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Alateen: For
Young People Affected by Another Person’s Drinking
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Alateen is Al-Anon’s recovery program
for young people (mostly teenagers up to age 19 years) who are living with or
affected by the problem drinking of another person. The information about
Al-Anon on our home page and newcomer’s
page also applies to Alateen.
In Alateen, as in Al-Anon,
members share their experience, strength, and hope with each other. We do not tell
others what to do about their own personal situation. In Alateen, you will meet
other young people who share similar feelings and experiences, even if not your
exact situation. If you are “Alateen-age” and you feel you are affected by
another person’s drinking, you are welcome in Alateen, whether you think the
person is an “alcoholic” or not, whether the person is still drinking or has
stopped drinking, whether or not the person is living with you or not, and
whether the person is directly related to you or not
Alateen meetings are free.
There are no dues or fees for membership, although meetings will generally
“pass a basket” for voluntary contributions. You do not need to register or
sign up to attend; you can just find a meeting and
come. You do not need written permission
to attend. Local Alateen meetings are
included on our meetings page.
The World Service Office
does not register Alateen “on line” meetings, due to concerns of the teens’
safety from potential Internet predators.
Any “on line” meetings, chat rooms or bulletin boards that call
themselves “Alateen” are not sanctioned by, registered with, or in any way
monitored by the Al-Anon World Service Office.
The age range of Alateen
members varies between different meetings and different areas. Some meetings
have a lower age limit of 12 or 13; some accept children under age 12. The
upper age limit for Alateen may be 18 to 21, again depending on the meeting and
area. When Alateen members reach the upper age limit for Alateen, they are
encouraged to attend regular Al-Anon or Al-Anon Adult Children meetings, where
they will be welcome! The pamphlet, “Moving On! From Alateen to
Al-Anon” describes transitioning from Alateen to Al-Anon, and may be available
at local Alateen or Al-Anon meetings, from the
Everything said in Alateen
meetings should be kept confidential. No attendance list is kept and no reports
of attendance are made.
The Alateen program is not designed to help
teenagers who may have an alcohol problem themselves to stop drinking.
Teenagers who want help to stop drinking are welcome in Alcoholics
Anonymous. However, Alateen welcomes teenagers who are affected by another
person’s drinking, and who also are or may be alcoholics.
The Al-Anon publication, “Facts About Alateen” (P-41)
provides information about the Alateen program.
“Facts About Alateen” (P-41) is reprinted with permission of ©Al-Anon Family Group
Headquarters, Inc.,
The Al-Anon publication, “Is Someone's Drinking Getting To You?
Alateen Is For You!” (S-20) may help you decide if Alateen might be of help
to you.
“Is Someone's Drinking
Getting To You? Alateen Is For You!” (S-20)
Reprinted
with permission of ©Al-Anon
Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.
Al-Anon publishes a newsletter for Alateen
members, “Alateen Talk.” Excerpts from volume 44/number 2 of “Alateen
Talk.” can be read here.
Excerpts
from volume 44/number 2 of “Alateen Talk are reprinted with permission of ©Al-Anon Family Group
Headquarters, Inc.,
Additional literature
about Alateen and for Alateens is available in the Alateen
literature area of the Al-Anon World Services web site.
All registered Alateen
groups are “sponsored” by Al-Anon members, who help facilitate Alateen meetings
and functions. Each Area of Al-Anon has developed a process to certify
Alateen sponsors and to register Alateen groups that ensures that Alateen
sponsors and groups meet the Area's safety and behavioral requirements.
The World Service Office offers
several resources for people interested in sponsoring an Alateen group:
The Al-Anon publication, “Alateen Sponsorship--Is
It For You?” (S-27) provides an overview of the
requirements to be an Alateen sponsor.
“Alateen Sponsorship--Is It For You?” (S-27) is reprinted with permission of ©Al-Anon
Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia
Beach, VA.
The Al-Anon World Services Office publishes,
“A Guide For Sponsors Of Alateen Groups,” (P-29,) a free, four page guide describing who Alateens are, how to start an Alateen group,
and what Alateen Sponsors do (available from some area
literature distribution centers or from the Al-Anon
World Services web site literature area.)
The Al-Anon World
Service Office developed a guideline for anyone interested in Starting an Alateen Group (G-19.)
Starting an Alateen Group (G-19) is
reprinted with permission of ©Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.,
The Al-Anon World
Service Office developed a guideline for members interested in starting Alateen meetings in schools (G-5.)
Alateen Meetings in Schools
(G-5) is reprinted with permission of ©Al-Anon Family Group
Headquarters, Inc.,
The Al-Anon World Service
Office developed a guideline for Area
Alateen coordinators
(G-24.)
Area Alateen coordinators
(G-24) is reprinted with permission of
©Al-Anon
Family Group Headquarters, Inc.,
The Al-Anon World Service
Office developed Alateen Safety Guidelines (G-44) for ensuring safety
for Alateen members and sponsors.
Alateen Safety Guidelines
(G-34) is reprinted with permission of
©Al-Anon
Family Group Headquarters, Inc.,
The Al-Anon World Service
Office developed a guideline for Alateen
conferences
(G-16)
Guideline for Alateen
conferences (G-16) is reprinted
with permission of ©Al-Anon
Family Group Headquarters, Inc.,
How To
Become an Alateen Sponsor
in the
Al-Anon Family Groups of
Michigan provides guidelines for Al-Anon members interested in becoming
involved with Alateen service, as Alateen group sponsors or in any other
capacity. The guidelines provide information on qualifications for and
responsibilities of Alateen service, and helpful information for working with Alateen
groups and Alateen members and for dealing with situations and questions that
may arise. “Michigan AFG Required Guidelines for Alateen Service” are posted below.
The
The forms for Al-Anon members to become involved with Alateen service are
below. These forms must be filed out in full and sent by ground mail (not e-mail)
to the Michigan Alateen coordinator! For the mailing address for the
Michigan Area Alateen Coordinator, please e-mail us at afgdistrict5@gmail.com or contact us.
w Form for Al-Anon members to become
involved in service to Alateen: please click here.
w Form for the “background
check” required for certification please click here.
w Form for Alateen group
registration and for updating Alateen group records: please click here. (This form is used to update Alateen group records
with both the Michigan Area and World Service Office. It should be sent to the
Michigan Area Alateen coordinator, as above.)
w Michigan AFG Required Guidelines for Alateen
Service: please click here.
Additional Alateen Information
Information about Alateen
can be found on the Alateen pages of the Al-Anon World Services site. Information about Alateen events is included
on our Events page.
Alateen
stories from the Forum, Al-Anon’s monthly magazine:
w Dealing
with my parents’ alcoholism – one teen’s story.
w Son copes with
stepfather's disease.
w Alateen taught me about the disease of alcoholism.
All stories
are reprinted with permission of The Forum, © Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.,
If you are thinking about what Alateen may be able
to offer to you, we hope these stories from Alateen members will help you know
that you are not alone, and encourage you to try the Alateen program and attend
a meeting.