellowship workbooks have a series of questions at the end of each chapter or you may devise your own questions in relation to the passages being studied. 3) To write what the Step being studied means to them in relation to it acting as a tool for recovery from the disease of addiction.

Group Participation Time (30 minutes) 

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Providing the allocated readings for the session is done, the last 30 minutes is an opportunity for group participants to ask questions and make whatever comments or observations they may have only regarding the material covered during the session -- or on the following week’s homework. The main facilitator can call on cofacilitators for support if he or she is unable to speak from experience in response to a question. Main facilitator suggests to group participants: 1) Each group member to buddy up with another for the duration of the Step Study Group. This is especially beneficial for those members who do not have a sponsor and who can use each other’s support to work through the Steps. 2) To meet as small groups during the week in order to share your experiences of the homework and the Steps being studied. 3) Not to leave your homework until the last minute but allow a couple of hours each night to work and process them. 4) Not to break neither each other confidentiality nor bonds of trust. 5) Not to replace the Step Study Group with your Fellowship meeting. Fellowship meetings are a vital and necessary component of our recovery.

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Session ends at the allocated time and is closed by everyone reciting the Serenity Prayer. Main facilitator invites everyone to go for a coffee afterwards. As discussion during the meeting is not allowed this is a great opportunity for group members to share their experience or queries with one another or with the facilitators.

 For the Word version of this format, which you can adapt according to your criteria and preferences, please refer to: Worksheets

10- Logistics This page provides facilitators with suggestions on how to find a suitable venue, pay the rent and raise awareness of your upcoming 12 Step Study Group. 1. Find a venue 2. Sort out expenses 3. Raise awareness Figure 6 : Logistics of 12 Step groups

1st - Find a venue 

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A suitable place to hold your 12 Step Study Group is where Fellowship meetings are held. Such venues usually have the advantages of being in the proximity of public transport, while also being familiar to those most likely to participate in your Step Study Group. Try and not hold your 12 Step Study Group in someone’s home – including your own -- because doing so invites complications. For instance, the person whose home you are using may half way through decide they no longer want the Group meeting there. In that case, you will be scrambling to find a new space. Second, if you meet in someone’s home, there is the risk that your Step Study Group will be identified with that person. It might then come across to some group members that the Step Study Group belongs to that person. Such a situation will then contradict the whole ethos of 12 Step Study Groups, which is an independent forum open to anyone interested in working their Steps. You may as a facilitator decide to host the 12 Step Study Group in your home, but experience has shown that having strangers in your home – even if they are there working on their Steps – opens up issues of boundaries and the problems of the facilitator becoming over identified with the Step Study Group. It is therefore highly recommended to hold your 12 Step Study Group in an independent venue. Apart from the potential issues that may arise as stated above, this will encourage group participants to treat it more formally and more like a classroom. The academic atmosphere brought about by having your 12 Step Study Group in an independent venue will encourage them to observe

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its rules and treat it as a place to study and work their Steps. They will be more likely to take it more serious, show up on time and focus their attention on the work at hand. In finding a suitable venue for your 12 Step Study Group, it may be good idea to find a place in an area where you believe most of the group participants interested in joining live, as this will lessen their travel time and encourage them to attend.

2nd - Sort out Expenses 

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Look at various places and find out how much they cost to rent. Contact the management of the venue to enquire and then to decide whether it is feasible. Although at this point you may not have a definite indication of how many will attend your 12 Step Study Group, find a venue which you believe best suits the approximate size of your group and one that you can manage to pay its rent. Whatever the rent for the venue, it has to be divided and paid equally between you and your group participants. For example, if the group is scheduled to meet for 24 weeks and there are 6 of you in total, then the total sum for 24 weeks is divided in 6 – and each pays one-quarter of the total cost. Then, depending on the venue’s management requirements for payment, the facilitator responsible for rent collection needs to devise a system to collect rent from everyone and make payment. It may be a good idea to collect the rent for one or two months in advance – and hold that money in reserve, such as is done at Fellowship meetings. Doing it this way you do not waste too much of the group’s time over money matters in every session. The facilitator in charge of seeing that the rent is paid may also want to enquire regarding any additional possible charges, such as may occur due to damage to property, etc. The money collected in advance for the monthly rent then becomes the property of the 12 Step Study Group. Group participants should be made aware that what they have already paid will not be refunded, even if they decide to drop out of the group or are asked to leave due to failure to observe the rules. For a sample of how to keep a record of rent payments, please refer to: Worksheets

3rd - Raise awareness  

Now that you have sorted out the venue and the rent, you want to raise awareness of your upcoming Step Study Group. Please Remember: 1. 12 Step Study Groups are separate entities and not affiliated with any 12 Steps Fellowship. Promoting them in any Fellowship meeting will violate Tradition 6 (“ A (Fellowship) group ought never endorse, finance or lend the (Fellowship name) to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.”) Most probably you have decided to facilitate a Step Study Group as part of your 12th Step and as a way of expressing gratitude for the new lease of life given to you by these Fellowships. So please be mindful and respectful of their Traditions as this is what helps keep them and us alive. 2. Please be careful in making a flyer for your upcoming 12 Step Study Group not to use any Fellowship logos on it. Fellowship logos are copyrighted and it is illegal and dishonest to use them for any purpose other than Fellowship committee approved literature.

Here are suggestions on how to raise awareness of your upcoming 12 Step Study Group: Figure 7 : Raise awareness of 12 Step groups

1- Word of mouth let people know outside your meetings of your new 12 Step Study Group and ask them to pass the word around. Addicts in search of recovery usually get attracted to those working their program and a mention of your intention to start a 12 Step Study Group will get them curious and interested.

2- Flyer outside Fellowship Create a flyer and distribute it outside your meetings. Give plenty of copies to everyone and request that they pass them to others. Be careful not to use any Fellowship logos on your flyer; they are copyrighted and it is illegal and dishonest to use them for any purpose other than Fellowship committee approved literature.

3- Flyer at facilities You can post and distribute your flyer at facilities that have potential addicts seeking recovery. These places would include doctors’ rooms – including therapists -- hospitals, rehabs, detox facilities, refugee centres, etc. Please make sure you obtain the permission of management before posting or distributing your flyers within them.

4- Flyer common places You can distribute your flyers in any place where you believe your target group participants will see them. For example, if you are planning to start a Farsi speaking 12 Step Study Group on the 12 Steps of NA, then maybe the coffee shop or the grocery store or community centres where you know they hang out. Or you can post your flyers in facility / venue billboards where Fellowship meetings are held. Please make sure you obtain the permission of management before doing so.  For a sample of a flyer, which you can amend according to your criteria’, please refer to: Worksheets

11- Initiation meeting Prior to the start of a 12 Step Study Group, facilitators need to hold a couple of initiation meetings. These meetings aim to raise awareness of your upcoming 12 Step Study Group and inform potential participants about its set up and criteria’s. Also included a sample format on how to conduct an hour and half initiation meeting.  

What are Initiation meetings Sample initiation meeting format

What are Initiation meetings 



Now that you have done all the preparation work for your 12 Step Study Group, it is time to hold a couple of initiation meetings. Initiation meetings are aimed at raising awareness of your upcoming Step Study so that people interested in joining can see for themselves what the Group is about and decide whether they would like to participate. Initiation meetings help potential participants understand how 12 Step Study Groups are structured and conducted, what is expected of them and the scope of work and commitment involved. It is a good idea to have your initiation meetings at least a month prior to the start of your 12 Step Study Group. This will enable those interested in joining to decide whether they want to commit to working their 12 Steps in such group setting, to then be able to organize their life affaires and prepare their time schedules accordingly. Try and have at least 2 initiation meetings as this will help promote your upcoming 12 Step Study Group. Most probably those who attend your first meeting will pass the word around to others who would then get curious and become interested to attend the next initiation meeting. You can also distribute your 12 Step Study Group flyer at the end of each of your initiation meetings and ask participants to pass the word around. Initiation meetings usually last about 1.5 hour and are best to be held at the same venue where the 12 Step Study Group will take place. As far as the rent for the meetings are concerned, you may want to pass the pot around or for the sake of simplicity, pay it equally amongst yourselves as facilitators.

Sample initiation meeting format Below is a sample format of how to conduct an Initiation meeting. For the Word version of this format, which you can adapt according to your own criteria and preferences, please refer to: Worksheets

Preliminaries (20 minutes)  

Main facilitator opens the meeting with a moment of silence and meditation. Each facilitator takes turns sharing their journey into recovery, briefly talking about their addiction, what happened to them, and where they are now as a result of working their 12 Steps -- and why they have decided to facilitate a 12 Step Study Group.



Facilitators then distribute the following hand outs with the main facilitator recommending that the attendees study them, as the information will help them with their decision to undertake the commitment to work their 12 Steps in your Step Study Group. (Note, you may want to charge for the printing cost of these hand outs.) 1) Purpose & structure – Explains the primary objective of 12 Step Study Groups and how they are structured. 2) Advantages & limitations – Explains the advantages and limitations of working the 12 Steps in a Step Study Group setting. Included is set of questions for your potential group participants to consider before deciding to commit to your Step Study. 3) Group Rules – Explains the rules and criteria’s group participants need to observe in order to take part in a 12 Step Study Group. 4) Weekly Schedule – Provides information on how long the group will last, what will be covered and what homework is expected of participants. You may also want to provide the following additional handouts to the attendees. These are information that explain the fundamentals of recovery with the 12 Steps and can be especially beneficial for those with little knowledge of 12 Step programs and their approach towards recovery. (Note, copies of these hand outs can be found in the Recovery section of Hamrah’s website.) 1) 12 Step programs – provides an overview of 12 Step programs, their purpose and approach towards recovery. 2) Plan of recovery – explains the structure of the 12 Steps and how each Step acts as a tool towards recovery. 3) Goals of the 12 Steps - explains the goal of each Step and what each aims to help achieve in us. 4) Spiritual Principles - explains the spiritual principles behind each Step and how each Step aims to help us change ourselves. 5) Promises of Recovery – describes the freedom and miracles we can experience if we work the 12 steps.

Main facilitator: (40 minutes) 1. Describes the goal of the 12 Step Study Group is to guide its participants through the 12 Steps in an organized and systematic way within a specific time frame. 2. Describes how the group will be conducted and which Fellowship book or workbook will be used as a guide to work through the 12 Steps. 3. Describes how long the 12 Step Study Group will last, the role and responsibilities of the facilitators, and the rules and criteria’s expected to be observed by group participants. 4. Stresses that participation in a 12 Step Study Group involves a lot of commitment and hard work. Emphasizes the importance of cohesion and teamwork amongst group participants and lets them know anyone who may hinder the objective or progress of the group or who fails to attend the sessions and or do the homework’s, may get dismissed.

Group participation: (25 minutes)  

Main facilitator opens the meeting for Questions and Answers. Other facilitators can contribute during this segment. Attendees are also invited to explain what has interested them to work their 12 Steps in your Step Study Group – (optional).

End: (5 minutes)    

Copies of the 12 Step Study Group Flyer are distributed. Main facilitator asks attendees to pass them around in places where they are likely to be people interested. Main facilitator requests that attendees be mindful of the 12 Traditions and not to promote the 12 Step Study Group or distribute its flyer in any Fellowship meetings. The pot is passed around to collect for the rent of the venue. The meeting is closed with everyone holding hands and saying the Serenity prayer.

12- Worksheets Based on the material presented in this booklet, here you will find some of its pages in Word version to adapt according to your 12 Step Study Group’s needs and preferences.

1- Facilitation Guidelines Based on information in Facilitation Guidelines, a suggested sample of how to set guidelines amongst yourselves as facilitators and your group members is provided in Appendix section. Facilitation Guidelines

2- Group Rules Based on information in Group Rules, a sample list of 12 Step Study Group Rules that you can apply as written, or amend to suit your needs and criteria, is provided in Appendix section. Group Rules

3- Session Format Based on information in Format, a suggested sample of a 12 Step Study Group format which you can amend according to your needs and preferences, is provided in Appendix section. Session Format

4- Weekly Schedule Based on information in Weekly Schedule, a template of a 12 Step Study Group weekly schedule to use according to your needs and preferences, is provided in Appendix section. Weekly Schedule

5- Initiation meeting format Based on information in Initiation Meetings, a sample format of how to conduct an Initiation meeting, which you can adapt according to your own criteria and preferences, is provided in Appendix section. Initiation Meetings

6- Attendance sheet Based on information in How to Conduct, a sample of an attendance sheet, which you can use to keep records of your group participant’s attendance for the duration of your 12 Step Study Group, is provided in Appendix section. Attendance Sheet

7- Finance sheet Based on information in How to Conduct, samples of finance sheets to help you keep your 12 Step Study Group’s expenses up to date and organized, are provided in Appendix section. Finance Sheet

8- Flyer Based on information in Logistics, a sample of a 12 Step Study Group flyer which can be adapted according to your needs and preferences, is provided in Appendix section. Flyer

Notice: 



12 Step Study Groups are separate entities and not affiliated with any 12 Step Fellowship. Promoting them in any Fellowship meeting will violate Tradition 6: (“A (Fellowship) group ought never endorse, finance or lend the (Fellowship name) to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.”) Most probably you have decided to facilitate a Step Study Group as part of your 12th Step and as a way of expressing gratitude for the new lease of life given to you by these Fellowships. So please be mindful and respectful of their Traditions as this is what helps keep them and us alive. Please be careful in making a flyer for your upcoming 12 Step Study Group not to use any Fellowship logos on it. Fellowship logos are copyrighted and it is illegal and dishonest to use them for any purpose other than Fellowship committee approved literature.

9- Mock certificate Based on information in How to conduct, a sample of a 12 Step Study Group Certificate that you can adapt according to your preferences, is provided in Appendix section. Certificate

Notice:  Although such a certificate is obviously not in any sense official, it does serve an important purpose. It is a token of recognition for group participants that they made their recovery a number one priority, that they worked hard, that they put in the time, and that they took the actions necessary to complete their 12 Steps towards a new way of life in freedom.

Appendix

Sample: 12 Step facilitator guidelines Suggestions on how to work effectively as a team                  

Establish the method and the format that you will use in taking your group through the 12 Steps -- and stick with it. Treat your 12 Steps Study Group like a classroom with you as teachers sharing your knowledge of the 12 Steps of a particular Fellowship. Meet each other about 30 minutes before each session to confirm what you will be covering each session. Start and finish your 12 Step Study Group at the designated times. When conducting your group, keep your remarks short and to the point. Don’t let the group get out of control or diverted from its objective. Remind your group of its Rules every couple of weeks. Don’t air any disagreements in front of your group. It is not your responsibility to convince group members to work their 12 Steps. When speaking to the group, be in the habit of framing your remarks with: “My experience is”. Do not feel obliged to have all the answers to group participants’ questions if you do not have any experience around it. Remind yourselves that as facilitators you are simply sharing your experience of the 12 Steps in a group setting and offering guidance. You are not 12 Step gurus, nor do you practice a perfect program. Make sure you do not act like a therapist, a doctor, a professional, a caretaker or a family member. Avoid assuming responsibilities that falls outside your role as a facilitator guiding others through the 12 Steps in a systematic way. Be comfortable with the idea that some group participants may not like you personally. Do not try to sponsor all group members. Sponsorship is a different process to facilitating a 12 Step Study Group. Be gentle and compassionate with your Step Study Group members. Don’t forget to practise Step 3 -- to hand your will over to the care of God during this process. Allow facilitation to be a learning and enlightening experience for you.

Suggestions on how to conduct your group effectively    

A 12 Step Study Group is not bound by any rules or Fellowship Traditions, so you are free to conduct your group pretty much however you like, using whatever material or source has helped you work your Steps. Let your group members know that you will be respectful of their own interpretation and experience of the Steps and that you do not demand that anyone follow your recovery path. Remind your group of the purpose of the 12 Step Study Group, namely that we suffer from a life-threatening disease and are here to work the Steps to find a solution and learn a new way of life. Remind group members of the commitment they have made to make recovery their number one priority and their willingness to go to any length.

   

Let your group members know your role as facilitators is to guide them through the 12 Steps of a particular Fellowship by sharing your strength, hope and experience -that is all. Remind your group members that those who do not have a sponsor need to buddy up with one another for the duration of the 12 Step Study Group. Remind them that the 12 Step Study Group is like a classroom and not a Fellowship meeting -- and that there are rules to be observed. Remind participants that the 12 Step Study Group is not a social gathering, but that it has one primary objective that it needs to achieve within a specific time frame. Remind group participants that the 12 Step Study Group is not a discussion or sharing meeting. Make clear to participants that the 12 Step Study Group is not a replacement for their Fellowship meetings.

Sample: 12 Step study group rules Membership rules You will be asked to leave the 12 Step Study Group if you: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

Sample: 12 Step study session format Preliminaries (10 minutes) Attendance facilitator  Takes record of group member attendees.

Finance facilitator  

Collects participant’s share for the rent and expenses at the beginning of each month. Reminds anyone who is behind in contributing their share of the rent.

Main Facilitators     

Welcomes the group participants and calls for two minutes silence. Asks a group member to read the Group Rules. Asks if everyone has completed the week’s homework. Describe what will be covered at the session. Asks if everyone is willing to make a commitment to work the Step covered in the session.

Down to Business (50 minutes) Main facilitator  Asks group members to take turns reading the designated Step passages, using the selected Fellowship book or workbook.  At the end of each paragraph the main facilitator indicates places of significance and asks group participants to highlight or underline them in their own book or workbook.  Explains the significant passages and shares his or experiences around them.  After the reading is completed, the main facilitator explains the homework for the following week to group participants. This can be: 4) To reread the passages studied and to write their understanding of it. 5) To answer the relevant questions at the end of the studied chapter. 6) To write what the Step studied means to them in terms of it acting as a tool for recovery.

Group Participation Time (last 30 minutes)  

 

Group participants ask questions and or make comments on the material covered during the session Main facilitator suggests to group participants: 6) To buddy up with one another for the duration of the Step Study Group 7) To meet as small groups during the week to support one another 8) Not to leave your homework until the last minute 9) Not to break each other confidentiality nor bonds of trust. 10) Not to replace the Step Study Group with your Fellowship meeting Session is closed with the Serenity Prayer. Main facilitator invites everyone to go for coffee afterwards

Sample: 12 Step study weekly schedule Table 5 : Sample 12 Step group weekly schedule

Sample: 12 Step study initiation meeting Preliminaries (20 minutes)    

Moment of silence and meditation. Each facilitator takes turns sharing their journey into recovery and why they have decided to facilitate a 12 Step Study Group. Facilitators distribute relevant hand outs that can help group members with their decision to undertake the commitment to work their 12 Steps in a Step Study Group. Facilitators distribute hand outs that explain the fundamentals of recovery with the 12 Step programs.

Main facilitator: (40 minutes) 1. Describes the goal of the 12 Step Study Group. 2. Describes how the group will be conducted and which Fellowship book or workbook will be used. 3. Describes how long the 12 Step Study Group will last, the role and responsibilities of the facilitators, and the rules and criteria’s expected by group participants. 4. Stresses that participation in a 12 Step Study Group involves a lot of commitment and hard work. 5. Emphasizes the importance of cohesion and teamwork amongst group participants and lets them know anyone who may hinder the objective or progress of the group or who fails to attend the sessions and or do the homework’s, may get dismissed.

Group participation: (25 minutes)  

Main facilitator opens the meeting for Questions and Answers. Attendees are invited to explain what has interested them to work their 12 Steps in your Step Study Group – (optional).

End: (5 minutes)    

Copies of the 12 Step Study Group Flyer are distributed. Main facilitator ask group participants to pass them around in places where they are likely to be people interested. Main facilitator requests that attendees be mindful of the 12 Traditions and not to promote the 12 Step Study Group or distribute its flyer in any Fellowship meetings. The pot is passed around to collect for the rent of the venue. The meeting is closed with the Serenity prayer.

Sample: 12 Step study attendance sheet Table 6 : Sample 12 Step group attendance sheet

Sample: 12 Step study finance sheet Table 7 : Sample 12 Step group participants rent payment sheet

Table 8 : Sample 12 Step group participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; payment sheet

Sample: 12 Step study flyer Figure 8 : Sample 12 Step group flyer

Sample: 12 Step study mock certificate Figure 9 : Sample 12 Step group mock certificate

Figures & Tables Figures What are 12 Step groups ________________________________________________________ 4 12 Step group advantages & disadvantages _________________________________________ 8 How to start a 12 Step group ____________________________________________________ 12 How to conduct a 12 Step group __________________________________________________ 15 Suggestions for group facilitators _________________________________________________ 20 Logistics of 12 Step groups ______________________________________________________ 35 Raise awareness of 12 Step groups _______________________________________________ 37 Sample 12 Step group flyer _____________________________________________________ 53 Sample 12 Step group mock certificate ____________________________________________ 54

Tables Example of NA weekly schedule __________________________________________________ Example of AA weekly schedule â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Step 1 to 3 _______________________________________ Example of AA weekly schedule - Step 4 to 6 _______________________________________ Example of AA weekly schedule - Step 7 to 12 ______________________________________ Sample 12 Step group weekly schedule ____________________________________________ Sample 12 Step group attendance sheet ___________________________________________ Sample 12 Step group participants rent payment sheet ________________________________ Sample 12 Step group participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; payment sheet ___________________________________

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About Hamrah Given that addiction is scientifically proven to be a disease, and the effectiveness of 12 Step programs towards recovery from it, Hamrah has been established to provide information on the disease of addiction, its various manifestations and its effects on family members. Our hope is to empower you with information about 12 Step programs and Fellowships so that you may find the means and the support to recover and live a new way of life free from addiction. The information provided aims to empower: 1- People suffering from addiction, be it to substances or behaviours. 2- Addicts in recovery wishing to enhance their knowledge of 12 Step programs and Fellowships. 3- Family members and or friends seeking to recover from the effects of a loved oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s addiction on their lives. 4- Community members interested to learn about the disease of addiction and recovery with 12 Step programs. 5- Professionals interested in enhancing their knowledge of 12 Step programs and Fellowships so as to support their addicted clients towards recovery