You can be a Gift Giver

Become an AMIAS Adult Group Sponsor
(AMIAS = Al-Anon Member Involved in Alateen Service)

Is Alateen Sponsorship for you? You might start by downloading Alateen Sponsorship, Is it for you? (S27, PDF) produced by the WSO. If you can answer “yes” to some of the questions, you would probably find being an Alateen adult sponsor rewarding.

An invaluable resource for anyone thinking of becoming an AMIAS is the Alateen Service e-Manual (PDF).  This is filled with tips and topics for AMIAS. The section headings are Overview of Alateen Service, Becoming an Alateen Group Sponsor, Starting an Alateen group, Organization of an Alateen group, Role of Alateen Group Sponsors in Alateen Group Meetings, Relationships with Alateens, Role of Alateen Group Sponsors/AMIAS outside of group meetings, Alateen participation in events, Spreading the word – Alateen public outreach, Challenges in Alateen service, WSO Resources, Alateen Safety, and Legal Issues. This is required reading for anyone applying to be an AMIAS.

Another, much less comprehensive, source of information is the pamphlet A Guide for Sponsors of Alateen Groups (P-29) available in the Information Services and Intergroup book stores.

Additional resources are the WSO guidelines on Alateen Safety (G34), Starting an Alateen Group (G19), Alateen Meetings in Schools (G5) and Alateen Conferences (G16).

To ensure the safety of Alateen members, at the direction of the Al-Anon Family Groups Board of Trustees, Adult Alateen sponsors and other Al-Anon members who work with Alateens are required to register with and be certified by Minnesota South Area. Such Al-Anon members are also known as AMIAS (Al-Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service).

Each AMIAS must meet certain requirements detailed in the Minnesota South Area (MNSA) Alateen Safety & Behavioral Requirements (PDF) (Final WSO approval is pending). These requirements include being at least 21 years old, having been in Al-Anon at least two years, not counting time in Alateen, and undergoing a background check. In addition, each AMIAS must attend at least one AMIAS training session each calendar year. Upcoming sessions are listed on this page.

The requirements extend to volunteers who provide transportation to Alateen events or who work with Alateens at conventions such as Gopher State Roundup since they are also considered to be AMIAS.

If you think you might be interested in becoming an AMIAS, as a group sponsor, substitute sponsor, transportation sponsor or conference sponsor, you should read a summary of the requirements and the certification process. From this page you can download the forms and other information that you will need to get the certification process going.

If you are already a Minnesota South Area certified AMIAS, your certification needs to be renewed every year by April 30.  You can download the AMIAS recertification form (PDF).

If you are in Minnesota North Area you should contact the Minnesota North Area Alateen Coordinator or Area Alateen Process Person. The safety of Alateens at Minnesota North meetings is protected by the Minnesota North Area Minimum Alateen Safety Requirements (PDF).

A group with any sponsors who are not certified will not be recognized by the WSO or Minnesota South or North Areas and will be asked to disband. In particular, such groups will not be listed on the web or in meeting directories.