Brisbane Western Suburbs GSF Minutes 08/01/22

Brisbane Western Suburbs Group Support Forum Minutes
Saturday 8 January 2022,
12:00pm-3:00pm
1. Opening with the NA service prayer.
2. Reading of the “12 Concepts for Service”.
3. Introductions

Facilitator: Marcie B Tuesday Richlands Secretary
Lani Tuesday Richlands Tea and Coffee
Tim B Friday Richlands
Tim P Sunday Spiritual Concepts
Raymond Monday Ipswich & Friday Richlands
Jason Friday Richlands Greeter
Carl Friday Richlands Literature
Eric Monday Ipswich Secretary
Sam H Friday Richlands GSR
Nicole O Saturday Moorooka Secretary
Jazmyn Tuesday Richlands Treasurer

4. Setting of agenda based on GSF participant preference
a) Information session on GSF’s/Service System and Consensus Based Decision Making
b) Workshop ‘Recovery: Faith, Commitment and Action’
c) Group matters discussion

5. Items for discussion
a) How do we reduce members using phones during meetings?
b) How do we manage disruptive behaviour during meetings?
c) How do we maintain an atmosphere of recovery in meetings?
d) Could we have a Monthly Speaker/ID meetings to aid the newcomer?
e) What Activities can we organise?
f) How do we avoid members target sharing in meetings?
g) How do we open a new meeting?
h) How do we change a meeting venue?
i) Future GSF, when, where, who, how?

6. Information session on GSF’s, Service Structure and CBDM. The roles and responsibilities of GSR’s and members in attendance sharing the information discussed at the GSF with groups.

Short Break

7. GSF decided to have discussion session next while the information they just received was fresh in their minds after having just learned about it. Workshop would be moved to after discussions if there was time.



8. Discussion content
a) How do we reduce members using phones during meetings?
– Newcomers in particular; but all members can have additional fear/worry/self-consciousness/paranoia when other members are on their phones during meeting. Could stop newer members from wanting to come back to meetings
– It makes some members feel like they may be under surveillance
– It can be distracting for all members when someone is on their phone
– The person sharing feels unheard/disconnected/unimportant

 Add to meeting guide words to the effect of ‘Out of respect for the newcomer and all members, could everyone please refrain from looking at their phones during the meeting’
 All members to take personal responsibility for setting the example of good meeting etiquette by not touching their phones during meetings

b) How do we maintain an atmosphere of recovery in meetings?
– Sometimes inappropriate content is shared from the floor, using stories, non-NA related solutions being shared, noisy children, rehab, and other fellowship talk
– Target sharing/cross talk
– Members chairing meetings without knowing how to bring the meeting back to a recovery focus
– Chairperson not having the confidence to stop a speaker
– New members not knowing what is appropriate to share from the floor
 Workshop on chairing meeting at the GSF
 Not commenting on other speakers shares
 Going to a meeting with an attitude of being of service
 Speaking to your sponsor about how to chair a meeting
 Sharing only about how NA helps your recovery not outside matters
 Carefully selecting chairperson at meetings and not putting newcomers in the chair too early
 NA literature
 Ringing the bell to get someone to wind up their share, it can pull up the dynamic without shaming or targeting the member and makes it less confronting for the chairperson

c) How do we manage disruptive behaviour during meetings?
Some examples of ‘disruptive behaviour’ members attending have experienced and not known how to handle were
– Children and parent having arguments during a meeting disrupting and distracting all members present. The situation continued because no one was sure how to best handle the situation
– Heated conflict between two members during a meeting
– Bullying/steamrolling in a group business meeting
– Target shares creating conflict
– Violent behaviour from one member to another

 It is the chairperson’s responsibility to address the behaviour and the meeting can be paused or stopped so the situation can be addressed as civilly as possible
 OCM’s and all members have a responsibility to step in when a chairperson may not have the necessary confidence/skills/knowledge to do so
 There is NA literature available on the topic “Disruptive & Violent Behaviour Booklet” it is recommended that all groups purchase this booklet as these events do not happen very often, but we should all be prepared for when the occasion may occur.
 In an extreme case the police may need to be called as a last resort when all other avenues are not sufficient

d) How do we open new meetings?
 Contact members close to the geographic location of where you would like to open the meeting and make sure you have the necessary support to sustain a group conscious and fill major service positions before you commit to the idea
 Ensure the group will be able to be fully self-supporting (financially and with other members). Check you have interested homegroup members are willing to commit to supporting the meeting for 12 months and the meeting will still open even if for some reason you cannot attend
 Look at the days we don’t have a meeting in the Western suburbs so you have the maximum number of members in the Western suburbs who will be able to attend and support newcomers; without pulling those members away from another meeting.
 Register the meeting the na.org.au to have it added to the website and receive the free starter pack

e) What Activities can we organise?
– A regular monthly BBQ, Bowling, meeting raids, Karaoke, Dance, Camp, Trivia Night, Movie Night, Bushwalking, volleyball GSF vs GSF
– A monthly BBQ and a monthly GSF may not always be practical. Perhaps we could have a BBQ every second month or sometimes combine it with the GSF
 A combination of regular activities as well as individual activities that cater to all member preferences at different times.
 Some members like physical activities, some like games, social events, some members will have families they will want to join us, some members are less financially abundant than others. Let’s make sure are events are inclusive, collaborative and help us carry our primary purpose.

f) Future GSF, when, where, who, how?
– We could have them monthly or every second month
– Since we have been missing GSF for so long there are benefits to having them more frequently to start and can always cut them back later if needed
– Monthly would increase the connection and collaboration efforts of members, big need for educational/training/information sharing sessions and workshops, support for members
– We could have some indoor and some outdoors.
– We have a meeting on Saturday 11am-12pm. It may be more practical to have the GSF later, so it doesn’t conflict with the meeting.
– How will we fund our GSF? A) We could practice the 7th at the GSF. B) Groups could split the funding by all contributing or by alternating hosting the GSF once everyone has had training for how to facilitate a GSF, C) We could approach the board to fund our GSF’s.
– Group poll indicated 5 members preferring us to do 7th at the GSF, 4 members preferring groups to fund, and 1 member preferred approaching to board for funds.
 Western Suburbs GSF will be monthly. The first Saturday of the month.
 The next GSF will be 1pm Saturday 5 February at Richlands Community Center
 Members to go back to groups to discuss how groups would like to fund future GSF

9. Upcoming local NA events
 30 Jan 2022 Toowoomba Social BBQ and Speaker Jam 11:30-3pm, Toowoomba Civic Square
 5 Feb 2022 Western Suburbs GSF 1pm-3pm, Richlands Community Center
 13 Feb 2022 Northside BBQ 10am-2pm, Shorncliffe Pier

10. Evaluations
 Constructive, helpful, Covid discussions would be helpful next time
 Helpful, easy to talk here, very constructive
 Good dynamic
 Productive, constructive, helpful
 Productive, helpful
 Helpful, needed it for a long time
 Still confused about the big stuff, discussions were very helpful
 Smoothly run, helpful
 Gratitude, happy, equality, hopeful, fellowship, more I wanted covered
 Unifying, connecting, great participation, very satisfying

11. Close the meeting with the Serenity Prayer in the plural.


To be announced at Groups
• Next GSF 1pm Saturday 5 February at Richlands Community Center
• Members to go back to groups to discuss how groups would like to fund future GSF
• Upcoming events
o 30 Jan 2022 Toowoomba Social BBQ and Speaker Jam 11:30-3pm, Toowoomba Civic Square
o 5 Feb 2022 Western Suburbs GSF 1pm-3pm, Richlands Community Center
o 13 Feb 2022 Northside BBQ 10am-2pm, Shorncliffe Pier

Helpful literature resources referred to in discussions
Disruptive & Violent Behaviour Booklet
https://www.fso.com.au/categories/Service-Pamphlets/
Group Trusted Servants Booklet
https://www.fso.com.au/products/Group-Trusted-Servants-Booklets.html
Group Business Meetings Booklet
Group Business Meetings Booklet – Fellowship Service Office of Narcotics Anonymous Store (fso.com.au)
The Group Booklet
Books & Booklets (fso.com.au)
Starting a new NA group – A Starter Kit contains three copies each of 15 different pamphlets; one each of the White Book, NA A Resource In Your Community and The Group booklet; and 3 of wallet size Group Reading cards.
Starting an NA Group – Narcotics Anonymous Australia
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events – Narcotics Anonymous Australia
Printable current meeting list for our Area
https://www.na.org.au/multi/greaterqld/?current-meeting-list=1

Resources used for information session
Service System 101 and Group Support Forum
2013Sep_SSP101MockGSF.ppt (live.com)
Consensus Based Decision Making
2013Sep_CBDMBasics.pdf (na.org)
Basic Facilitation Guide
2013Sep_CompleteTools.pdf (na.org)
GSF Basics
2013Sep_GSFBasics.pdf (na.org)