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Agenda

1. Opening (10 minutes)

Introduction: The leaders of the meeting introduce themselves and explain their role in muting, spotlighting speakers, and dividing attendees into breakout rooms, etc.

Serenity Prayer

2. Speakers (80 minutes; each 10-minute share followed by 10-minute breakout room discussion)

  • Speaker One: Speaks on Topic A.
  • Speaker Two: Speaks on Topic B.
  • Speaker Three: Speaks on Topic C.
  • Speaker Four: Speaks on Topic D.

3. “Shout Out” Session (15 minutes)

Attendees raise their hands to share take-away ideas that surprised them, informed them, or made them think.

4. Closing (5 minutes)

Recite the OA Promise: “I put my hand in yours, and together we can do what we could never do alone! No longer is there a sense of hopelessness, no longer must we each depend upon our own unsteady willpower. We are all together now, reaching out our hands for power and strength greater than ours and, as we join hands, we find love and understanding beyond our wildest dreams.”

For additional workshop materials, see A Sponsor’s Toolbox in the Document Library.

Speaker Topics and Breakout Questions

Topic A. Why should you get a sponsor and how can you get a sponsor?

  • What is your greatest fear about getting a sponsor?
  • Can your sponsor help you create your food plan?
  • What if my sponsor asks me to do something I’m not ready to do?
  • Can I have a temporary sponsor to get me started?

Topic B. When can you start sponsoring? When can you start being sponsored?

  • What are the traits of a good sponsor?
  • Do I always need to take sponsees through the Steps?
  • Do I need a separate Twelve Step sponsor? Or a separate food and action plan sponsor?
  • How many sponsees should I have?

Topic C. What are some different sponsoring styles?

  • What approach works best for you: strict or flexible?
  • Do sponsors/sponsees need to be in contact daily?
  • What techniques does your sponsor use that you find helpful?
  • Can I have a long-distance sponsor that I “meet” in a phone and/or online meeting?

Topic D. How do you know when it’s time to end a sponsor/sponsee relationship?

  • What if my sponsor/sponsee is obviously slipping or in relapse?
  • My sponsee doesn’t comply with the disciplines we’ve agreed on. What should I do?
  • My sponsor gives me the same responses all the time (“Trust in God,” “One day at a time,” etc.) What if I want more?
  • How can we detach lovingly in order to move on?

Leader Script

Introduction

“Welcome to [name of intergroup/service body]’s Sponsorship Success Workshop. My name is __________ __________. We have planned a virtual setting where you will hear four experienced members describe their sponsoring experiences.

Following this, you will be able to share your questions, concerns, and experiences in small breakout rooms with one of the speakers as your guide. The set of questions that the speakers will address are included in this packet and will loosely guide today’s discussions. They are included to help you examine the sponsoring experience in full, but feel free to bring up your own concerns as well. In the interest of time, there will be no breaks in today’s schedule, so get up for what you need as you wish.

Let’s begin with the Serenity Prayer. Please unmute if you wish to join me as I lead you slowly. ‘God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.’”

Speakers and Small Groups

 “Speaker A is __________ __________. You will have ten minutes to share and I will give you a two-minute warning. Afterward, we will break into small groups to discuss the questions labeled A.” (Repeat process four times for approximately 10 minutes for each small group discussion)

Shout Out Session

 “It’s time to shout out any take-away ideas from today that surprised you, informed you, or made you think. Please raise your hand to be called on.”

Closing

“Thank you for joining us in this virtual workshop experience. We have included a writing activity for you to do independently in order to strengthen your sponsoring experience. [Name of intergroup/service body] hopes to support your recoveries with workshops like these in the future. Please consider sending your Seventh Tradition donation and workshop evaluation to the address provided on the evaluation page. We’ll close with the OA Promise. Please unmute if you wish to join me as I lead you slowly.”

Speaker Information

Dear [name of speaker],

Thank you for doing service by being a speaker and discussion leader at the [name of intergroup/service body] Sponsorship Success Online Workshop. You have been chosen because you have experience as both a sponsor and a sponsee and have much to share with others. We also have the goal of informing the Fellowship that there is material in our OA literature and podcasts that will enhance their sponsorship relationships.

We ask that you prepare to speak for ten minutes on your experience as both a sponsor and a sponsee. You will be Speaker [insert A, B, C or D]. The discussion questions on the next page are only a suggestion to give you a guide to your talk.

You are also encouraged to share a quotation or an idea from OA literature or a podcast that supports your share. You may even want to hold up the literature you used.

After each speaker shares, you will join a breakout room (chosen by the workshop leader) and facilitate a ten-minute discussion of the questions listed. The questions are only a guide, if needed. We have also listed resources if you’d like to do further research before the workshop.

I am so grateful for your support of [name of intergroup/service body] and its events. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at [contact email/phone number].

With my best,
[name of contact person]
[name of intergroup/service body]

Speaker Topics and Breakout Questions

Topic A. Why should you get a sponsor and how can you get a sponsor?

  • What is your greatest fear about getting a sponsor?
  • Can your sponsor help you create your food plan?
  • What if my sponsor asks me to do something I’m not ready to do?
  • Can I have a temporary sponsor to get me started?

Topic B. When can you start sponsoring? When can you start being sponsored?

  • What are the traits of a good sponsor?
  • Do I always need to take sponsees through the Steps?
  • Do I need a separate Twelve Step sponsor? Or a separate food and action plan sponsor?
  • How many sponsees should I have?

Topic C. What are some different sponsoring styles?

  • What approach works best for you: strict or flexible?
  • Do sponsors/sponsees need to be in contact daily?
  • What techniques does your sponsor use that you find helpful?
  • Can I have a long-distance sponsor that I “meet” in a phone and/or online meeting?

Topic D. How do you know when it’s time to end a sponsor/sponsee relationship?

  • What if my sponsor/sponsee is obviously slipping or in relapse?
  • My sponsee doesn’t comply with the disciplines we’ve agreed on. What should I do?
  • My sponsor gives me the same responses all the time (“Trust in God,” “One day at a time,” etc.) What if I want more?
  • How can we detach lovingly in order to move on?

Additional Resources

Writing Activity and Resources for Attendees

What would my IDEAL sponsor-sponsee relationship look like?















Additional Resources

Evaluation

Please complete and mail with Seventh Tradition to:
[name and address of intergroup or service body]

How would you rate this workshop?

Very Helpful

Somewhat Helpful

Not Helpful

Please provide comments and/or suggestions for future workshops:






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