Limited Series
Ever wondered how OA functions behind the scenes? You’re not alone!
Follow us as we continue to explore the structure, roles, and service bodies that help keep OA running. From Intergroups to Regions, from service concepts to conference-approved literature—we’re diving into the nuts and bolts of OA service.
What is an OA Service Board?
The last article described an Intergroup (or IG) as a set of groups that gather together to support one another and perform helpful services on behalf of member groups. As OA grew, the role of Intergroups evolved into additional service bodies: National Service Boards, Language Service Boards and Specific Focus Service Boards.
Some countries require that organizations form a legal entity to open a bank account or sign an agreement. National Service Boards were created to serve this purpose. They provide the same services that an Intergroup does, but have an additional identity related to the country in which the groups reside. Some National Service Boards are not required legally, but member groups decided that they would like to focus on those within their country. In larger countries, the National Service Board may contain Intergroups as well as groups.
Language Service Boards formed by two or more groups or intergroups to serve the common needs of a language group, regardless of the area of the world in which they reside. This often includes translation services. Language Service Boards differ from Intergroups and National Service Boards in that member groups still belong to an Intergroup or National Service Board and are represented by these two service bodies at World Service and the World Service Business Conference. Membership in a Language Service Board is in addition to these other two affiliations.
Specific Focus Boards refer to the Specific Focus and Specific Topic designations, which were created to increase diversity and assist individual members to find meetings most relevant to them. You can specify a Focus and/or Topic both when you add a group to oa.org or search for a meeting on oa.org (using “Additional search options”). These can also be used as a search criteria on oafootsteps.com using the “Specific Topic/Focus” button above the meeting listings.
The Specific Topic refers to how meetings are designed for a specific subject matter or format such as “Speaker” or “Big Book”.
The Specific Focus refers to members who may share the same attributes such as “100 Pounder” or “Health Issues”. Some Specific Focus areas have the energy to form Boards to service their groups! These are “Anorexia/Bullimia”, “LGBTQ+ (Rainbow)” and “Atheist/Agnostic/Secular”. Two of these Specific Focus Service Boards were launched by members of Foot Steps. Within the OA Fellowship, there are members who have discovered they are more comfortable meeting with other members who share similar attributes, but . All OA members are welcome at these meetings.
To recap, Intergroups and National Service Boards represent member groups at OA Regions and World Service. Language Service Boards and Specific Focus Service Boards offer additional support to meetings but do not represent member meetings at World Service.
It seems a bit complicated – maybe even confusing, but these service bodies grew organically, fed by the interests and energies of members, groups and Intergroups. I hope you feel encouraged to explore these facets of OA.
Representatives are the links in the chain uniting these organizational levels. Each group selects an intergroup representative to participate on the group’s behalf at the intergroup. A prime area of connection is the monthly Intergroup Business Meeting. This representation allows information to flow both ways. The group’s needs and priorities are communicated to the intergroup and the intergroups upcoming discussion items and the decisions are relayed back to the group. Foot Steps meetings share this information flow at the monthly Intergroup Business Meetings (This link does not work) (3rd Sunday of the month at 3:00pm ET).
Foot Steps is a virtual intergroup with about 200 member meetings. Some of the services it provides to its member groups are:
- Visibility to hundreds of people looking for recovery
- Access to zoom platforms at no cost to member groups
- Access to a fellowship platform suitable for parking lots and Group Conscience meetings
- Security Training
- A response team for instances when there are problems getting into your Foot Steps hosted meeting
- WhatsApp groups to support meetings, connect sponsors and sponsees
- Events and celebrations such as Unity Day, Retreats, Sponsorship Day Workshops, Birthday Parties, coin distribution and more!
If you would like to know more about Foot Steps and how its member groups engage see Thinking of Joining Foot Steps.
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