"Outreach Guide" - Workaholics Anonymous

“Outreach Guide”

Outreach Goals

According to the Fifth Tradition, our primary purpose is to carry the message of Recovery “to the workaholic who still suffers.”

We educate and inform the general public about WA, correcting common but inaccurate stereotypes in order to bring a better understanding of the disease of workaholism in all of its facets.
We encourage regular face-to-face, phone, and online meetings—and other special gatherings—to make WA more available to people throughout the world.
We show how the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and WA Tools of Recovery can bring respect, balance, and humility into our lives. When we improve ourselves by working the Program, our way of living becomes attractive to those who are still struggling.
We encourage workaholics to repair broken relationships and to develop and nourish new relationships with fellow WA members as well as their partners, families, co-workers, and friends.
We increase the depth and quality of our relationship to a Higher Power by humbly doing service that deepens our connection to—and the enjoyment of—our WA fellows.

How We Reach Others

Does your local WA meeting place host other Twelve Step fellowships? If so, place a flyer on the bulletin board or in any common areas.
E-mail flyers to other recovering people so that they can post them at their meeting places to help spread the word.
Distribute pamphlets to other Twelve Step fellowships – many don’t know WA even exists, let alone nearby!
Contact local intergroup offices for other Twelve Step fellowships and give them your contact information, telling them about WA and our nearby meetings.
Inform spiritual and religious leaders, therapists, doctors, and others in the community at large about WA and our nearby meetings.
Contact your local newspaper and ask them to put a meeting notice (including time and place) in the announcement section by the classifieds (usually free).
Look for websites that have a list of support groups in your area where WA links or info would be appropriate. Request that WA information be included.
Make efforts to place the WA Book of Recovery in your local library.
Start a new WA Group in your area by downloading the information and PDFs from the Start a WA Group page of the WA website and then completing the Register a New WA Group form. Further information and support is available from the WA office.

Public Awareness Policies

Media

To inform and raise awareness, WA and associated service bodies (including local meetings) may send press releases to newsletters, newspapers, magazines, websites, billboards, television shows, radio stations, and other public media outlets—provided that personal anonymity is maintained for WA members. Any such volunteers may give their first name and contact information to the media but should request that their anonymity be preserved in the published media content.

Media requests regarding the WA organization itself should be forwarded to the WA Outreach Coordinator.

Public Relations

In order to fulfill our primary purpose of carrying the message to the workaholic who still suffers, and to reach those who are not yet aware of the existence of our Fellowship, we do provide information but operate under the principles of attraction and cooperation rather than promotion or affiliation.

Attraction: To draw towards by means other than physical influence; to invite, encourage, or approach.

Promotion: To push forward; to further advance, “hard sell,” or advance for profit.

We cooperate with outside groups, but we are not affiliated with any other organization. We inform the public who we are, what we do, and how we can help. Working with others broadens our scope and contacts, reaching more of those in need. Examples may include, but are not limited to, hospitals, doctors, nurses, clergy, treatment centers, educators, dieticians, family therapists, marriage counselors, and employee assistance programs. Hiring outside contractors or service companies is not considered affiliating.

In communicating at the public level via the internet, press, radio, TV, and films, we always stress personal anonymity.

Public Service Announcements & Paid Ads

To raise inform and raise awareness, WA and associated service bodies (including local WA Groups) may use public service announcements and purchase ads. Such information may be transmitted through various sources such as newsletters, newspapers, magazines, websites, billboards, television, radio, and other appropriate public media.

The Preamble

Workaholics Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from workaholism.

The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop working compulsively. There are no dues or fees for WA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. WA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stop working compulsively and to carry the message of recovery to workaholics who still suffer.

The Eleventh Tradition

Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.

Availability Statement

For anyone who desires help in recovering from workaholism, I patiently offer the healing and balance I have—and how WA helped me to find it.

*The WA Preamble has been adapted from the AA Preamble with permission by The AA Grapevine, Inc. AA is a program of recovery from alcoholism only and is not affiliated with any other program.

The WA Twelve Traditions were adapted from the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, © 1939 by AA World Services, Inc. They are reprinted with permission from Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.