AWSC Coordinator Reports
Review reports from Area Panel Coordinators before the AWSC meeting.
Alateen Communications
Currently working with other Alateen coordinators as well as conventions regarding Alateen speakers or questions. I have also been working closely with Bernadette and making SCAC flyers. I am currently working on March’s Alateen Newsletter.
Alateen Events
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Alateen Member
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Alateen Sponsor
This is a great service position. I have enjoyed the few AMIAS recertifications so far this year. Looking forward to all of them until May 15 our deadline. These recertifications are a mini workshop and you may attend more than one to get more information. Or you can always email me alateensponsor@scws-al-anon.org
Archives
Hello to all in California South:
I like to start my report with something that is said by Jennifer U. who is the Archivist & Conference Specialist for Archives at the WSO in Virginia Beach.
“Look to the past to protect the future.”
We expect to have a tab on our redesigned webpage for Archives in the near future. As with all coordinator’s positions, there is much to communicate with our membership and having special tabs on our webpage to do it is just right. The Delegate’s Corner is a perfect example.
Our first plan is to have links for the Group History Form and the Al-Anon Member Questionnaire. Both forms will be fillable with the extra of a translation button so all membership will be able to fill in the info from themselves and for their meetings. Amazing really, as all we have had for the last decades is a paper form to hand right the info. We will be adding a file of current meeting histories and member questionnaires as time goes on. Removing info to protect anonymity will happen first, but so much that is vital to our history meeting by meeting will be available.
Maybe as you read about other meetings, you will think about your own. Start with your home group. When did it start? Where was it located? Does your District have records. Minutes from District meetings.
Email services have been around for decades. Our long-time members may have files on their computers. Suffice it to say many of us do not clear out our email boxes daily. Other areas across the country have archive tabs, like we want, and I have been told that theirs are member protected. How this will work in our Area will be shared once it comes to pass. More on this subject will be revealed.
Lastly, the Archive Coordinator organizes a “Celebration of Long timers” in the 3rd year of their 3yr commitment. This is the year. I am currently checking possible locations to hold it. Checking convention dates, holidays and district events, plus planning meetings and so much more in activities in our area. In the recent past it has been held in the late summer or fall. I need you to check your district events. Let me know.
If you want to assist at the event or have a long timer you would love to hear from, send me their names.
In Al-Anon just like neighborhoods around the world, events are put on by a village of helpers.
Let us all celebrate the Al-Anon members who stayed in Al-Anon to save a seat for us.
Area Alateen Process Person (AAPP)
Report from Area Alateen Process Person (AAPP)
February 21, 2026
As of 02/14/2026 the Alateen program for SCWS has 47 active groups and a total of 263 certified AMIAS.
AMIAS/Group Sponsors
- 37 – New certifications or recertified through June 30, 2027
- 6 – AMIAS with email bounce backs; 4 bounce back emails are group sponsors
- 100 – Group sponsors; 12 group sponsors are certified through June 30, 2027
Alateen Groups
- 6 Spanish meetings
- 11 Limited access meetings
- 11 Meetings with handicap access
DRs/DALs make sure each group has 2 SCWS certified AMIAS in attendance. The requirement to have 2 certified individuals is part of the SCWS Area Alateen Safety and Behavioral Requirements (ASBR).
The current process for individuals completing their AMIAS application, DAL/DR approval and background check is taking approximately 14 business days. I appreciate the prompt response from district representatives assisting in this process.
Each DR can access Alateen Group & AMIAS information at Online Group Records ogr-al-anon.org. This is the best way for the DR to monitor and provide information to the DAL. This access is especially important to assist the area during the upcoming recertification period and when planning Al-Anon/AA events with Alateen participation. For any DR requiring assistance please reach out to me and I will be happy to provide a group or one-on-one assistance via Zoom. Make sure you are able to access your district account on ogr.al-anon.org required to obtain Alateen meeting and AMIAS information.
Group sponsor/AMIAS recertification period officially started January 11th and ends May 15th. It would benefit the AMIAS recertification process if each district DAL/DR were to reach out to these volunteers and encourage them to recertify, provide a list of district Alateen meetings, and upcoming events with Alateen participation requiring AMIAS support.
Area Information Service / Literature Distribution Center (AIS/LDC)
AIS-LDC Coordinator Update
As your AIS-LDC Coordinator, I serve as the primary contact and liaison between the Area and Area Information Services (AISs), Literature Distribution Centers (LDCs), and their respective decision-making bodies. My role is to help ensure that information from the World Service Office (WSO) and Southern California World Service (SCWS) is shared clearly and consistently across our Area.
Connecting Across Southern California
This past year, I have connected with all six AIS-LDCs in Southern California:
Inland Empire
Los Angeles
Orange County/Greater Long Beach
San Diego
Spanish Intergroup San Diego
Spanish LA (Overlay)
Beginning in 2026, I have secured dates to attend AIS Board and ISR meetings. These visits will support communication, collaboration, and the continued sharing of updates from WSO and SCWS as we work together to carry the Al-Anon message.
— Yoly, AIS-LDC Coordinator
Bulletin
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Cooperating with the Professional Community (CPC)
Group Records
AWSC, February 2026
Report from the SCWS Group Records Coordinator Data as of January 30, 2026
#1: Area Meeting Data
#2: Bounced emails (CMA emails no longer working or incorrect) and No Mail (CMA’s US mailing addresses getting returned to WSO) are ongoing issues. The number of meetings in these categories has increased significantly. DRs are encouraged to continue reviewing and resolving the status of these meetings.
- Bounced emails – no way to communicate with the
- No Mail – no way to communicate with the The group will be inactivated after a period of time, as WSO will assume the group has disbanded.
#3: Electronic Groups/Meetings Update: We currently have (as of 1/30/2026) 249 Electronic Meetings included in the Active meetings # above.
#4: Registered Group Representatives (GRs). 59.9% (605) of our groups have registered GRs. We have 1,010 groups/1,209 meetings (97 groups meet multiple times per week).
Please continue to check and see if your meeting information is listed correctly. Email grouprecords@scws-al-anon.org for corrections or submit changes via www.scws-al-anon.org/group-records/al-anon-group-change-form/
All registered Al-Anon Family Groups (AFG) in active published status are listed on the World Service Office (WSO) “find an Al-Anon Meeting” online directory at https://al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings/find-an-al-anon-meeting/. The WSO maintains other information on registered groups, but the meeting directory listing is very important, as the WSO website is typically the first place a newcomer finds a meeting. In addition, your group is listed on your local Al-Anon Information Service (AIS), Literature Distribution, or District Website. We want the information to be consistent and accurate.
Every Group needs to have a Current Mailing Address (CMA) who attends the group to be connected to our WSO and SCWS. Additionally, both the CMA and the GR must have their primary residence in our Area (Southern California). Don’t let your group be disconnected.
Hospitality
Hospitality Report
Many, many thanks to the Districts that contributed to SOS. District 6 and 12 contributed to the food and District 42 contributed to the all-day man (woman) power to keep the coffee/tea going and the food stocked. Your contributions made a big difference!
For the May Assembly, the Area will be assigning Districts instead of asking for help. This will ensure that we have what we need and please remember, this is an Area event and we are all in this together. The following Districts will be assigned a specific item and if it is impossible to have someone bring the item to the Assembly, then that District can send $40 to me and I will do the shopping. I will also submit receipts for the purchases. There is plenty of time for the DR’s to take this to their District for approval of the $40. If someone is bringing the items, it is requested that it be at the church by 8:15. Coffee and tea will be ready for everyone by 8:15, so come and enjoy some fellowship before the event begins.
Districts Contributing in May: 8, 17, 39, 40, 45, 54, 60
Thank you for letting me be of service. I enjoy “hosting” and hope you’ll enjoy the snacks!
Maria N.
Institutions
Current Institutions Meetings in SCWS are located at the Action Drug Recovery Center in Santa Clarita on the third Saturday of the month at 4pm.
LA County Women’s Jail located in Lynwood every Saturday at 8:30am
Thelma McMillen Recovery Center located in Torrance has an outreach speaker’s panel for the adult division on the first Monday of the month at 5:30-6:30pm and the adolescent division on the last Friday of the month from 5:30-6:30pm
San Bernardino County Women’s Institute located in Chino has meetings every Monday and Wednesday at 6pm
The Orange County Jail Project had a zoom meeting on 12/9/25 for potential volunteers. We are still recruiting for more volunteers for these meetings. If anyone is interested to volunteer or learn more about it please contact Shauna at instituons@scws-al-anon.org or Dick at h_i@ocais.org.
A big shout out to Dick the H&I Coordinator from OC AIS. He has been such a great help recruiting volunteers.
The OC Jail Project is ready to move forward with next steps.We are waiting for the information from the OC Jail Volunteer Coordinator with available days and times for meetings at each jail, information about background checks and orientation.A member in San Diego saw the announcement in the Orange Blossom. She contacted me and is interested in starting meetings in jails in San Diego.
Insurance
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Literature
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Public Information
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your Public Information Coordinator. I’ve been in this new role for about 7 weeks now, and it’s been a whirlwind of meetings, reading, researching, and learning!
I am looking forward to working with the Districts and Intergroups/AIS Offices, as well as my fellow Public Outreach Coordinators (Wendy B., Cooperating with the Professional Community [CPC], and Shauna S., Institutions Coordinator), to carry the message of Al-Anon to the public in Southern California.
The two things to highlight are:
- WSO put me in touch with a media company in Los Angeles that owns 4 radio stations and is interested in partnering with Al-Anon. Their 4 radio stations’ listeners cover nearly all of the SCWS area. I had a meeting with their Sales Manager and Account Manager. I shared information about PSAs and discussed our Tradition 11 regarding attraction rather than promotion. Then, we began exploring ways that we might be able to work together.
They agreed to personally forward our PSAs to the department that schedules non-profit announcements; and while they can’t guarantee if/when they will play, they said the company is very supportive of playing PSAs.
They are putting together some information about different packages they have for advertising (which may not work for Al-Anon), but they had some exciting ideas for how we could participate in community events, festivals, etc., with information booths. These are events that the radio stations support and send their DJs out to cover, talking with volunteers in the booths (bringing awareness to the community). This could present some great opportunities for low-cost public outreach that Districts could undertake. More to come! - Wendy, Shauna, and I have begun planning a virtual 2-hour Public Outreach workshop for everyone in June! We have a tentative outline for the workshop, including:
- Basics of Public Outreach (What is it? Why is it important? What’s the difference between Public Information, Institutions, and CPC? What’s attraction and what’s promotion?)
- Resources Available (Ideas on projects that Districts can undertake that other areas have successfully implemented. Projects that SCWS Districts have implemented or are planning.)
- Funding for Public Outreach Projects (Where does the money to pay for projects come from? What kind of area-wide projects might we consider?)
- MOST IMPORTANT: What do the Districts want covered in this workshop? DRs, look for a survey that’s going to be sent out in early March asking for your input about what topics you want included in this workshop!
We are really looking forward to this workshop and hope it will provide information and spark enthusiasm for public outreach throughout the area!
I am available to attend District or Intergroup/AIS meetings to talk more about Public Information. Please let me know of any public information project that your District or Intergroup/AIS is planning or has held!
Cherie S.
Spanish
AWSC Committee Meeting – February 21 2026 Spanish Coordinator- Coordinadora Hispana Report
I am Marilen H. and I am very grateful for the opportunity to be of service as join this Service Panel.
With your input, we will coordinate project to improve Public Outreach to the Hispanic Community in 2026.
Please send your suggestions. I am looking for information to add to the bulletin in Spanish, workshop ideas, and public outreach possibilities. Please send to spanish@scws-al-anon.org
Also, thank you Irene for inviting me to participate in the Public Outreach Committee. I look forward to the ideas that will be proposed.
I will be contacting Yoli and Cherie and soon will connect with Wendy and Shauna to start working together and better understand what projects underway can be extended to the Hispanic community.
It was great to participate at SOS and meet several members of the Board. I had the chance to connect with Zully, the new DR for D64 to start working together. She is sending me a list of current meetings in OC so I can collaborate, contact or attend those meetings, and confirm that they are still active.
I translated a file for a DR requested by Cathy Watson to compare GR v ISR roles, and I am in the process of translating a GR Welcome Package.
In the meantime, if translation equipment is needed, there is a form to complete and will arrange pick up. And, if anyone needs translation to facilitate clear communication with Spanish meetings in Al-Anon or Alateen, please get in touch with me.
Upcoming Activities
- Support Zully and D64 by confirming meetings are active.
- Support Spanish Marathon Meeting at AFG on March 13 by chairing a meeting
- Doraluz of District 48 invited me to speak at the District Meeting on March 28
- Support D6 and their participation in the AA with Alanon participation round up by arranging with Leslie a loan of translation equipment and search of a 10-minute lunch speaker for May 23
- Support the Delegate if any docs need translation before WSC
Thanks again for the warm welcome,
In Service Marilen H. Coordinadora Hispana
Technology
The last 2 hybrid events, Assembly and SOS demonstrated to the Technology Committee that in order for us to be able to provide a quality, reliable hybrid meeting the following is necessary:
- Equipment that will interface with the platform and laptops it will be connected t.
- Equipment to broadcast; cameras, microphones, speakers, mixers
- At least 6 people to set up, run, tear down equipment.
We had a committee of 6-8 people working on SOS along with a paid professional. We still had issues. That person provided the equipment and we still required backups. There is no perfect solution. If we choose to move to a new space other than Glendale, that will raise its own set of issues. This is an enormous project for several people that will take a few years. The investment of equipment is only a part of the puzzle. Getting the people to set it up, operate it, tear it down, store it, practice the technology and update it as needed is an enormous task that we are not able to fulfill at the present time.
- We do not have the manpower/volunteers/knowledgeable fellows willing to be of service. Tech team needs to be a commitment at the area level.
- If we are going to do hybrid assemblies, we continue to use Billy and Sherry as our main AV squad, paying them their extremely discounted rate, for as long as they are willing and able. Technology and Web Coordinators will continue to work as a support team with District and Area Volunteers
- In light of all the issues we are facing with hybrid, it is recommend doing 1 in person meeting and 1 online each year, for example AWSC: February in person, August online and Assembly: May online and November in person
The last local estimate we received from an outside company was approximately $6000.00 per day.
We are doing our best to find the best possible solution for the greatest number of people.
Website
Please continue to visit the Area website often for updates. To give you an idea of how much traffic our SCWS website gets:
We had over 2000 visits to start the year.
The 2026 schedules for AMIAS Certification and Recertification Workshops are posted on the Alateen section. The website also contains important information from WSO; requests for members to contribute to the blog, articles from Inside Al-Anon: How to be of Service to Alateen, as well as information about new E-books and the Al-Anon 75th Anniversary. The Technology Coordinator and I are working to test new online voting methods to replace Zoom polls and we are working towards improved hybrid tools for future assemblies.
Thank you for letting me be of service.
/heather g.