MISSION STATEMENT

The New Hampshire State Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (NHSCYPAA) is a group of young men and women who work together within the state and local community to assist others in recovering from alcoholic addiction.  Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety through hosting an annual conference and other activities throughout the year, to carry the message to alcoholics who still suffer.  NHSCYPAA operates in accordance with the twelve steps, twelve traditions, and the twelve concepts of Alcoholics Anonymous.

HISTORY

Until 1998, the State of New Hampshire had previously held an annual conference for young people in AA.  Subsequently the conference disbanded and remained inactive for the next six years.  In February of 2004, The New Hampshire State Conference of Young People in AA was formed in Concord, with the intended purpose of organizing and conducting an annual conference to help other alcoholics, of all ages, to recover from alcoholism.

OPERATING GUIDELINES

Advisory Council

General

The NHSCYPAA Advisory Council is comprised of members from past NHSCYPAA Host Committees. It is a custodial body that preserves the efforts, experience, and history of NHSCYPAA. The advisory council does not speak for Alcoholics Anonymous as a whole. The advisory council is ultimately responsible for insuring that the annual conference takes place.

Membership

Each host committee shall use third legacy procedure to vote-in three (3) advisory members and two (2) alternates for a term of five (5) years.  An advisory member must be eighteen (18) years of age, is suggested to have sat on the host committee for at least six months, and have a minimum of one-year sobriety.  In the event of a relapse an advisory member will be considered to have voluntarily resigned. Vacant seats on the advisory council will be filled from that conference year first and thereafter will be filled by any available alternate to finish out the remainder of that member’s five year term. The advisory committee reserves the right to retain and/or dismiss any advisory member.

Commitment and Responsibility

The advisory council will meet six times per year: dates will be set at the beginning of each conference year. If an advisory member misses two conferences or an officer or committee chair misses two consecutive advisory meetings, without having forwarded his/her report, that member will be considered to have voluntarily resigned.  All advisory members should be present at the first host committee meeting and at least one advisory member must attend each subsequent meeting on a rotating schedule to be arranged by the secretary.

Treasury

The advisory council must maintain a $2500.00 prudent reserve within the advisory bank account. All financial expenditures shall be presented to the council for majority vote. Surplus funds will be sent to Area 43 and the district in which the conference was held that year. The disbursement is as follows: 60% to the district and 40% to Area 43.

Amendments

A 2/3 majority vote of active voting members is required to make any changes to the bylaws.  Changes to the bylaws are only to be made at the annual conference. The bylaws may be suspended at anytime for any reason if ¾ of the active voting member agree unanimously to do so.

OFFICER POSITIONS

In order to be eligible for the following positions, advisory members must have sat on the advisory council for a minimum of one year.  All council officers are elected by third legacy procedure.

Chairperson

• A two-year term.
• Calls and facilitates all advisory council meetings.
• A co-signatory on the advisory bank account.
• Coordinates work of council members.
• Keeps open communication between the advisory council and the host committee

Co-Chair

• A two-year term.
• Assists chairperson in fulfilling his/her duties.
• Assumes all chairperson responsibilities when necessary.
• Assumes all council responsibilities when necessary.
• Is a third person signatory on the checks

Secretary

• A two-year term.
• Keeps all committee records, including minutes of the advisory meetings.
• Maintains a post office box.
• Sends out periodic notices of advisory meetings and other mailings to council members.

Treasurer

• A two-year term.
• Responsible for all finances.
• A co-signatory on the advisory bank account.
• Supplies an up-to-date report of all financial transactions to each advisory member at all council meetings.

Archivist

• A two-year term.
• Responsible for the safekeeping and storage of all NHSCYPAA banners.
• Responsible for collecting and displaying all documents and memorabilia from past conferences.
• Responsible for having a summary of all yearly events at the conference.

Outreach

• A two-year term.
• Coordinates and facilitates activities to raise awareness of NHSCYPAA throughout the region.
• Responsible for coordinating and identifying the bid committees and their responsibilities to the advisory council
• Acts as a liasion between the host committee outreach chair and advisory committee

Host Committee

The Host Committee operates under the AA guidelines for conferences and conventions, consisting of officers, sub-committee and committee members.  The host committee shall remain autonomous from the advisory council except in matters affecting other conferences or AA as a whole.

The host committee must create a banner to represent their conference no larger than 5’X5’.

The bid and host committees are responsible for their own expenses, and cannot expect the advisory committee to assume any financial obligations.

The host committee must turn over all remaining proceeds to the advisory council at their closeout meeting.

The final hotel contract must be voted on and approved by the advisory council. Any changes made to the contract during the year must be approved by advisory.

Other Information

All job descriptions for conference chairpersons may be found in the conference guidelines.  Concept III (Right of Decision), IV (Right of Participation), and V (Right of Appeal), should always be followed.  For further definition, call your sponsor.