Alateen

Alateen is a fellowship of young Al-Anon members, usually teenagers (age 19 and below), whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking.
Young people come together to:

• share experience, strength and hope with each other
• discuss their difficulties
• learn effective ways to cope with their problems
• encourage one another help each other understand the principles of the Al-Anon program
• learn how to use the Twelve Steps and Alateen’s Twelve Traditions

Alateen members learn:

• compulsive drinking is a disease
• they can detach themselves emotionally from the drinker’s problems while continuing to love the person
• they are not the cause of anyone else’s drinking or behavior
• they cannot change or control anyone but themselves
• they have spiritual and intellectual resources with which to develop their own potentials, no matter what happens at home
• they can build satisfying and rewarding life experiences for themselves

Every Alateen group needs an active, adult member of Al-Anon to serve as sponsor. The sponsor is an active party of the group, guiding and sharing knowledge of our Twelve Steps and Traditions. Members of Alateen can also choose to have a personal sponsor, who can be another member of Alateen or Al-Anon.

The Alateen group sponsor is called an AMIAS; Al-Anon Member Involved in Alateen Service. Trainings are provide yearly, multiple times per year.

Alateen members meet in church halls, school rooms or other suitable places (many times in the same building as an Al-Anon group but in a separate room). All Alateen meetings are considered ‘closed’. That means that only people who have been affected by the compulsive drinking of another are welcome. Outsiders with an interest are welcome to sit in on an ‘open’ Al-Anon meeting to learn more.