Public Relations Handbook - Narcotics Anonymous

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Public Relations StatementWhy public relations is important to the NA memberThe Narcotics Anonymous message is “that an addict, any addict, can stopusing drugs, lose the desire to use and find a new way to live.” Ourrelations with the public enable us to share this message broadly so thatthose who might benefit from our program of recovery can find us. Weperform public relations service to increase the awareness and credibility of theNA program. We share our message openly with the public at large, withprospective members, and with professionals. Maintaining an open, attractiveattitude in these efforts helps us to create and improve relationships with thoseoutside the fellowship. Establishing and maintaining a commitment to theserelationships, can help us to further our primary purpose.The spiritual principles of our steps, traditions, and concepts guide us inpursuing our public relations aims and our efforts to enhance NA’s public imageand reputation. These principles apply to our community and service efforts aswell as to the personal behavior and attitude of individual NA members.Informing professionals and the publicThe following statement can be used to inform the public about NA:Narcotics Anonymous is a global, community-based organization with amulti-lingual and multicultural membership. NA was founded in 1953,and our membership growth was minimal during our initial twentyyears as an organization. Since the publication of our Basic Text in 1983, thenumber of members and meetings has increased dramatically. Today 1 , NAmembers hold more than 58,000 meetings weekly in 131 countries. We offerrecovery from the effects of addiction through working a twelve-step program,including regular attendance at group meetings. The group atmosphere provideshelp from peers and offers an ongoing support network for addicts who wish topursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle.Our name, Narcotics Anonymous, is not meant to imply a focus on anyparticular drug; NA’s approach makes no distinction between drugs includingalcohol. Membership is free, and we have no affiliation with any organizationsoutside of NA including governments, religions, law enforcement groups, ormedical and psychiatric associations. Through all of our service efforts and ourcooperation with others seeking to help addicts, we strive to reach a day whenevery addict in the world has an opportunity to experience our message ofrecovery in his or her own language and culture.1 As of May 2010.
chapter1NA AND P UBLIC R ELATIONSThe principle of service, critical to the application of our EleventhTradition, is not a passive principle. To be of maximum service to thestill-suffering addict, we must energetically seek to carry our messagethroughout our cities, towns, and villages. …We must take vigoroussteps to make our program widely known. The better and broader ourpublic relations, the better we will be able to serve.Tradition Eleven, It Works: How and WhyThe concept of public relations is not new to the Fellowship of NarcoticsAnonymous. The above passage, from the essay on the Eleventh Tradition inIt Works: How and Why, reminds us that active efforts to form strongrelationships with the public are essential to NA’s growth. Strongrelationships with the public make it possible for more addicts to have theopportunity to experience freedom from active addiction. Our vision is for NA tothrive in every community around the world.Why does Narcotics Anonymous need relationshipswith the public?As a fellowship, we have already made remarkable advancements in ourrelationships with the public. Area service committees around the world bringmeetings into correctional facilities, provide information to various professionals, andinteract with members of the public over NA phonelines and in planning NA events.And yet, there is still room for us to grow.We can grow by taking on a more active role in our relationships with members of thepublic. We can expand our ideas about which professionals might be able to help us fulfillour primary purpose. We can take even greaterKey topicsWhy does NA needrelationships with thepublic?How can this handbookhelp members in theirPR efforts?What does PR mean forNA members?Conclusionresponsibility for the ways our personal behavioraffects the public’s willingness to refer addicts toNarcotics Anonymous.The Public Relations Handbook has been createdto help us do an even better job at carrying NA’smessage. It has been created to help us increase therecognition of NA and enhance the credibility of ourprogram of recovery so that addicts seeking helpdon’t have to continue to suffer from activeaddiction. Our ability to form long-lastingrelationships with the public can help to ensure thatNA becomes and remains a respected, credible, andaccessible recovery choice for addicts.October 2006 | PR Handbook | 1
Page 2 and 3: Public RelationsStatementWhy public
Page 4 and 5: Copyright © 2006, 2007 byNarcotics
Page 7: prefaceWelcome to the Public Relati
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 and 28: chapter3E FFECTIVE S ERVICESThis ch
Page 29 and 30: There are several ways to prioritiz
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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is attractive, newcomers and potent
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Training and preparing trusted serv
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P u t t i n g y o u r p l a n i n t
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MedicationRegardless of the persona
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Invite drug-court personnel to part
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The signing of cards is providing a
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62 | Chapter 6 | Criminal Justice
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committee chairperson. We need othe
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settings. The following list can he
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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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