Public Information
Public Information (PI) in Alcoholics Anonymous means carrying the message of recovery to the still-suffering alcoholic by informing the general public about the A.A. program. We carry the message by getting in touch with and responding to the media, schools, industry, and other organizations which can report on the nature and purpose of A.A. and what it can do for alcoholics.
The Area 81 Public Information Committee works with the District Public Information Committees to ensure that the AA message is shared outside the A.A. rooms. The public information service conducts activities like:
- Answering queries from the public about A.A.
- Putting on sharing sessions in schools, churches, and other places
- Staffing "A.A. booths" at health fairs in the communities
- Hosting informational meetings that are open to the public
- Cooperating with the media
- Speaking on the radio
- Putting A.A. literature in public locations
- Making sure A.A. is listed in the phone book
- Getting A.A. on directories of support services
- Putting an A.A. message in local newspapers
- And other activities
Like all of A.A., the primary purpose of members involved with public information service is to carry the A.A. message to the alcoholic who still suffers. Working together, members of local Public Information Committees convey A.A. information to the general public, including the media.
More Information About the Public Information Service
There is a great deal of information about Public Information Work provided by AA World Services via their site at aa.org.
| A.A. Video for Legal and Corrections Professionals | Video: Three legal and corrections professionals describe the benefits of A.A. for clients and inmates, and how it can also serve as a vital resource for those in their field. |
| A.A. Video for Employment/Human Resources Professionals | Video: Three helping professionals describe how A.A. can benefit employees and also serve as a vital resource for those in the employment/HR/EAP field. |
| A.A. Video for Healthcare Professionals | Video: Three medical professionals describe how A.A. can help patients and also serve as a vital resource for those in the healthcare field. |
| A.A. at a Glance | Ten facts about A.A. |
| A Brief Guide to Alcoholics Anonymous | A brief introduction to A.A. |
| A.A. in Your Community | Help groups, central offices, and P.I. committees interpret A.A. to the community. |
| A.A. Membership Survey | Summarizes the latest survey of membership in the U.S. and Canada |
| Frequently Asked Questions About A.A. - (Formerly 44 Questions) | Answers the questions most frequently asked about A.A. by alcoholics seeking help, as well as by their families and friends. |
| Information on Alcoholics Anonymous | Basic information about A.A. meetings |
| Member's-Eye View of Alcoholics Anonymous | Explains the A.A. program to social workers, counselors, physicians, and others in the alcoholism field. |
| Problems Other Than Alcohol | Bill's thoughts on the status of drug addicts within A.A. |
| Is There a Problem Drinker in the Workplace? | Gives a concise description of the help A.A. can offer to the alcoholic employee |
| A.A. Fact Sheet | Public information about A.A. |
| Inside A.A. - Understanding the Fellowship and its Services | Explains the A.A. service structure in the U.S. and Canada |
| The General Service Conference Structure (U.S. and Canada) | A diagram of the structure of the A.A. organizaton in Canada and the US |
Information For A.A. Members in Public Information Service
A.A.'s collective experience gives us some insights about how to carry out Public Information Service. More information is provided by AA World Services via their site at aa.org.
| Public Information | Guidelines for carrying the message by getting information about AA to the public |
| Public Information Workbook | Workbook for carrying the message by getting information about AA to the public |
| Speaking at Non-A.A. Meetings | Suggests what to say and how to say it when asked to speak to organizations outside the Fellowship of A.A. |
| Volunteers Staffing an A.A. Exhibit | Guidelines for volunteers staffing an A.A. exhibit |