Public Relations Handbook - Narcotics Anonymous

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Inventory local servicesInventory current servicesAn inventory can help an area see its strengths and weaknesses. It can helpidentify what is being done well and what needs improvement. An area can use theinventory process to more objectively examine the services currently beingprovided. Through its inventory, an area may discover that they have a strongtraining and orientation process for phoneline volunteers. Members may find that thephoneline committee utilizes experienced members and performs mock phone callsin the training of new members. The area may discuss and decide to use some of thephoneline committee’s training methods for other subcommittees and projects.Looking at what needs improvement is just as important. There are bound to beareas where the service body’s ability to provide public relations service is weakerthan others. Working to strengthen those weaker areas is an important part ofproviding effective services. The ideal is for our PR service efforts to produce resultsthat strive to fulfill our primary purpose in our local community.While the Eleventh Concept applies directly to themanagement of funds, it also has implications for themanagement of all our service resources. Most projectsdepend as much on ideas, information, conscience, and members’ timeand willingness as they do on money. If we have the funds needed tocarry out a project but lack the time or the ideas, we’d best wait untilwe’ve gathered all the needed resources before proceeding. If we don’twe will have wasted NA service funds. In responsibly planning andprioritizing our service efforts, we must consider the total resourcepicture, not just our finances.20 | Chapter 3 | Effective ServicesTwelve Concepts for NA ServiceInventory where NA may be needed in the larger communityThe area can gather information about the needs of the local community to createservices that better meet those needs. This may mean evaluating helpline calls anddiscovering that there have been a number of requests for information about NAfrom local community colleges. The area committee may then decide that thepriority is to form relationships with college administrators. The area can then workon providing information about NA to local colleges looking for student resources.This aspect of an inventory allows an area to determine if certain populations stillneed to be reached. If existing efforts are not meeting the larger community’s needs,then the service body may decide to take action to reach a particular population ofpotential members.PrioritiesPrioritization involves evaluating which service projects seem most needed forfurthering NA’s primary purpose in a local area. Prioritization may require that, forthe greater good of NA, members let go of service projects about which they arepersonally passionate. Inviting all interested trusted servants to participate inprioritizing an area’s projects helps focus on the broader services needed, ratherthan the desires of individual subcommittees. Involving all of an area’s trustedservants also helps to inspire in those trusted servants a sense of responsibility forthe area’s future projects.
There are several ways to prioritize. The following steps provide an example ofhow to prioritize service projects using a ranking system: Make a list of all desired projects. Place this list on a wall, on a chalkboard, orsomewhere all participants can see it. Trusted servants then rank their top three projects with check marks. When members have ranked the area’s projects, all participants review whatseem to be the area’s highest priorities. After members have had time to reflect on the area’s priorities, a careful look atfinancial and human resources is needed.ResourcesOnce public relations service projects are identified, the area will need to find outif there are enough local resources to carry out the prioritized projects. Looking atthe human and financial resources needed for each project helps a service bodycreate budgets, timelines, and training based on available resources. Human resources: A realistic picture of an area’s human resources will helpservice projects be more successful. In order to assess human resourcesrealistically, the area needs to look at the current experience of involvedmembers and consider the learning curve for newly elected trusted servants. Alearning curve means that although trusted servants have been trained for aproject or position, they may still need time and support to adjust to their newresponsibilities.An area can also consider that there is often a natural decrease in trustedservants over time. This is often a result of the rotation of positions and thereality that members sometimes have to give up commitments early due topersonal circumstances. Realistically considering human resources can helpwhen planning service projects.The area may discover that they need to recruit members for serviceprojects. Recruiting members into service is an important component in buildinghuman resources. Following are some ways to build human resources:1. Strive to make service attractive—be a good example.2. Identify members who may have skills, but not much experience,and support their involvement in service.3. Encourage sponsees to participate in service.4. Invite those members who may have been of service in the pastto join in current local efforts.5. Create a pool of former trusted servants. Financial resources: An area can also examine local financial resources available forprioritized service projects. Looking at the area’s budget at the beginning of theplanning cycle will help trusted servants take the larger financial picture intoaccount. The service body will want to determine if financial resources are availablefor prioritized service projects. One question to consider is if any projects will takefunds away from a committee’s routine finances (such as for phonelines). The areaalso needs to make projections about the amount of funding needed for theduration of the prioritized projects. Project timelines can be created to ensure thatfinancial resources will be available when needed at crucial points during theproject. Getting a broader sense of the area’s financial needs and resources helpstrusted servants better plan for service projects.October 2006 | PR <strong>Handbook</strong> | 21
Page 2 and 3: Public RelationsStatementWhy public
Page 4 and 5: Copyright © 2006, 2007 byNarcotics
Page 7 and 8: prefaceWelcome to the Public Relati
Page 9 and 10: chapter1NA AND P UBLIC R ELATIONSTh
Page 11 and 12: What does “public relations” me
Page 13 and 14: chapter2C ORE P UBLIC R ELATIONS P
Page 15 and 16: The principle of anonymity encourag
Page 17 and 18: and the members in the group give t
Page 19 and 20: Attraction …The attractiveness of
Page 21 and 22: In understanding the principle unde
Page 23 and 24: An NA group ought never endorse, fi
Page 25 and 26: “Forever nonprofessional”During
Page 27: chapter3E FFECTIVE S ERVICESThis ch
Page 31 and 32: presentations. Trusted servants who
Page 33 and 34: Flexible service structuresA flexib
Page 35 and 36: Below are possible components of a
Page 37 and 38: P REPARATION AND T RAININGFOR I NTE
Page 39 and 40: What do we know about them?Just as
Page 41 and 42: means that we may seek help from me
Page 43 and 44: highlight the diversity of our fell
Page 45 and 46: Another way to prepare for presenta
Page 47: chapter5M EDIAOur public relations
Page 50 and 51: Is the committee prepared for possi
Page 52 and 53: Discussing these kinds of topics wi
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Page 58 and 59: is attractive, newcomers and potent
Page 60 and 61: Training and preparing trusted serv
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Page 64 and 65: MedicationRegardless of the persona
Page 66 and 67: Invite drug-court personnel to part
Page 68 and 69: The signing of cards is providing a
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Page 72 and 73: committee chairperson. We need othe
Page 74 and 75: settings. The following list can he
Page 76 and 77: Sponsorship and treatmentIf a treat
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with alternatives. One alternative
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72 | Chapter 7 | Treatment
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How can NA benefit from forming coo
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Training and preparing trusted serv
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crimes. This research is a valuable
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80 | Chapter 8 | Healthcare
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Attraction…What is likely to be a
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Volunteers can be trained to use NA
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ReferralsMany phoneline calls are f
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NA members answering callsAdvantage
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90 | Chapter 9 | Phonelines
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Public relations and Internet techn
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linking to the NAWS website, an are
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unmediated forum, however, is like
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AccountabilityThere are responsibil
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We must remember that, wherever we
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As detailed in Chapter Four, traini
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104 | Chapter 11 | Event Planning
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members put their individual wants
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fellowship development efforts, be
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We encourage each member of the gro
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If the area decides that they will
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What are some ways that the area ca
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type of hierarchical tradition may
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A Vision for NA ServiceAll of the e
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Public Relations Handbook - Narcotics Anonymous

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