Public Relations Handbook - Narcotics Anonymous

chapter2C ORE P UBLIC R ELATIONS P RINCIPLESMany of us understand the importance of NA’s principles, but how do we goabout applying those principles as we carry NA’s message of recovery in apublic setting? This chapter highlights NA’s core principles and explores howto practically apply them in our public relations efforts. By understandingthese principles, we are empowered to create services that are more reliable,responsive, and communicative.Key topicsThe spiritual foundationAnonymityUnity: “Together we can”Attraction …Self-supportCooperation, not affiliationResponsibility & accountabilityForever nonprofessionalCommunicationThe principles outlined in this chapter arecontained in NA’s steps, traditions, andconcepts. Of course, all of the steps,traditions, and concepts have some bearingon our relationships with the public. Wehave simply highlighted the principles thatseem particularly relevant to publicrelations service. The foundationalprinciple of all our service efforts is thegroup’s primary purpose described by ourFifth Tradition. As the Fifth Tradition essayin It Works: How and Why states, “carryingthe NA message is so important to thesurvival of NA that it is called our primarypurpose.” We work to fulfill our primarypurpose within NA’s principles.The spiritual foundationThis chapter illustrates the NA principles that apply to our relationships within thefellowship and with the public. When we truly understand NA principles, we are betterable to act in a mature way when we are presented with unexpected challenges.Our service efforts often provide us with opportunities to apply principles to whatmight appear to be insurmountable obstacles. We can approach these challengeswith an open mind in order to discover possible resolutions. For example, we mayfind ourselves in a situation where two different subcommittees are interacting withthe same correctional facility. Each subcommittee may be in contact with differentpeople at the facility. What is needed in a situation like this one is goodcommunication between subcommittees. Our public relations are strengthenedwhen we can practice principles, work together, and keep each other informed.Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry the messageto the addict who still suffers.Tradition FiveOctober 2006 | PR Handbook | 5