**Approved by the OIAA Board. Not yet approved by the Assembly.

Type of Committee:

  X     Standing Service Committee   ____ Ad hoc Service Committee  

____ Standing Board Committee ____ Ad hoc Board Committee

Mission and Purpose: 

The 12 Step (Steppers) Committee functions as a standing committee and is an integral part of OIAA’s worldwide outreach. Steppers was formed to assist alcoholics and others who are reaching out for help via the internet. Individuals are directed to Steppers via “Get Help Now” buttons/links found on AA and other websites around the world. Every request receives at least one reply, although our practice is to try to send 2 to 3 replies to each request.

Roles: 

• Responsibilities for each position

The four Trusted Servant (TS) positions for the Steppers Committee are:

1. 1. conducts roll call every six months to maintain an up-to-date membership roster. During roll call, members supply their  approximate geographical location, time zone, and language proficiencies. Additionally, members supply their date of sobriety so that the Stepper and the committee may celebrate sobriety milestones;
   2. submits a monthly report to the OIAA Chairperson and OIAA membership providing the number of urgent requests, Steppers’ replies, and countries from which the urgent requests were sent;
   3. monitors Steppers replies to urgent requests, particularly when a new Stepper is in the first few months of committee service;
   4. provides guidance on matters affecting Steppers, including matters coming before the Assembly. A group conscience is requested concerning voting matters before the OIAA Assemblies.The Chairperson / Alternate Chairperson 
2. The Orientation Facilitator (OF) develops and maintains a set of written  guidelines with specific instructions to be used during stepper orientation. The OF communicates with those wishing to volunteer as Steppers. If the potential volunteer wishes to proceed, the OF provides training on the mechanics of the process, from receipt of a new request through writing a personal reply, including using the bcc Steppers address. The OF provides a variety of sample “urgent requests” to the volunteer that reflect the many types of requests Steppers receive. When the OF, with the agreement of the Steppers Chair and Alternate Chair, determines the volunteer is ready to begin answering live urgent requests, the OF moves the volunteer into active Steppers service and announces the new Stepper to the other committee members.
3. The Birthday Announcer (BA) maintains a roster of committee members and each person’s sobriety date. The BA announces each anniversary throughout the year and writes a congratulatory email to that individual that is shared with all committee members. 

• Qualifications for each position

1. Service on the Steppers Committee in any capacity requires one year of continuous sobriety.
2. Past service in AA, whether online or in-person, is encouraged.
3. Steppers are urged to join the OIAA Assembly as nonvoting members.
4. Membership in an online AA group is helpful but not required.

What we do/Tasks: 

The Committee is active and participatory, reaching out to suffering alcoholics, and those impacted by alcoholics, who write to us for help. 

Steppers share their own personal experience, strength, and hope in replies to urgent requests. All emails are kept in strictest confidence within the committee, and anonymity is  maintained at all times. 

Web pages and sites are given that are appropriate for the request.  

Steppers do not promote or endorse any OIAA member group over any other except in cases where one particular group is clearly different from another in meeting an urgent requester’s specific needs (i.e.verification of attendance of online meetings, specialty meetings).

Approval date of the Committee: ____________________

Approval date of the Board : ____________________

Approval date of Voting Members: ____________________

Instructions:

The scope of the responsibility and authority of each committee is outlined in a committee charter to be reviewed every two years or as necessary.  While each committee can have different roles, many will have similar roles. For example, each committee will most likely have a committee Chair and a Secretary with similar responsibilities and qualifications. Each committee will have certain roles unique to the mission it has to discharge.

OIAA’s Bylaws Article 5 provides additional committee detail including definitions pertaining to their duration, creation of, dissolution of, record maintenance and reporting requirements.