What is Fellowship Connection?
Fellowship Connection is an AAWS database and associated process for record keeping of groups, districts, and areas. GSRs, DCMs, and Registrars/TCOs can use their unique login to Fellowship Connection to enter information and generate and utilize reports listing information about groups, districts, and areas, as well as the latest contact data, including email addresses and phone numbers. Fellowship Connection can be used to reach out to these entities and keep our fellowship connected across A.A.
The Forum discussions explore the potential for improving data management and communication within AA, specifically focusing on the Fellowship Connection (FC) platform and its integration with other tools.
Key Points:
FC API: Numerous participants expressed interest in a Fellowship Connection API to facilitate data exchange and automation. This would potentially improve data accuracy and reduce manual effort for trusted servants.
Data Inaccuracies and Inconsistencies: Several members highlight challenges with data inconsistencies between FC, Meeting Guide, and local databases, such as the difficulty in maintaining accurate meeting information and conflicting data across different service levels.
Meeting Guide vs. FC: The discussion clarifies the distinct purposes of the Meeting Guide and FC. One member explains that FC focuses on registered group information for General Service participation, while the Meeting Guide aims to provide a comprehensive list of meetings regardless of registration status.
Central Authority for Meeting Data: One member questions the suitability of GSO as a central authority for meeting data, given the diverse needs and autonomy of AA groups. There is consensus that local service entities are better positioned to maintain accurate meeting information.
Potential Solutions and Collaboration: Various solutions are proposed, including developing a proof-of-concept (PoC) API by volunteers, utilizing tools like Airtable as middleware, and exploring data formats optimized for geo-based searches. One member offers to contribute to a PoC and highlights the importance of addressing the human element in data maintenance.
Overall, the discussion reveals a strong desire within the AA community to improve data management and communication through technological solutions. The potential of an FC API and volunteer collaboration generates excitement for future advancements.
Links to more information:
Forum Discussions:
https://discourse.tiaa-forum.org/t/area-registrar-interested-in-fc-api-and-database-ideas/9572
https://discourse.tiaa-forum.org/t/fellowship-connection/6971
https://discourse.tiaa-forum.org/t/fellowship-connection-exports/9736
Fellowship Connection (aa.org)
This website is where Area Registrars can update records, view current information, search, filter, and download custom and standard reports, including Groups by District, Service Position, and Contacts.
Many of our service organizations have begun utilizing or considering Google Workspace under its free non-profit license for eligible entities. The Google Workspace suite, when strategically implemented, can enhance our support for service organizations and those in recovery.
The Google Workspace applications included in the non-profit license include:
Together, these applications can allow us to maximize our support of service work through streamlined operations and enhanced collaboration without undue financial burden. The widespread use of Google, especially Gmail, means many of our members are already familiar with Google applications. Google also provides extensive user documentation for the workspace applications.
The implementation and maintenance of Google Workspace may pose certain challenges. Thoughtful planning during the design and implementation phase can reduce and simplify ongoing maintenance. This task can be challenging due to the varied technical expertise of our volunteer IT admins. Google’s Workspace Admin Help Center has information on starting a Google Workspace, and the Google Workspace community forum can be helpful with administration and configuration.
More importantly, the TIAA forum is a central platform for acquiring knowledge, guidance, and the opportunity to exchange ideas, experiences, and insights with other recovery-based Google Workspace administrators.
This is especially important within the context of recovery environments, where the traditions of our program distinctively shape our needs. For our forum members, here are links to some conversations in the forum:
Discussion on migrating a website to new hosting is widely varied within the forum. One of the most common questions is about migrating from Squarespace/Wix to a more customizable hosting plan/site.
Members of the forum have outlined several methods of migrating a website to new hosting, including:
All hyperlinks to the tutorials above came from within the TIAA forum. Discussion about web hosting and changing web hosts happens frequently. Members of the forum can find these discussions here:
Converting Website to WordPress: CLICK HERE
Migrating From Bluehost: CLICK HERE
WordPress Upgrades: CLICK HERE
Issues with WordPress and WebHostingPad: CLICK HERE
The TIAA Forum now has a specific Category devoted to the service work of Archives and archivists. Within that Archives Category, AA members can share their experience, strength, and hope in leveraging technology to support that work. Obviously, much of the information content of the AA service structure, literature, and supporting documentation has now moved to digital formats, whether at the home group, District, Intergroup/Central Office, Area, or GSO/AAWS levels.
As a result, the work of developing and maintaining archives for future generations of AA members has become increasingly complex, and the need for sharing ideas to simplify that effort has never been greater. While there is a national Archives workshop each year, the conversations that may begin at that workshop can continue year-round in the Forum.
Code for Recovery (C4R) is a community of volunteers in service building and maintaining open-source solutions to help the recovery community meet, organize, and recover from addiction.
While participation varies, C4R typically has eight or so active volunteers (primarily coders, but other talents are encouraged as well) from recovery communities (mostly AA). Each brings forth unique programming skills and experience. Most work focuses on web-based software used by districts, intergroups/central service offices, and areas to manage nearby recovery meeting information. AA meeting information is then available for import into the Meeting Guide app provided by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Incorporated (AAWS). C4R is not officially connected to Meeting Guide’s software development and support.
The 12 Step Meeting List (aka, Twelve Step Meeting List and TSML) plugin for WordPress is the most recognized web app for managing and making meeting data available to users and other sites, but other ways can accomplish many of the same functions. The Meeting Guide App Support Site provides excellent descriptions of some of these other methods. C4R will gladly assist with the technical aspects of getting connected should entities have difficulties.
• Code for Recovery: CLICK HERE
• Meeting Guide App Support: CLICK HERE
The discussion about hybrid meetings is plentiful, broad, and varied. A short summary of this topic cannot address the myriad components of setting up and running hybrid meetings. Setups run from a smartphone passed around the in-person meeting to permanent equipment installations that include high-end cameras, microphones, and large TVs/displays. The more complex a setup and/or the larger the meeting, greater is the number of people needed to run the meeting. Several service organizations have produced documents with their recommendations for setting up and running hybrid meetings.
Members of TIAA Forum began collaboration on a document to summarize this topic. Though incomplete, it includes useful information. CLICK HERE
Much more information and assistance are available by joining the forum and searching for “hybrid”: CLICK HERE
The Meeting Guide is designed to help anyone find meetings and A.A. resources in their area. Currently, more than 100,000 meetings are listed across 180 countries. Participants can search for meetings in their area or online. Information from over 400 A.A. service entities is synced to the app through integrations with area, district, intergroup/central, and international general service office websites. Users can find information about meetings in their area by searching for a location or Keyword.
The Meeting Guide and the 12-Step Meeting List Plug-in (TSML) are managed by Code for Recovery (C4R), a community of volunteers in service on a mission to build quality open-source solutions to help the recovery community organize, meet, and recover from addiction.
If users experience issues with the Meeting Guide, support for the Meeting Guide app and the 12-Step Meeting List (TSML) WordPress plug-in is available via the Meeting Guide Support Site.
• To see The Meeting Guide and download the app, CLICK HERE
• To view GitHub discussions about TSML, CLICK HERE
Discussion about the Meeting Guide and the 12-Step Meeting List Plug-in occurs frequently in the forum. Members of the forum can find these discussions here:
• Meeting Guide: CLICK HERE
• TSML: CLICK HERE
The discussion is varied, covering issues users experience, any app updates, and what users might experience from them, and troubleshooting tips based on questions from the community.
Cloud-based phone services appear to be most popular due to ease of management and low costs.
These services allow calls to be forwarded simultaneously to many volunteers’ numbers. Services favorably discussed in the forum:
Numerous options are in use, including: