AA Victoria is a Central Service Office serving AA Groups within the State of Victoria, Australia
Each registered AA Group within Victoria is eligible to send a Delegate or Alternate Delegate to attend meetings of the Delegate Body which are held quarterly in November, February, May and August. The quorum for a meeting of the Delegate Body to proceed is equivalent to one third of registered metropolitan Groups. The Group Delegate fulfils a very important role, acting to communicate the Group Conscience to the Delegate Body and reporting back to the Group on decisions made and discussions held at the Delegate Body meetings.
The Central Service Committee (CSC) of AA Victoria consists of ten AA members appointed by the Delegate Body. The CSC meets once a month and is responsible to the Delegate Body.
The Central Service Office (CSO) of AA Victoria is located at 36 Church Street, Richmond. The CSO performs the following services on behalf of the members of AA Victoria and is responsible to the Delegate Body via the CSC.
- Twelfth Step work
- Services to AA Groups and AA members
- Public liaison and information
- Liaison with Institutions
- Contact with National Office of AA Australia
- Administration including banking services for some Groups
Why does the Fellowship need Central Service Offices?
If CSO didn't exist how could we find out where and when other Groups meet? How could we exchange speakers with other Groups or hold joint meetings or occasional social gatherings? Where would the sick alcoholic phone or come for help and be put in touch with the Groups nearest to them and thus get help more quickly? How would Groups co-ordinate the carrying of the message into institutions that deal with alcoholics without CSO as a central point of contact? How would the public in Victoria be informed about AA?
So, what does CSO actually do?
- It handles telephone, mail and e-mail enquiries and distributes Twelfth Step work on a geographical basis, so sick alcoholics get help
- It maintains AA listings in the local telephone book
- It maintains a Website with basic information about AA including meetings in Victoria and upcoming events
- It serves as a communication centre for participating groups, using regular newsletters and bulletins to keep Groups informed about each other. These are: The News (monthly), Bulletin (monthly) and Box 136 (quarterly)
- It publishes every two months an up-to-date list of the meetings of all Groups that are serviced by the CSO
- It arranges for members to speak to non-AA organisations including Victorian government bodies and committees
- It keeps work with Institutions going by arranging rosters and acting as a liaison point
- It liaises with media organisations that wish to do programs on AA
- It provides a point of contact to other organisations that work in the field of alcoholism
- It distributes AA literature to members, groups, doctors, hospitals, social workers, schools, students and others
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