Tips to Set Up a Local Substance Abuse Meeting

Download a one-sheet PDF of this information.

• Attend an existing meeting in your area
• After the meeting, speak with the Chairperson about how they set up that meeting
• Contact your local/company/organization, etc. to see if they would support a meeting
  • • They can help by contacting the membership/employees
    • They may allow you to use the facilities to hold your meeting. If not, try to find a space such as a shop, venue or home, etc.
• Go to your local AA/NA etc. Central Office to purchase supplies for your meetings (literature, chips, etc.)
• The Central Office will have a handout about meeting procedures…always follow these procedures
• Figure out the best time to hold the meeting based on work schedules. For some, that may be on the weekend, for others it might be on a Monday as that’s often a dark day.
• Spread the word on social media
• Print out flyers that can be posted in work venues, in break rooms, on set, or left at a union hall
• Invite speakers who have experience in the program to speak at your first few meetings to share their own experience of strength and hope
• Start a group thread (email or WhatsApp group, for example) to support the members of your group