About VicYPAA

Every year since 1995, the VicYPAA committee comprising members who typically have less than 10 years of sobriety, arranges fun events and fellowship culminating with an annual convention as a celebration of AA's legacies of Recovery, Unity and Service. VicYPAA events are all-inclusive, never exclusive, and are open to all concerned with a drinking problem, irrespective of age or duration of sobriety. VicYPAA is registered with the National Office of Alcoholics Anonymous Australia, being classified as a ‘special event’ under section 14 of the AA Australia Service Manual.

 

VicYPAA Constitution

Ratified at the 2011 AGM

1) VicYPAA Statement of Purpose: VicYPAA is a committee comprising of members of Alcoholics Anonymous with approximately 10 years or less of sobriety. VicYPAA aims to:
- give all members of Alcoholics Anonymous a safe place to go during high risk times of the year;
- promote unity between people in early recovery;
- show young people it is possible to have fun AND stay sober;
- raise funds to hold an annual convention with a guest speaker; and
- distribute surplus funds back into the Alcoholics Anonymous service structure.
VicYPAA’s primary purpose is to promote staying sober and helping other alcoholics to achieve sobriety; and in doing so to show how sobriety and service can be fund and fulfilling!

2) Each year an Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held within one month of the convention (or as soon as practicable thereafter) chaired by the outgoing chair, attended by the outgoing committee and spiritual advisory committee where there is discussion and voting on general business and disbursements; renewal of registration with the relevant service entities is arranged; and any members of Alcoholics Anonymous in attendance elect the next year's committee with the chair being elected according to the Third Legacy Procedure.

3) The position of chair shall be a five-year commitment, the first year being to serve on the committee and the following four years on the spiritual advisory committee, the membership of which, in the spirit of rotation, is limited to the chairs of the previous four VicYPAA conventions.

4) The Spiritual Advisory Committee (SAC) will serve to provide advice to the committee around the traditions (minutes of meetings should be CC'd to SAC members); approving the budget for the event; and authorising the venue. In all other matters the committee shall be governed by their own group conscience. The chair will be supported by the SAC with regards to the 12 concepts and guidelines.

5) The first event that the new committee holds is suggested to be a traditions and service workshop, and assistance with this shall be provided by the Spiritual Advisory Committee if required. This is designed to assist the committee to understand the importance of the AA traditions in holding events and raising funds during the year in accordance with the twelve traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous.

6) A minimum of $3000 shall be passed on from one committee to the next, $1000 to be used as a seed fund for starting up fundraising, with the remaining $2000 being prudent reserve for use in emergencies with authorisation of the Spiritual Advisory Committee. Surplus funds should be disbursed considering the following: Melbourne-based CSOs/Intergroups registered with the National Office of Alcoholics Anonymous, National Office, Areas B, C & D, and the District where the committee meets). Permanent or temporary changes to the disbursement list can be made at the AGM if approved by at least 2/3 of the combined membership of the outgoing committee and spiritual advisory committee.