OPENING REPORT C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2008
PUBLIC INFORMATION REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:
We have had a very productive year with several conference calls and on-going committee work done through the e-mail group.
An updated PI Merchandise Order Form is now available on the WSO web site as well as a sample of a business card for PI use. PI Posters in several languages have also been made available on the web site. Substantial work has been done to get the PI workbook up-to-date. A revised 2008 workbook should be available at the end of this Conference. The 2008/2009 Census went out to the Fellowship and we will be compiling the results at this Conference. We had a good turn out for the WSC PI Committee Meeting during the 2008 World Service Convention. We had requested PSA ideas from the fellowship and, while at the 2008 World Convention, we did view a video created by a CA member from Wisconsin. A lively discussion as to whether this video could/would be edited to become a possible new PSA.
Some of our committee members from the UK created a very simple to read pamphlet containing the Fact File information. This document is in the process of being approved for use as a new PI tool. One of our members had the opportunity to attend a WSOB meeting to gather information and to ask questions about how this committee can better coordinate with the WSO. We also created and presented the PI Committee referral to WSO to approve the PI PowerPoint and to have the PowerPoint available on the WSO web site. This referral and PowerPoint did go out in the last Delegate mailing under SR-14. For the first time in a couple years, this committee has also been able to maintain a PI Corner in the NewsGram.
Russell and myself would like to give a big THANK YOU! to all members who have helped this committee accomplish so much during the year.
COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS:
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Ethel Thomas
Gerald Collard
Jen Scheible
Keith Ellis
Michelle Dobson
Marty Douglas
Robert Bohman
Susan Bredau
DeDe McKinney – Co-Secretary
Tali Emerson – Co-Secretary
Russell Sedman – Vice Chair
Ruby Lemoine – Chairperson
Nicholas Lynn – Trustee
REFERRALS THAT WERE WORKED UPON DURING THE YEAR:
Referral #4672
To create the poster of the bars of cocaine with a silhouette of a man & woman removing the current pictures of real people. Reason: Not everybody will identify with the current Caucasian images.
This referral is being listed as an agenda item for the CAWSPI committee this conference
Referral #4770
Re: Membership Survey. Suggestion to add more optional answers to question regarding language. Reason: present answers do not reflect situation in Europe. Choosing “other” is possible but will not give information. It may give international CA members the impression this survey is not about them or intended to serve the needs of their Area better. We will become better aware of local needs (ie. For translation). People filling out the survey will experience they are part of an international fellowship, not just North American fellowship.
Referral #4771
Re: Membership Survey. Suggestion to add more optional answers to question regarding ethnicity. Reason: present answers do not reflect demographic situation in Europe (and maybe other continents). Choosing “other” is possible but does not give sufficient and needed demographic information. It may give international CA members the impression this survey is not about them or intended to serve the needs of their Area better. I have no suggestion at this time to improve just wanted the PI committee to consider this.
Referral #4772
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Re: Membership survey. Point of consideration. The answers to the question regarding education exclusively reflects the educational system in the USA. That makes the questions difficult to translate. It may give the international CA members the impression this survey is not about them or intended to serve the needs of their Area better. I have no suggestion at this time to improve, just wanted the PI committee to consider this.
Referrals regarding the Survey will be taken into consideration when the Survey is worked on at this year’s conference.
Referral# 4190
Please include Area/District PI committee suggestions/requirements; therefore, turning the workbook into a “PI Guidelines Workbook.”
The committee worked throughout the year to try and bring the CAWSPI workbook up to date. The committee felt that the much overdue housekeeping was priority and will address this referral during this conference.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
We look forward to serving the fellowship throughout this Conference and the following year. If you have ideas on how to better carry the message of hope and recovery through Public Information and would like to serve on a committee that is active throughout the year, then come join the WSC Public Information Committee.
Steve – Any questions?
Thank you.
Unity Committee.
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