Alateen’s Twelve Traditions

Welcome to Al‑Anon/Alateen
in the Greater Minneapolis and St. Paul Area

Alateen’s Twelve Traditions

These guidelines are the means of promoting harmony and growth in Alateen groups and in the world-wide fellowship of Al‑Anon and Alateen as a whole. Our group experience suggests that the unity of the Alateen groups depends upon our adherence to these Traditions.

1.	Our common welfare should come first; personal progress for the greatest number depends upon unity.
2.	For our group purpose there is but one authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants—they do not govern.
3.	The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend. The teenage relatives of alcoholics, when gathered together for mutual aid, may call themselves an Alateen Group provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.
4.	Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting other Alateen and Al-Anon Family Groups or AA as a whole.
5.	Each Alateen Family Group has but one purpose: to help other teenages of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, by encouraging and understanding the members of our immediate families.
6.	Alateens, being part of Al‑Anon Family Groups, ought never endorse, finance or lend our name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary spiritual aim. Although a separate entity, we should always cooperate with Alcoholics Anonymous.
7.	Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8.	Alateen Twelfth Step work should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9.	Our groups, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10.	The Alateen Family Groups have no opinion on outside issues; hence our name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
11.	Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films and TV. We need guard with special care the anonymity of all AA members.
12.	Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.