The 12 Step Committee meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81808875220
Meeting ID: 813 0646 6967
PW: 572531
All are Welcome – Come Join Us
Our Twelfth Step – carrying the message – is the basic service that the AA Fellowship gives; this is our principle aim and the main reason for our existence. Therefore, AA is more than a set of principles; it is a society of alcoholics in action. We carry the message, else we ourselves can wither and those who haven’t been given the truth may die.
Bill W.
Twelve step work is front line in carrying the message to the still suffering alcoholic and their families. Those who do the work understand that they are saving lives; one drunk at a time. The mandate for the Twelve Step Committee is to ensure that there is always someone there when the alcoholic finally reaches out.
Requirements for Service
- 1 year for Helpline Greeters and committee work.
- 2 years for 12 steppers
We do this by offering a few options for service:
12 Step Committee
It takes a village to offer 24/7/365 Helpline service. This includes:
- 12 Step Committee Chair
- selected by the GTA Intergroup Committee to serve at their pleasure for a minimum of 1 year, maximum of 2
- Vice Chair
- Secretary
- Greeter Coordinators
- Scheduling
- On Boarding
- Overnight Greeter Coordinator
- 12 Stepper Coordinator
- 12 Step email
Helpline Greeters
The Helpline Greeter is the welcoming first point of contact for those reaching out to AA, with our Helpline answered 24 hours a day. Thriving AA members bring their experience, strength, and hope to every call, offering empathy, resources, and guidance to help callers find meetings and answers to their questions. Comprehensive training and support from the 12th Step Committee ensure greeters have all the tools they need to assist effectively. This role can be performed remotely or in the office, offering flexibility while making a meaningful impact.
Phone shifts are typically four hours long. Volunteers are encouraged to commit to at least one shift per month, weekly service, or more for those eager to give back. For added flexibility, there is also a Spares list for those who wish to step in when additional help is needed.
Requirement: 1 year of sobriety
Twelve Steppers
Our 12 Stepper position is for those members who want one on one contact with newcomers by speaking to them at length, meeting face to face and by getting them to their first meetings. Twelve steppers assist by sharing their experience, strength and hope, helping the newcomer to understand what the program is all about. Twelve Steppers can serve people who cannot get to a meeting. Maybe they are hospitalized or homebound. Additionally. Twelve Stepper involved in “Bridging the Gap” connect with people just coming out of treatment or jails.
Requirement: 2 years of sobriety
Greeter Coordinators
We rely on Greeter Coordinators to ensure that our Helpline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They work together to manage the master schedule of phone shifts, maintain up-to-date volunteer lists, and oversee the phone dashboard so that incoming calls always reach the correct on-duty greeter. When a Helpline greeter cannot make a scheduled shift, a Coordinator promptly contacts volunteers from the spares list to find a replacement. By collaborating and keeping the schedule accurate, Greeter Coordinators play a vital role in delivering a seamless Helpline experience.
Training
Training is offered any day from 9:00 am to 9:30 pm in what we call a Shadow Shift. Trainees log into a Zoom room with an experienced phone greeter taking live calls; basically, the virtual version of on-the-job training. If interested, email 12step@aatoronto.org or call 416 487-5591 to get the ball rolling.
Who is responsible? – I am responsible when anyone anywhere reaches out for help I want the hand of AA always to be there and for that I am responsible.