Public Relations Handbook - Narcotics Anonymous

Attraction…What is likely to be attractive to the public and to professionals who interactwith addicts is reliable communication, responsibility, commitment, and behaviorthat reflects recovery. We can demonstrate the reliability of NA by showing upand fulfilling the obligations we make, whether it is to return a telephone call forinformation about NA or supplying meeting directories at a public library. Wecan learn to draw on the experiences of NA members to fulfill the commitmentswe make to professionals. Are phoneline volunteers trained to carry an attractive message forNarcotics Anonymous? How can we make phoneline service an attractive NA commitment?Public relations and phonelinesThe way an area prepares its phoneline volunteers is connected (in part) to the typeof phoneline service provider used. In order to determine the best service provider,trusted servants may want to first look at the needs of the area, such as the size of thelocal NA community and the geographic area, and how they can prepare NAvolunteers to meet the needs of callers. This section focuses on ways to assess thearea’s resources and how to train volunteers. Ideas for how to choose a phonelineservice provider are covered later in this chapter. Preparing and training phonelinevolunteers can help a local committee to make a more informed choice about variousphoneline options.P l a n n i n g a n d p r e p a r a t i o n f o r a r e a s a n d c o m m i t t e e sFinancial and human resourcesEvaluating the area’s financial resources is important in planning phoneline service.The area needs to look at its budget to see what they can realistically afford. Trustedservants can evaluate the area’s long-term financial ability before shopping for aphoneline service provider. The area is more likely to maintain positive relationshipswith the public if the phoneline service is consistent and reliable.Evaluating the area’s human resources can also help in deciding what kind ofphoneline service provider is the best for that area. An area that is financially healthy butlacks willing trusted servants may choose a“More members mayvolunteer for phonelinepositions if the areaconsiders the lengthof time slotsand the flexibilityof the system.”82 | Chapter 9 | Phonelinesphoneline service provider with a professionalanswering service. An area with a larger pool oftrusted servants may decide that a call-forwardingoption will work best for them.An area can also think about ways to attractmore trusted servants to take phoneline positions.More members may volunteer for phonelinepositions if the area considers the length of timeslots and the flexibility of the system. Maintainingvolunteers for two- or three-hour slots may beeasier than eight-hour time slots. The area can also choose a phoneline service wheretrusted servants have the option of forwarding the NA phoneline to their cell phones.Using the area website to sign up for phoneline slots can also encourage members to beof service. Flexibility and creativity can help the area find a larger pool of willingvolunteers. The area can also remind members that a phoneline commitment can bedone from the privacy of home. There are a variety of ways to attract phonelinevolunteers—a committee simply needs to discuss their options.