ACA DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN

Most organizations, be they public, private, government, or non-profit have a Strategic Plan. A Strategic Plan starts with a mission statement which is followed up with specific steps or actions that can be taken by the organization to realize its mission ie. "strategies".





I have volunteered to draft a Strategic Plan for Toronto Intergroup and the Individual Fellowships. I have set up this blog to facilitate the preparation of such a plan and to allow ACA members to give input and make comments as it develops.





I see this as an "ongoing process" which may take 6 months to a year. There is no real rush. The important thing is to get every one's input on the issues involved. Ultimately we may achieve a consensus on the details of such a plan.

It seems to me that this is a very good time to be undertaking the preparation of such a plan. The reasons for this are as follows:

• ACA World Services has just completed the publication for the first time in its 30+ year history a BIG RED BOOK and a STEP STUDY WORKBOOK



• The WORLD SERVICE ORGANIZATION (WSO) has just held their Annual Conference for 2009 and the agenda addresses many of the issues that would be addressed in a Strategic Plan



• The rebuilding of ACA in Toronto, after years of effort, is now starting to have traction

I am hopeful that everyone will participate and enjoy this process and I am looking foreward to hearing from many of you. All are welcome to participate!!!

WHAT IS OUR (ACA'S) MISSION

Another word for MISSION might be purpose, ie what is ACA's purpose.





This is fairly easy for ACA as the 5th tradition states unequivocally





"EACH GROUP HAS BUT ONE PRIMARY PURPOSE - TO CARRY ITS MESSAGE TO THE ADULT CHILD WHO STILL SUFFERS"





This statement sounds as if the forcus is entirely on those who have not become aware of their issues and the help ACA can offer ( ie newcomers). This wording of the 5th tradition comes directly from the AA Big Book. In the context of AA the principaI is once an alcoholic always and alcoholic. Applying this concept to ACA once a co-dependent, always a co-dependent. Unlike c0-dependants recover or like Alcoholics are we always "in recovery"? In fact our "Red Book"in its discussion of the 5th step recignizes that this should include current members as well as newcomers and "newcomers" to be in the following quote:





"BUT ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT PURPOSE IS TO ASSIST ALL MEMBERS IN MAINTAINING THEIR RECOVERY'





This leads us to a discussion of those strategies which can be implemented or undertaken that will best enable us to achieve the above. It may be helpful to break the strategies into three groupings

• current fellows (members)


• newcomers


• other sufferers