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WSC'98
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Report |
IN THIS ISSUE:"Together We Can" - New World Service Structure |
The week at a glance
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"Together We Can"and Adopts a New Structure forWorld Services Regional Delegates and world-level trusted servants met from 25 April to 2 May 1998 at the Marriott Hotel in Woodland Hills, California for NA's 22nd World Service Conference. The theme of this year’s conference was "Together We Can"—a phrase from our literature well suited to a WSC that would address some of the most momentous decisions ever made at the conference regarding our service structure. On Sunday, 26 April and Monday 27 April, the conference addressed Motions 1 through 5 from the Transition Group’s work. This year, the conference proceeded a little differently than in years past with regard to Old Business. Before actually moving into a business session, participants went into a "committee of the whole" in order to discuss these motions, as well as the regional and committee motions relating to the TG’s work. After the discussion of each motion, the conference was then afforded the chance to see how much support each motion had by way of informal straw polls of the voting participants. In this way, the seriousness of the structural changes was duly recognized, and the need to hold full discussions regarding these issues, while not limiting those discussions by parliamentary protocol, was honored. Participants each had their chance to have a fair say regarding the Transition Group’s work, and the business session itself was able to proceed relatively smoothly. In the end, the conference adopted the World Board (with only Regional Delegates voting in Old Business) by a vote of 79-6-3. Similarly, the Unified Budget, the World Pool and Human Resources Panel, and the World Service Conference Co-facilitators positions, as well as a two-year conference cycle, were all adopted by a 2/3 majority vote of the Regional Delegates, instituting a new structure for world services. On Wednesday, 29 April, the
conference elected the first World Board members as follows (listed by
region):
The conference also elected Vinnie F (Northern New York) as the single co-facilitator of the conference, and Sonny J (Lone Star), Jeff S (Minnesota) and Tata M (Philippines) as the Human Resource Panel members. During their meetings after the first Old Business session, members of the WSO Board, the World Service Board of Trustees, and the Administrative Committee all signed the necessary documents that made the conference’s action on Motion #1 official. In doing so, the members of these boards and committees relinquished their authority and responsibility to the former corporations, and officially instituted in the new world service system, the new corporation (Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.), and the newly adopted World Board, which will officially take office on June 12, 1998. Development ForumOn Thursday, 30 April, the World Service Board of Trustees gave a presentation on the history of the Development Forum, describing the first International Development Forum from WSC ’91, where the idea of funding international participants to the conference first appeared. The presentation also described how the conference itself has changed as the result of past DF activities, citing the WSC ‘98’s joint H&I/PI presentation as an example of DF influence upon the kinds of activities that have become more commonplace at the WSC since the DF’s inception. A member of the board then shared the board’s view that the need for funding newly developing and isolated NA communities to participate in the conference will continue until the conference agrees upon a process of cost equalization. The WSB believes that preference should be given to non-US communities until the issue of whether or not to include NA regions and communities inside the US and North America is discussed more and resolved. A trustee then outlined the original criteria for funding, including: 1) that prospective developing communities must have an established service committee, 2) there has never been a demonstrated ability to fund a representative to the WSC and 3) the community is considered to be isolated or newly developing. The trustee then described the difficulty in applying the criteria as written, and the following recommendations for revisions to the eligibility and selection criteria: 1) there must be an established service committee that serves the country or region, and 2) there is an inability to fund a representative to the WSC. The presenter discussed the benefits of these efforts and the need for continuing the current practice of fellowship development trips as a necessary component of world level fellowship development activity. The trustees also asked many participants from around the world to share their own personal experiences with the DF. Conference participants were then encouraged to ask questions and give input regarding future Development Forum efforts. The input session that followed was extensive, and many participants were able to share their support for and concerns about future DF activities. The conference also discussed the issue of whether US and Canadian regions are also eligible for DF assistance: in a straw poll, participants indicated that all regions should be eligible for assistance. On Monday, 27 April, the Interim Committee gave a presentation on the Fellowship Development Plan. The presentation included a history of world level service provision since the 1980s, as well as a review of the creation of the plan. Members of the Interim Committee reviewed each of the plan’s ten goals, which are as follows: The Interim Committee then addressed numerous questions, concerns, input, and suggestions regarding this "blueprint" for future world level service provision. Transition Group:On Thursday, 30 April, members of the Transition Group’s Resolution A workgroup gave a presentation on Resolution A, based upon their report to WSC’98 participants released prior to the conference. Resolution A, as adopted at WSC ’96, reads as follows: "To approve, in principle, a change in participation at a new WSC to achieve the following objectives: After the presentation, many conference participants shared their concerns, suggestions, and input regarding Resolution A. Earlier in the week during the prioritization of Issue Discussion items for Conference-Year 1998-1999, the issue of Resolution A was prioritized by conference participants along with improving fellowship communication for issues meriting fellowship-wide discussion. Conference AdministrationAnother administrative issue dealt with by the conference this year had to do with elections for the World Board next year. The conference decided to hold nominations and elections for any vacant seats on the World Board at WSC 1999. Those nominations are to be brought by WSC participants to the conference next year. The conference also decided to have a space on the agenda at WSC ‘99 for a zonal forum report session. Board of TrusteesTranslationsOther conference action relevant to the translation policy included a decision by the conference to include the Little White Booklet in the Translation Committee policy on Basic Text personal stories. In addition, there was another change to the Translation Policy as follows: the NA Basic Text is to be translated from English into other languages including the Queen's English. The newly created World Board was authorized to evaluate and approve proposals to produce fellowship approved literature in Queen's English version of translated literature.
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Service Meetings
Annual meeting.................$100,000 Development Forum............$30,000 Leadership Orientation........$25,000 World Board Meetings.......$109,000 Human Resource Panel.......$22,000 WSC Co-Facilitators.............$2,750 Total world service mtgs.................$288,750
Fellowship dvlpmnt, add nds Fellowship asst/workshops/ forums............................................. $40,000 Total fellowship development..........$40,000
Public relations Professional events (non-NA)............$15,000 Total public relations........................$15,000 |
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Administrative
expenses
Bd & com phone/copying Bd & com mailings..........................$18,000 Conference calls..............................$18,000 Misc office supplies...........................$2,500 Legal & Accounting Expense............$50,000 Total administrative..............................$
88,500
Publications Conference Agenda Report................$6,500 PI publications..................................$1,200 Reaching Out....................................$6,500 Conference Report & Digest...............$6,000 Publications translations..................$12,000 Total publications...................................$32,200 Other H&I literature stockpile.......................$8,000 Unity Day..........................................$5,000 Sub-Total Other.......................................$13,000 |
Total WSC Budget ..............$ 477,450
Motion: "To accept the Rules of Order." The following error was pointed out: RSR should be changed to RD throughout the document.
Motion: "To approve the WSC ’97 minutes."
Motion: "To seat the Eastern New York Region as a participant."
Motion: "To seat the Uruguay Region."
Motion #1: "To implement Resolutions B and C-2 by adopting the following External Guidelines for the World Board. Further, that elections for the World Board be held at WSC 1998 with the new corporation taking effect 12 June 1998. The current Interim Committee, World Service Office Board of Directors, and the World Convention Corporation will continue to function until 11:59PM 11 June 1998. The Interim Committee will be responsible to make necessary decisions affecting NA world services and to assist in preparing the agenda for the first meeting of the new World Board."
AMENDMENT: Motion #78: Delete language in the last sentence of the Membership section: "The executive directors(s) of the WSO…will be non-voting members of the board."
AMENDMENT: Motion #79: Add language to the Accountability section of the World Board External Guidelines: "The external guidelines of the World Board are amendable only by action of the WSC."
AMENDMENT to Motion #1 as amended: Motion #73: "To amend the external guidelines for the World Board under section Removal of Members as follows: ‘Members may be removed from the board by a 2/3 majority vote of the board. Further, the Conference may, by a 2/3 majority vote, direct the board to do so for the following causes:’"
Motion #2: "To implement Resolution E by adopting the following Guidelines for the Unified Budget for NA World Services."
Motion #7: "To approve the inclusion of the words ‘Narcotics Anonymous’ in the name of the legal entity for the new World Board."
Motion #3: "To implement Resolutions F & G by adopting the following External Guidelines for the World Pool and the Human Resources Panel. Further, that elections for the Human Resources Panel be held at WSC 1998."
AMENDMENT: Motion #59: "To amend paragraph 2, section Nominations to read as follows: ‘The Human Resource Panel will make nominations to the World Service Conference for election to the positions of the World Board and WSC Co-Facilitators. Nominations may also be made for each position by conference participants but it is recommended that all perspective candidates go through the World Pool/Human Resource process. The World Service Conference will nominate the Human Resource Panel.’"
Motion #4: "To create and implement the conference positions of WSC Co-Facilitators by adopting the following guidelines. Further, that the WSC Co-Facilitators be elected at WSC 1998."
Motion #5: "To implement a two-year conference cycle beginning at the end of WSC 2000. Prior to implementation, all changes to conference policy will be presented to the World Service Conference by the World Board."
Motion: "To adopt the 1998 WSC election procedures for the World Board, Human Resource Panel, and WSC Co-Facilitators."
AMENDMENT: Motion #56: "To add language to the 1998 Election Procedures, section on membership that states: ‘No anonymous nominations for the World Board be made at WSC ’98.’"
Motion #6: "To approve the production of the Group Readings Wallet Card as shown in Addendum B."
Motion #8: "To amend the Fellowship Intellectual Property Trust Instrument and Operational Rules as shown in Addendum C."
Motion #9: "To amend NA Intellectual Property Bulletin #1, Internal Use of NA Intellectual Property, by changing the name of the World Service Office, Inc. to Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. as shown in Addendum D."
Motion #10: "To change the name of "regional service representative" to "regional delegate" and "RSR" to "RD" and remove all references to The NA Way wherever it appears in the Fellowship Intellectual Property Trust Instrument and Operational Rules as shown in Addendum C."
Motion #11: "To amend NA Intellectual Property Bulletin #1, Internal Use of NA Intellectual Property, as shown in Addendum D."
Motion #13: "To include the booklet Narcotics Anonymous (The Little White Book) in the World Services Translation Committee policy on Basic Text personal stories." (WSC '97 Motion 79b)
Motion #16: "To approve The Institutional Group Guide, as shown in Addendum E."
AMENDMENT: Motion #81: "To add Behind the Walls to the section entitled Some Other Recovery Oriented Publications in the Institutional Group Guide (Motion 16)."
Motion #17: "To approve the Additional Needs Booklet, as shown in Addendum F."
Motion #18: "To approve the Outreach Booklet, as shown in Addendum G."
Motion #19: "To approve the IP, Self-Support, Principle and Practice, as shown in Addendum H."
Motion #93: "To commit to the World Board the Goals section of the WSC PI Committee workplan proposal in Motion #22." (i.e. for revising A Guide to Public Information and the Guide to Phoneline Service handbooks.)
Motion #23: "To approve The Narcotics Anonymous Step Working Guides, as shown in Addendum I."
Motion #24: "To approve the following as WSCLC's "A" work list for the 1998-99 conference year.
Motion: "To commit Motion #49 ("To recommend that the WSC place Addendum K ‘Am I too Young to be an Addict?’, on the WSCLC’s A-list.") to the World Board.
Motion #77: "To continue with the development of a sponsorship booklet as a new piece of literature. Said booklet should be given to the World Board Publications Committee with a final draft included in the CAR 2000."
Motion: "To commit motions #49 and #77 into the motion #21 process.
Motion: "no new nominations, hold elections for unfilled seats for the Co-facilitator position utilizing single transfer vote system." — regarding further elections after one co-facilitator had been elected.
Motion #15: "To select two issue discussion topics from the following list for discussion at the 1999 World Service Conference." Results were: 1) Improving fellowship communication, and 2) Resolution A.
Motion: "To adopt the 1998-1999 WSC Budget and Travel Reimbursement Policy."
Motion #126: "That all resumes submitted beginning in December 1997, that meet the minimum qualifications of five years clean time, be included in the World Pool."
Motion #119: "To amend TWGWSS page 31 under WS Translation Policy, section Personal Stories 1st sentence to read as follows: ‘The NA Basic Text is translated from English into other languages including the Queen's English, in such a way as to achieve the same purpose.’"
Motion #120: "To authorize the World Board to evaluate and approve proposals to produce fellowship approved literature in Queen's English version."
Motion #91: "That selection by the groups of issue discussion topics in the Conference Agenda Report become an on-going procedure of the World Service Conference."
Motion #107: "To hold nominations and elections for any vacant seats on the World Board at WSC 1999. Nominations to be brought by WSC participants."
Motion #115: "To have a space on the agenda at WSC 99 for a zonal forum report session."
Uruguay Region