WE WANT TO SHARE OUR VISION WITH YOU

Media Addicts Anonymous

Proposed Phases of Development

Passed by the GSB, June 19, 2022

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Because MAA is still in its infancy and because new members, as well as some older members, have questions about how our organization is developing, we have created a plan that organizes our goals and visions in “phases” so that members can see where we are in the process.  As a point of reference, our Fellowship began October 31, 2020. With our Higher Power’s help, we plan to:

  PHASE 1  (1-5 years)
 

• Organize and establish a fully functioning General Service Board of Trustees

• Establish the GSB bylaws to be followed in the GSB governance

• Organize all required legal and financial trusts for the MAA corporation

• Build a foundational structure for MAA

• Support all initiatives to build lasting media sobriety in our Fellowship

• Organize and develop MAA literature and newsletters

• Support and help to build up new MAA meetings

• Set up MAA group representation using AA’s model of GSRs

• Begin to see our fellowship's identity emerge

• Oversee the MAA yearly Anniversary Event

   PHASE 2  (5-10 years)
 

• Create and build a General Service Conference

• See that the General Service Conference creates its own bylaws and concepts

• Hold the first General Service Conference

• Publish an MAA Book

• Continue to have a clearer idea of MAA’s identity as a fellowship

• Oversee the MAA yearly Anniversary Event

  PHASE 3  (10-15 years)

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• Add Districts and Area Assemblies to our fellowship

• Create a General Service Office

• Oversee the MAA yearly Anniversary Event
  
  This is a “working document” that is expected to move MAA forward to becoming a well-established 12-Step program similar to those currently in existence.  However, we cannot promise that we will be able to keep to this timeline or that priorities and unique ways in which MAA might need to be organized will not necessitate some changes.  We hope this initial Phase 1,2,3 plan gives our members an overview of our intentions and also gives us a challenging vision to aspire to as We Grow Together.

 

What is the General Service Board of MAA and what do they do?

 

The MAA General Service Board is doing our best to follow the example of A.A. Here is what the A.A. GSB does:

 

Traditionally in AA The General Service Board is concerned with everything happening inside and outside of AA that may affect the health and growth of the Fellowship. They have a "custodial" relationship with the Fellowship and are the trustees, which means they hold both the legal and financial responsibility of the overall Fellowship. Their purpose is to safeguard the vital services provided for the Fellowship, not to govern. They try to be informed and thoughtful in all actions and to help keep the Fellowship's best interest at heart. Part of their vision is to be vigilant and proactive on AA's behalf, so the membership of AA can get to work helping alcoholics get and stay sober.

 

We are still creating our own Mission, Vision, and Action statement, but here is AA's and there is much here that we would emulate:

 

MISSION

Our mission is to serve the Fellowship of A.A.

 

VISION

We provide clear and effective leadership to the Fellowship. We are directly responsible and responsive to the Fellowship through the General Service Conference (something we don't have in place yet). We are concerned with all matters affecting the Fellowship's primary purpose of carrying the A.A. message to the still-suffering alcoholic.

 

ACTION

In all of our deliberations and decisions, we shall be guided by and uphold the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts (the last one is not yet written since we do not have enough members to create a General Service Conference and the concepts belong to that group entity.)

Current Status and Service Structure Overview

Our organization operates using an "upside-down triangle" service structure. This approach ensures that our focus remains on serving our members and fulfilling our mission effectively. This visual representation illustrates our service structure as it appears in 2024: