The topic of "Reaching The Young People Where You Are" at the EURYPAA Convention in Stockholm, Sweden

Welcome to the this Reaching the Young People where you are panel session of Eurypot. My name is John and I'm an alcoholic from New York City. This is the AA preamble. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other. They may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for a membership. We are self supporting through our own contributions. A is not allowed with any sect, denomination, politics, organizational institution, does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor poses any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other Alcoholics to achieve sobriety. About Anonymity Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion. We need always maintain personal anonymity at the level

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Respectfully ask that AA speakers and AA members not be photographed, videotaped, or identified by full name on audio tapes and in published or broadcast reports of our meetings, including those reports on new media technologies such as the Internet.

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The meetings at Uri Power being recorded. So he asked you only identify with your first name and city when sharing. And this is a panel presentation. So we're beginning with speakers sharing on the topic, followed by question and answers or comments. If you're going to, if you want to share, stand near the microphone. It's going to catch you if you stand right next to it. And or you can ask questions to any of the panelists.

Participation during panel presentations is open to all,

alcoholic or not. Please welcome. Our first speaker is a Selena M from Paris, France.

Hi everybody.

My name is Selena and I'm an alcoholic from Paris.

Thank you. Thank you.

When I was asked to share this topic, the first thing I thought was

what the hell am I going to talk about?

And, and then, you know, and then I started thinking a little bit and, you know, because for me reaching out to young peoples in my people in my area, it's really outside of the meetings, like bringing the message of the meetings outside. And you know, in Paris, we don't do a lot of that. You know, when I I, I had my friend, I got sober in the United States, I got sober in in Princeton, NJ

and and we did do that. You know, I was really active in that kind of thing. You know, we,

I spoke a lot in the adolescent ward of rehabs, you know, because I got sober when I was 21. So that was quite young and

yeah. And so, so I tried to do that. I organized other speakers, you know, other young people to come and, and

and speak. I spoke at out outpatient groups for adolescents, you know, and, and,

and there were, there were a lot of opportunities, but being in Paris a

there aren't, you know, we're an English speaking group and we have much less opportunities to,

to bring the message to English speakers, you know, because it's, it's a French

country. So, you know, but what I, what I try to do now is

I was really thinking about it, what do I do to bring the message to young people? And it's much less outside of the program. But what, you know, we, we started a young peoples meeting. I was very active in starting a young people's meeting with somebody else

in that young people's meeting, you know, in Paris. It was not that much, at least as much fellowship as as we had in the States that I remember. And so, you know, we, we have people come out to do that every, every Friday after young people's meeting. And

for me, it's kind of teaching the new people that are young that there is life after sobriety, that there is fun after sobriety. You know, and I try to share that, you know, I against everyone was 21 and I'm, you know, I've got 10 1/2 years sober now. And

and, you know, try to teach the young people that are new that, you know, it is possible that I, you know, that I try to share the joy of my sobriety, you know, that

that I am so happy today. I'm so happy, you know, and at like, you know, even if I'm going to a really sad time, you know, there are this weekend, I was going through something sad. And if you would ask me at any moment during that time, are you happy, I would have said yes

because even though I'm having a sad moment right now, I'm a happy person, you know, And it's because of this program and, you know, and I enjoy life thoroughly, you know, And maybe to them coming in, my life seems pretty boring, you know, because, you know, I, you know, I have a son, I'm married. I do my job. I, you know, I go home, I, you know, make dinner for my husband and take care of my son. I go to bed, you know, But like for me, it's really exciting, you know,

to be able to have like that monogamous relationship and,

you know, to get to know one person and stay with that person for, you know, over eight years now and, and, you know, and to be a good mom. And you know, it's not, it's definitely not what I wanted when I first came in.

So I don't know, I don't know where I'm going here. I don't know if that actually helps anybody, but just just to let people know that, you know, there, there is joy after sobriety because I didn't understand that. I didn't understand that there was joy after sobriety. I thought that my life was over when I was young

and you know, and I was really happy to have been asked to share because it made me start thinking, well, you know, we're not doing anything in Paris because there aren't that many opportunities. But let's find opportunities, you know, and I know that there are. And I was talking to somebody yesterday that's in my meeting as well. And you know, there are like English speaking high schools. And so, you know, the next thing, the next thing we're going to bring up our meeting is going out and speaking and spreading the message that English speaking principles and just, you know, telling our stories and asking if

do that maybe there are some English words of, you know, or English hospitals that we could

share the message that young people are not. Maybe we can go and spread the message that way.

So I don't know if that's that's all I have on earth for being here. Thanks.

All right. Help me welcome our next speaker, Keith from Mary Hawaii.

My name is Keith. I'm grateful to be an alcoholic and

usually I'd use my full name if you want to know what

as being and my Home group is the primary purpose group in Kihei Maui, Hawaii. But you'll also find the unnecessary Friday at the Friday night on peoples meeting.

Why won't qualify a little bit as a young alcoholic in high school, I take a bottle of 151

locker, took clothes on in between classes. This is not non detective behaviors that come to understand it. So I was already I was already ready for this program, but I did not find it until I was 2028 or 29 in New York City. I was at towards towards the end of my drinking, I was a club rat. I would go to nightclubs, you know, just basically I would come home from work, take a nap and go out to art galleries and night night clubs and drink.

Can we come home? And one night I was reading up a newspaper

to find out what club I was going to go drink in that night and

to see what bands were playing in

article about alcohol

boxing on this. And I read it, and

I learned in this article that what people in alcohol synonymous kids, they didn't pick up the first drink. Just for one day.

A few months later I decided I need to stop thinking

and I heard the message today and saved my life and determined, grateful and I there were. We didn't really have a lot of young people. We didn't have really young people say where I was, but I gravitated to people

around my own age. We people had more time sort of shepherded the newcomers and brought us for meaning to them, to meaning. And there was a routine meeting that was established and most of the people were the with the the people that had disappeared from the clubs that I was in. It's like, oh, this is where you are, you know, and it was big, you know, sometimes the meetings were like being back in the club with the lights on, you know. But I remember when the most important things that happened to me, my oldest variety was I was about

30 days sober and a bunch of people said we're going dancing tonight when we come. And I was like,

you can go dancing when you're sober. It's like I, you know, I didn't know. I thought, I thought, you know, my life was over when I, when I needed, I learned I need to stop drinking and,

and went dancing. And it was really hard because I remember the whole night. I had to, I had to hold a glass of water in my hand because I, the concept of dancing without something in my hand didn't, didn't really, didn't really make any sense. I, I didn't know, but I always, I always danced with a glass or a bottle in my hand. You know, I'm an alcoholic. Surprise, surprise.

Anyway, I, I went to another 12 step program about money and,

and in that programming plan after expenses and, and my sponsor in that program asked me how much money I was going to put in my spending plan for young people's conferences. And I didn't know what they were. And this was like a guy who was like,

like my age and, and, and I kind of had young people's conference. I don't want to go to those things. They're stupid. And he just said, you're going on, we're going like this weekend. And I went and you know, of course, like the first thing I noticed was the hot girls, you know, because that's what you notice when you're a young person, your first young people for people's confidence. But then I also got into a while I was there really there and and

encounter sharing and alcohol synonymous at at a death that I've never you know, people really being there talking about the real experience strengthen hope, not posing, just being there. And it was really attractive and amazing to me and

and I became really kind of at the conference chunky and I've gone to a lot of conf

and went to my first icky Paul and

which was in San Francisco more years ago than I want to relate. And that was such a blast. We came, budget was came back and we decided we need to bid for if you thought and we bid and we eventually were awarded the bid and put on a coupon. New York like the the last time it was there.

And that experience is great because it got to work with other young people and and to do service with other young people.

So I'm going to spin way forward. They were still really weren't young people's groups where I was. And I moved away and,

and all that's under the truth. I got involved in general. What happened was I got involved in general service and there was a young people's conference that like as young people's conferences did all the time where I was, was financially responsible and got in trouble and didn't pay the hotel bill and the area got pissed off and stuff like that, you know, and I got involved on that committee

to basically try and do the financial events. We got hooked up with the general service area and kind of kind of patched their, their, our, our

passive problems, you know, and show that young people could be responsible. Then a bunch of young people moved to New York from

from Portland and they had young people's meetings there.

They want to start one and I encourage them

to try and do you know, completely immense to the hotel and they want to they want to start a Nikki puppet committee and encourage them, you know, why don't you try and clean up the mess in this previous young people's conference 1st and they did that. And what happened was because they did that, that group started with spirit of service and that group that was about, I remember when the group was like 3-4 people. It's

a very large group in New York called never had illegal drinking. It's like hundreds of people go there and I was really service oriented.

Anyway, I moved to Maui and I'm trying to wait. There wasn't a young person, young people's meeting there either. So a bunch of all farts that live on Maui that had come through and said, well, we really need the young people's meeting here. And you know, we started grabbing newcomers that were young and going, you're coming to this meeting on Friday night and, and now there's a young people's meeting that that is, is, is huge. Every Friday night we're looking for new. We're going to need to look for a new space now because you can't even sit down there,

not in chairs. And you know, these kids, they,

and I see people in the room have been to Friday night, nine people in Kihei, you know, go out and, and hang out and go to the meeting after meeting, socialize and all that stuff. And now I'm the, I'm the public Infor. I'm serving my, my district as public information chairperson. And, and now these kids want to get involved in carrying the message and going into schools and, and speaking at meetings. And they came to me. You know, I didn't come to them. They came to me and asked about that.

One last thing I want to say is, you know, this is reaching the young person where you are. I was in Gothenburg this last weekend and this young person stumbled into their first a meeting and we kidnapped her and put her in the car and she's here with like 8 days. And that's reaching out and that's reaching the young person where you are, you know, and she's here, she's having a blast and she, you know, like I told her when I when I stopped drinking, I thought the party was over, but actually it was just beginning. And that's what

most about that. But when people say is the parties just beginning, I thought it was over and the party is just beginning. And that's what I that's the message that I have to share with young people. That's attractive. Life gets beautiful and fun. And when you just what you thought it was up with Oliver. Thanks.

All right. The the meeting's now open for question and answers or comments. We ask you limit your share to 3 minutes.

Questions are welcome from the floor, but please come to the front if you're going to share

meetings open.

I am office. Are there any experience so like I, I see the biggest difference in Germany, but if there are not so many young people we, we could ever think of

making such a conference happen. Are there any experience like connecting people over the Internet and checking a location anywhere in the middle and doing it actually? Because that would be really

the only way I could imagine having something like

like this is Joe.

Thank you. Just want to repeat the question. I think he said that he's from Germany and that there you can never imagine putting on a conference like this because there's not enough young people who support there. Is there any way that you could like connect via the Internet or something and and create a type of conference or something with other people from different areas? Is that more or less what you would?

You know, my experience is that is that that's kind of from my experience, that's kind of putting the cart before the horse. I think it's important to have young people's groups, groups that have a lot of sober young Alcoholics first before to thinking about putting in a conference. And, you know, the big look tells us that there are alcoholic suffering around us everywhere, you know, and there are, there are alcohol young Alcoholics, you know, everywhere.

And, you know, occasionally one of them does stumble into a regular, you know,

grown up meaning, you know, and that's, that's, I think you know, where, where that where to how to do that. You know, my experiences, I work with them and I share with them what I have, you know, my own experience, strengthen hope and help them to get sober And, and, and then they'll, they'll attract another young alcoholic who needs help And, and the fellowship seems to grow that way. And I think the meaning is getting a bunch of young people in a meeting together is much more important than having a conference is

more celebration of sobriety. But that, you know, nut involves 12 step work happens and being about

I just want to comment on that. Also, before we didn't, we had a young people's meeting. We never really talked to each other and we did, but we didn't have really any fellowship and we knew of each other. But as soon as there was that young people's meeting put in place, they all just walked to it, you know, and and we had that connection of of, you know, there's probably 30 people that come out. We started off with 4:30 that come every single Friday

and people from all since we get so many visitors in Paris, people from all around the world come there every single Friday and you know, and it was just about starting the meeting and which we just got us all together.

Do you have your hand raised in the back earlier?

Come on, come on up. And

there's a Internet side we working for in Germany, Yeah, for the young peoples group where I think the answer that I think this question is where you can find Alcoholics being in meetings or

Yeah,

yeah. And generally working for young people age,

maybe you can find there something he, he's searching for.

One other thing that didn't even occur to me is, you know, we parts that we cooperate with a treatment centers where I live, you know, in young, young Alcoholics come through the treatment centers and are referred to Alcoholics Anonymous and we try and steer them to other, to other young Alcoholics. So it's, it's really the question I think is finding the young Alcoholics, you know, and and they'll they'll, you know, take care of themselves once you put them together.

I know there's people in this room that are experienced. Yeah. Someone wants to share on the topic and

hi good my name is Robert, I'm an alcoholic from Dublin, Ireland.

I've been convinced to go to this conference by someone who had more experience with the young People's Fellowship and events than I do. I came into A at the late age of 36. But I'm, I'm realizing

yes, my name is Robert from Dublin, Ireland. And I, I've realized since since I, it looks like I'm going since the convention of jury Paw is going to be held in my hope city

of Dublin next year in 2011. I've sort of been volunteer to work on the committee.

I realized based on between my experience with the service structure and Ireland, which in this impact very conservative and in fact has expressed a strong disinterest in things like what they consider to be specialist meetings. In other words, they they won't listen like gay and lesbian beings or even single sex meetings in the directories. And you know, there's been a big debate regarding the third tradition. And in fact, there was a couple of years ago and

there was a there was a thing that conference and sort of

create a decision that in fact, it was inappropriate for minors whenever is for a gas and there was an initiative about it to get this returned, which was recently in March of this year. Thank God. But still, you know, that's just

an indication of how conservative that that element is.

What, what I've realized, an important thing for us to do for our conference next year is to get the endorsement of our GSO at a very early stages. In other words, make sure that we can put a logo on, on all of our literature and make sure that the event is listed on their website. And make sure that we have our, our area and, and what we call interview delegates, which is like constitutional areas, Providence wide. And make sure that there is that this event is being promoted properly and as a legitimate event by the groups in our country.

So my question would be what, what are things that we can do to promote young people in AA as, as the according to the ethos of this convention that will cause it to be accepted by that conservative, sometimes authoritarian element

I have experience with? This is a great question. We're talking about this last night. There's often a conflict between young people's AA and, and

service structure in many areas. And what I found is the best thing is for the young people to actually get involved in service structure

to become GSRS and go to the, to the service meetings and do their jobs and to show up much young people show up and make the coffee and, and push the brooms and stack the chairs. And where I'm from, any alcoholic can come to a service meeting. You don't need to ask permission or anything. So just a bunch of young people can come and say young people's group and just, you know, just do the ashtrays, rooms and coffee, you know, and

that shows that

that you're part of the a that shows that you remember about those Anonymous is doing willing to do service. And I think that that that overcomes a whole lot of resistance when people see that the primary purpose is to carry the message to the alcoholic be still suffers just like any other, any other part of Alcoholics Anonymous. And I don't think it's helpful from my experience, to invite them to come to you. You know, I think it's more helpful to go to them and say, how can we be of service to to your to to the to the service structure here? I think that's much

weren't affected from my experience. OK. So we're trying to make an appeal to GSO to get their endorsement. We should think of it in terms of service

rather than the event itself. Yeah. I mean, the issue here is you're trying to reach the alcoholic is still the younger alcohol who still suffers. You carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous, then the primary purpose is to carry the message to the alcohol fiscal sufferers. And if I think if I couch things in those terms, like, well, I usually get a receptive audience even from the most conservative people if I make sure that's the emphasis. Very good. Thank you.

Yeah,

information. There's an

video made by Alpha looks anonymous, the UK actually that has like 15 minutes and it's displays the stories of several young A members, how they hit the bottom, how they found broken and so forth. And it's actually on display on our websites in Finland. And that is at least one resource of information which can be explained on the Internet to be posted and the young person

go and see it. Yeah, that's what how my life was. It's like sharing movies,

music. Is this on display in our site? So if you want more Commission,

thank you.

Morning, everybody. I'm an alcoholic named Tom from Dallas, TX

and I wanted to share on the general topic of finding young people where you are. My experience has been, I've got a lot of experience. I've done things involving young peoples for most of my sobriety, 22 years and change. And I found in that time that there's a lot of young people, especially young people who may have gotten and stayed sober in grown up a, a or whatever we want to call it that, that don't see the need for young people's

aid. And my experience and my experience has been that trying to convince them as a waste of time

that if this isn't for them, we let them know it's there. And if they say, well, that's stupid, I don't want to do that, OK, cool. And I move on because I found that in trying to engage in that debate, right? And this is my experience having engaged in that debate with these folks, I do nothing but polarize. I do nothing. But further, in their minds, there are lots of people think that we're trying to create some sort of separate a a.

And the harder I try to beat people over the head with this, I found, the more I seem to create the division I'm trying to close.

And so my experience has been that I find the folks that are into this thing. I find the folks that go, wow, where can I find other young people? Wow, really that kind of thing exists. That's awesome. Where can I go? I look for those people. If I don't find those people in talking to them, I move on and talk to somebody else. If I'm trying to find young people where I am, I think there's at least English speaking a A for

for Europe. I know there's a, there's an e-mail address

and that liaison, if you'll get my e-mail address afterwards, I can send that to you. I know Yuri Paws trying to do a web responder, an Internet responders type thing. So you may be able to reach folks that way. And lastly, my experience about some of those things about young people is not a A and that kind of thing. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There's no requirement to be young to come to a young people's conference. So we certainly don't violate the spirit of that tradition

because we're not adding an additional membership requirement. We're simply saying that if you want to find other young AAS, you'll probably find them here. It's not an affiliation either, because I'm not affiliated. Well, I'm not even a young person anymore, really, right? I was, I was a young person once, but when I was young in age, I wasn't affiliated with young people. I was a young person, right? I'm a man. I'm not affiliated with men. I'm a man.

A men's group is not an affiliation. A men's group is some demographic category, but it's not

and affiliation. And I think it's interesting that people say, well, men's groups and women's groups and young people and gay and lesbian, that's an affiliation. Well, no, an affiliation is. I'm also an alcoholic and a member of the, you know, American Bar Association. That's an affiliation. That's something I can join. I can't join being a young person. I can't join being a man. So there's no affiliation there, although we hear that a lot. I think in the young people's thing that is some sort of affiliation or Uri Paw is an outside entity, Alcoholics

is in the name and it's the All Europe Conference, Young people and Alcoholics Anonymous. That's probably more than my 3 minutes. Thanks.

What question?

And

it's sort of a random,

but I, I never.

Yeah, come on.

I suppose my thing is, I, I'd never heard of Young Peoples AA until this weekend, John, until I was hearing something and we don't have this an island itself. And just the question really is a bit like what Robert was saying there, like why he used the word endorse, you know, And I suppose my question really is this happens in Ireland. You know, I, I have visions of going back to my Home group, OK. And my, my sponsors

big into traditions. Do you know what I mean? Concepts, our Home group is very well structured. You know what I mean? I I, I'm only 2 1/2 years around, so I learned a lot from that.

But I just have this vision of sounds and yeah, guess what happened? Like I got the next convention. It's going to be fucking amazing. Do you know what I mean? And straight away, like things are going to go off in his head, like how this is against something or against whatever. And I could just see like this and me projecting them, but I can just see sort of,

I don't know, having to sort of convince people. And it was with my brother said use the word indoors and stuff to know. But I suppose the question really is, what what method do you take when you're approaching this confidence? Like you're not looking for an endorsement. Do you know that sort of you're not looking for permission? You're not. So should we approach it in the fashion that we're just trying to carry a message full stop? We don't whether we're supported by

the structure or not supported or do you know what way would you tackle it on that point of view?

I think you raised a really good point because general service offices don't endorse anything. If you ask the general service office, I'm familiar with the general service office in the United States, If you ask them their opinion on it, they won't, They will give you an opinion. They'll share their experience, strength and help and experience of of other

people. So you're really not looking for endorsement.

I think what was occurred to me as you were sharing, I don't know, an answer to your question is, you know, we print our literature in different languages because there are different cultures and people can receive error message in different ways.

We have Braille literature for blind people because that's the only way they can receive your message. And that we have pamphlets in some countries for special interests. And it's not because their message is different.

The message is the same message. If I don't drink today, I can't get drunk today. And it's helpful if I work the steps in carrying the message to another alcoholic. It's not that we carry different message, but we package it in the culture or the language of a person could receive it. And, and I think that young people's AA can be viewed in that in that way as well. It's not a different a, a, it's not a different part of a, a, it's just different cultural packaging of the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to reach the younger alcoholic. And in that way, it's no different than

sign language interpreted meaning or, you know, a

Spanish meaning or it's no different. It's just another kind of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's just another kind of format of Alcoholics Anonymous that makes it easier to propagate the message is life saving and final message of Alcohols Anonymous to an alcoholic who would otherwise die. And I think we should always support any kind of all of us in Alcoholics Anonymous should always lend their full support to anything that's going to help another alcoholic and doesn't and doesn't harm a A and.

And so I think if that's one way of carrying that objection,

yeah,

anywhere. Yeah. My name is Gary. I'm from London. Hi, Gary.

This thing about young people,

I don't know about any young people's AA Back in London, it's like 800 meetings a week. In London, there's only one young persons meeting, 100 on a Friday night. And well, actually I found out about this convention back in Malta and a lot of people said to me, why are you playing you? You're too old.

That was there. That was their opinion. You're too old you know and I I was of the same opinion as both of you shared

when I came to AI thought this is the end of the life it's finished. I really admire you saying You Can Dance with a tin of Coca-Cola, because I still can't do that now I can't do it. You know, I still come in my fears. I mean, I've, I've,

I've been without conventions back in London and a few foreign conventions. And when I see people dancing with no alcohol around, it still scares. I, I don't scared stick. You know, they're still self-conscious. I'm still trying to overcome that thing. So this has been a great convention. I'm glad that Dublin worked for next year and see how they and hopefully if we scream that enough next year, maybe 2012 London,

you know, but this this is not enough being done for the young backing in the back in London,

because I think they're all of the same opinion that when he comes away, we're going to meet another part based drunks. We're going to be able to tramse, you know, that's the end of the line. And still today the doctors and the medical profession don't know enough about I am. They think sending you off to a psychiatrist is going to get you work. They send people off to detoxes for 12 days and then send them back into the welding with no mention about that. I think there's only one way for a a people of our type, the Alcoholics to get wealth. And that's comes where I am a 12 step program.

You know what Ilyon is member I've ever seen is 26 back in London, you know, and then sadly he went out there with him. You know, I did see her 21 coming a couple of months ago, but she's not around one more and had to be a little despair. You know, I think they're coming because they're sleeping. We're all alone.

I love both men and women.

I can't even when I was 40. I'm nearly 46 and I feel like a boy at 21.

I didn't realize that childish was, you know,

real, real kids. Real still kids. I mean, enough. I don't want to know about our colleagues who can only get so wound up and get so angry over the most smallest and trivial things. But one standard coffee maker having a cup of coffee now too. I'm going into the meeting. I want my cup of coffee. I'll just give my feet like that. I can still do it today. Thank God. I realized, you know, but I'm, I'm glad that I'm glad I'm not one of these people. It's never going to grow up

came in was I thought the year old man with emotions of a 14 year old. I'm I'm just coming up for my 18th,

so you're invited to my part

Thank you.

Hi everyone, my name is me. I'm the life of Stockholm.

I was just moved to share just a little bit about how the young people meetings here in Stockholm has expanded and grown so beautifully. I came, I came to the young people's group. That was my first meeting about 12 years ago and, and I also know the history of that group, the first group that started.

But I'd say today we have two meetings, 22 young people's meetings and

I'd say so much a matter of attraction rather than promotion. It's like because we create or actually I'm not so active in in young people's groups right now, so that I so I'll just get from anyway how I know that they work and I do attend them occasionally. Certainly I love these meetings, but I go mostly to other meetings. I

but we create a really strong fellowship around the meetings. It's like in our and our second meeting that and starting that I think a year and a half ago is Young People's Rock'n'roll meeting and it's on Friday nights and it's really a party. It's like first we have a whatever meeting the shares are focused on,

you know,

having fun in sobriety. You know, two young speakers will come up and share that how I'm enjoying my soprano. I'm having a good time. And then after the meeting, there is fellowships of either karaoke or disco or something, you know, playing music and hanging out together for a couple of hours in the same room. And I just think that these things, and from the the older

young people's meeting on Saturday nights, we all go out and meet afterwards,

folks always. And it's like that's what kind of encourages the newcomer to hang out and sort of relax and just be amongst us and figure out that it's not such a bad thing after all. So. Yeah,

yeah.

Hi, My name is Sebastian and I'm an alcoholic from Denmark College.

I should move away.

OK.

I'm really happy to be at this convention.

I live in in a in a little in a small town in Denmark and and when I came in that was not really that's the young people

in the in the city in a a right now. All I want to say is right now me and and

found like two other guys who live from other small cities. We came to this town and we tried to start a young people meet.

And I'm really looking forward to it really gives me hope to be at this convention with young people. And I also been in Copenhagen sometimes where they have some in Denmark where they have some young people really to try to get some, some contacts and try to see how they do. And, and we really want to, I really hope for, for that we can, we can make like

to say like, like, like you just said, like, like some, some place where just where you feel like, like you can do that thing, you know, hang out. What you call it that you can, that you can do as a young person. Because I mean, the old, the old guys, they, they have something together, but it's more like a like a coffee,

coffee cake thing.

And, and it's really great for them. But I just feel like we need something

that also can attract other young people. I will. I really hope that that I can be, yeah, not like an evil thing, but that. But that that I can help to bring some other young people in the city.

So they come and see something simple, young people and some fellowship that. So that's just what I want to hear. Yeah. Thank you.

Save us please.

I guess I want to add something.

You know, the way that I got my MET, the way that I got the message was I read about Alcoholics Anonymous in a newspaper that was about nightlife,

you know, and that's the kind of place that a young, that's a kind of thing that a young person will pick up. And I think it's kind of important that public information committees think about where to do their public information. I'm really grateful that they chose to put this article about Alcoholics Anonymous in a message that that young people who are going out clubbing and put a message in the newspaper that young people who are going out clubbing are going to read.

And I think that kind of thing is really important in reaching me on alcoholic and

Pi committees are thinking about that.

I have a question

you guys talked about

like working with

professor communities and letting them know about. We haven't really touched on. Weren't you sharing screens? Yeah, well, I don't. I'm more on the more along the lines of more informal experience. I could say that, you know, one thing that I've noticed it's been helpful if you're in your local area and you're trying to build some young people's momentum around if you start a meeting. I was kind of compelled by the guy. Where'd he go there? He's it's out in Timbuktu a little bit. You know, you're trying to bring some people together. I personally, those types of meetings, if they're

right and you inform your local community on a wider basis, you might have a really strong response. If, if you're like only people in a, a know about it. But you know, you go to some hospitals and institutions where they might have, you know, people that are under treatment and say, Hey, look, we have a meeting and have younger people coming through or anybody, any alcoholic for that matter, that wants to come and attend. You know, we want to make sure you're aware of it. And, you know, I, I found that that's been really, really helpful to because what we get stuck in, especially

US, if we get stuck in a sort of young people's only channel And, and then we end up saying, well, nobody's but, and we only have reached out to where we might see this type of group or opportunity or something along those lines. And we missed kind of a wider spectrum of Alcoholics Anonymous, you know, and, and it's, it's, it's been shared here, like the guy from London, you know, I mean, it's like, you know, the, the whole premises young, they say young is anywhere, anybody who has room to grow, etcetera.