Report given by John O
OPENING REPORT
C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2017 PUBLIC INFORMATION REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:
STEWARDS OF PI SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT
In an effort to make PI materials easily accessible for PI chairs in all Areas, we created www.PImembersArea.org. Here you can find your Radio PSA; request a video PSA; join our online forum; download logos and posters; quickly access the PI Handbook; download the 2017 Public Information Fact File; find directions to add the 2017 survey to your website or just take the survey! Lot’s more to come!
Additionally, the committee has held monthly conference calls this past year. We recently created a group where members can communicate online and share resources.
NADCP SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT
The participation of Cocaine Anonymous in the 2017 National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) Conference yielded positive results. Our booth in the exhibition hall was frequented continuously by the attendees. Judges, Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys, Program Coordinators, Parole and Probation Officers, alike were all interested in hearing about CA. We were made to feel welcome and it was made known that our help was wanted and needed. Drug Court Professionals from across North America and some Caribbean countries were in attendance.
CA members volunteered and came to do service in the spirit of our 5th Tradition. PI Chairs from Washington, D.C., Nashville, TN, NY, NY, and Denver CO manned the booth during the 3 day event. Our message was simple:
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“We are here” – some had not heard of Cocaine Anonymous even in cities where we have meetings.
“We are not drug specific” – many who knew of us did not know that we are a all inclusive fellowship and that abstinence from all mood and mind altering substances is in our first step.
“We have a solution”- it was not known that the Big Book is our basic text. We also shared demographic information gathered from the 2016 PI Survey which helped identify those we serve and provided statics on the number of addicts we have reached.
“We are willing to be of service”- it was made clear that helping them help those they serve, the drug court participants, is our only goal.
Each visitor was asked to complete a online survey while at the booth on tablets we provided. Contact info, knowledge of CA, and meetings in there area was retained.
SURVEY SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT
The 2017 survey is active! The past two years we have made this a project at the PI Summit. This entails reviewing the prior year survey results and compiling the information. We use the results to produce a new Fact File each year so that the information we are providing to the professional community is current and accurate. We also review each comment and take suggestions into account as we produce the new survey. This year the committee voted that from here forward the survey will be launched at conference and closed December 31st each year. You can find the survey as well as a PDF of instructions for adding they survey to your area website or group page at www.PImembersArea.org You can also find the updated Public Information Fact File on the website.
PSA SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT
Radio PSA’s are now available for download! We have also distributed over 40 video PSA’s this past year; these can be requested on the contact form at www.PImembersArea.org.
WSCPI EURO SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT 2016-2017
WhatsApp Group
The WhatsApp group was created in September 2016 with a view to unifying Public Information Servants across our region. We needed a forum where we could share ideas, experience and offer support and friendship. This has proved to be a phenomenal success! We now have 54 members from across the globe, 13 out of the 14 areas in Europe are represented, in addition to Russia. If anyone from Germany would like to be involved in this please do let us know.
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European PI Summit
One of the most exciting developments of the year has been the hosting of our very first European Public Information Summit in June. The Edinburgh convention Committee graciously hosted this event alongside their first ever convention, and we welcomed PI servants from several European areas as well as WSBT members. Our primary aim was to promote unity, develop a unified PI service structure and to foster and grow enthusiasm for Public Information service work. We shared ideas, experiences and, as always…. Made new friends. AS a direct result of the Summit, Gregor returned to Holland, and formed a new PI committee which currently has 15 enthusiastic members and have already commenced valuable service work, including translations of the new PSA into Dutch.
Jesper returned to Denmark and also formed a new PI committee. The brand new poster that was presented at the summit was amended and is now available for approval.
We hope to repeat the success of this event yearly, if any area would like to offer to host 2018, (alongside a district / area convention) please let us know.
Translations
Many translations of the new drugs stopped working poster have been completed, and have definitely injected enthusiasm into PI service work.
Perhaps the most pertinent translations work has been by the West Country and South Wales District (WCSWD) of CAUK. They have translated, and had approved some of our basic Public Information Literature, which has been of paramount importance to their PI Committee. These translations have enabled a South Wales outreach committee to form, and start to carry the message to professional communities in South Wales, where the law dictates that any printed information must not treat English as a favorable language.
The WCSWD PI committee have attended Professional Community conferences in South Wales, completed poster campaigns, provided literature to their local services and in November are hosting their very first ever Information for Professionals day at the Princess Diana Hospital in Bridgend, Wales.
The Drugs Stopped Working poster has also been translated into Russia, Dutch, Danish, and Portuguese which has enabled their PI committees to start poster outreach campaigns.
Growth
In the last year, new PI committees have been formed in Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Holland and Portugal. This growth has been facilitated largely by existing PI servants offering support, sharing experiences and enthusiasm and providing PI workshops where requested. This is something we would like to continue to offer to any area or district wishing to develop their PI Service Committees.
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In the UK World Drug Day and National Substance Misuse Conferences have been attended by Public Information Committee servants. These conferences have been very fruitful – brilliant opportunities for myth busting, networking and building cooperative relationships with professional communities.
In addition to the CPC work that goes on at such conferences, there was one other AMAZING occurrence – the CA servant attending with our PI stall was able to provide literature, readings and books for a woman attending the conference from PARIS, who is now part of our very first CA meeting there! We observe with interest the growth in this new area – God Willing.
Due to time constraints WSCPI committee representative (Stuart) was unable to attend, although willing, delegate registration had closed by the time funding was agreed. Although disappointing, fortunately, a CAUK PI representative was able to attend.
This is an area we would very much like to expand in our ongoing PI service.
New Posters
As a direct result of the PI summit – we are delighted to present a new poster, (see proposal 3) designed by the PI committee in Denmark. To our knowledge it is the first poster ever presented to our WS conference in a language other than English. Gratitude to our Danish fellows for their hard work on this.
Committee Meetings
Again, in an effort to promote unity and foster enthusiasm we have continued to hold bi monthly European PI committee meetings, 10am GMT via Skype. The minutes can be found in the EuroPI WhatsApp group and also on our EuroPI Google drive. Ongoing work We are continuing, as a committee to consider how we can safely utilize social media as a platform for CA Public Information, whilst keeping in line with our traditions. As you can imagine, these discussions have been lengthy – but we hope by WSC 2018 to have produced a report into our findings. PROPOSALS for WSCPI 2017 CONFERENCE 1) The ‘Drugs Stopped Working?’ poster, approved at last years WSC to be added to the PI Manual 2) The website template, approved at last years WSC to be added to the PI manual 3) The new ‘So did We’ poster is submitted for approval by WSB 4) The Evidence of Attendance / ‘Chit’ system is submitted for approval by WSB. Thank you for allowing us to be of service to Cocaine Anonymous In Love and Service Your WSCPI Euro Committee
COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS:
John O – Chair
Melissa W – Vice Chair
Alex Z M – Co-Secretary
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Beverly M – Co-Secretary
Shelby D – Secretary
Jeanette J.-Trustee
Stuart J – European Region Sub-committee Chair
Richard B – NADCP Sub-committee Chair
Mark N – Stewards of PI Sub-committee Chair
Troy L – PSA Sub-committee Chair
Darline L
Joanna H
Howard J.
Bob O’B
Kim B
David C.
Dane T
Bill D
Mark G
Dan P
David C
Clay P
Kimberley C
Keith E
Vivian W
REFERRALS THAT WERE WORKED ON DURING THE YEAR:
1. Referral Number PI 2016-2.5: Motion that the WSCPI Committee include information about the online service area e-mail and VOIP meetings and its PI efforts and that broadcast, PSA, videos and audios be created for same
Motion Passed: That the WSCPI committee create PSA’s to include information for the Online Service Area.
*OSA information will be included on all video PSA’s unless otherwise requested. If an Area prefers to not include the OSA information they can specify on the request form.
2. Referral Number PI 2016-1: Would you be willing to accept National Drug Court as a responsibility of the WSCPI Committee.
Motion Passed: To include NADCP as a responsibility of the WSCPI committee.
*see above report
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CLOSING COMMENTS:
We are grateful to have the opportunity to serve and we would welcome any delegates who would like to help us in reaching out to the addict who still suffers.