WSI Service Group Support Committee Manual
This manual outlines the purpose, responsibilities, methods, and overall operating procedures of the WSI Service Group Support Committee. The manual is updated as needed to keep the information current and is intended to serve as a reference tool for committee and subcommittee members, as well as for anyone in FA interested in understanding the work of the WSI standing committees.
Service Group Support Committee (SGSC)
Charge
The SGSC assists with maintaining and developing local service groups, chapters, and intergroups. It also promotes communication and collaboration among all the service groups and the World Service Inc. (WSI) board. All efforts facilitate the overarching principle of supporting FA recovery practices, strengthening existing recovery and helping others learn that recovery from food addiction exists.
The SGSC consists of the following core members:
- SGSC Chair
- Eastern Area Intergroup (EAI) SGSC Chair (ex officio)
- Western Area Intergroup (WAI) SGSC Chair (ex officio)
- Maine Chapter Chair (ex officio)
- Education and Information Subcommittee Chair
- Forum Planning Subcommittee Chair
- Guidelines Subcommittee Chair
- Secretary
- Technology Support Person
Chair Responsibilities
The Chair is responsible for the following:
- serves as a member of the WSI board
- reviews the WSI SGSC Manual and the Policy and Procedure Manual annually
- evaluates the committee's effectiveness in supporting both new and existing local service groups, chapter and intergroups
- prepares semi-annual committee reports
- presents new or amended guideline documents to the WSB for review and comments
- monitors the email inbox and disseminates information as needed
- manages the SGSC Zoom account
- owns the google drive for sgsc@foodaddicts.org
- selects members of the core committee
- oversees the SGSC core committee and subcommittees
- sets the agenda and facilitates both the core committee and the virtual global meetings
- helps educate the fellowship about the benefits of local service groups and encourages fellows to combine resources to do service
- facilities monthly meetings with the intergroup chairs
- reinforces the maintenance of and acts as an information resource to chapters and intergroups
- assists and provides resources to potential chapters and intergroups
- assists with the application process to appoint interim officers for newly established chapters and intergroups
- works with the new officers to develop successful chapters and intergroups
General Membership Responsibilities
The core committee members carry out the following efforts:
- assist with the maintenance and development of all service groups
- communicate with and educate the fellowship about the merits of joining together to do service
- participate in virtual global meetings open to all FA fellows
- attend virtual core committee meetings
Education and Information Subcommittee (E and I)
The SGSC Chair appoints an E and I Chair (five years or more of continuous abstinence).
E and I Chair Responsibilities
The Education and Information Subcommittee Chair is responsible for the following:
- appoints a subcommittee in conjunction with the SGSC chair
- subcommittee members must have two years or more of continuous abstinence and agree to attend the SGSC virtual global meetings
- works with the subcommittee to identify topics relevant to the maintenance and development of all service groups to be presented at the virtual global meetings
- discusses topics and presenters submitted by the E and I Subcommittee with the core committee
- provides details to the secretary to create work orders to ensure the fellowship receive timely communications about meetings after topics are discussed and approved by the chair
E and I Membership Responsibilities
The membership responsibilities are as follows:
- meets to discuss possible topics and presenters for the virtual global meetings
- shares ideas with the core committee for review and approval by the SGSC Chair
- works with those presenting on content and visuals, upon approval
- attends the virtual global meetings
Forum Planning Subcommittee
The SGSC Chair will appoint a Forum Planning Subcommittee Chair (five years or more of continuous abstinence).
Forum Planning Chair Responsibilities
The Forum Planning Subcommittee Chair is responsible for the following:
- appoints a subcommittee in conjunction with the SGSC Chair
- subcommittee members must have five years or more of continuous abstinence
- works with the committee to plan in-person Forums to be presented at the World Service Business Convention and possibly the Fellowship Convention
- facilitates eForums
Forum Planning Membership Responsibilities
The subcommittee will plan and facilitate both in-person Forums and eForums as follows:
- chooses breakout session topics focusing on FA's primary purpose and recovery from food addiction
- appoints facilitators, speakers, room monitors, time-keepers and other resources for each session
- facilitates virtual planning sessions for participating members
- arranges announcements, meeting space, audio/visual equipment, signage, printing, registration and other logistics pertaining to a Forum in conjunction with the Convention Planning Committee Chair
- arranges announcements, virtual platforms, signage, registration, tech support and other logistics pertaining to eForum
- coordinates the specifics of the eForum with the Convention Planning Committee Chair if the eForum is happening at either the Business Convention or the Fellowship Convention
Guidelines Subcommittee
The SGSC Chair appoints the Guidelines Chair (five years or more of continuous abstinence).
Guidelines Chair Responsibilities
The Guidelines Chair is responsible for the following:
- appoints a subcommittee in conjunction with the SGSC chair
- subcommittee members must have two years or more of continuous abstinence
- maintains, revises and updates all Guideline documents
- discusses the documents with the core committee
- provides details to the secretary to arrange website updates after approval by the SGSC Chair
Guidelines Subcommittee Membership Responsibilities
The subcommittee is responsible for the following:
- reviews the documents and suggests revisions and/or edits
Secretary
The SGSC Chair appoints the Secretary (two years or more of continuous abstinence).
Secretary Responsibilities
The Secretary provides administrative assistance to the SGSC Chair as follows:
- maintains the global meeting and the core committee distribution lists
- works with the SGSC Chair to create agendas for the global and the core committee meetings
- emails agendas to the core committee
- take notes during the virtual core committee meeting
- provides the SGSC Chair with draft minutes
- emails the final minutes to the core committee members
- takes notes and attendance during the virtual global meeting
- works with the SGSC Chair to finalize the virtual global meeting minutes
- distributes the approved minutes to the global distribution list
- stores all completed agenda, minutes and presentations on the SGSC google drive
- sets the following year's meeting dates for both the global and core committee meetings
- creates and submits committee work orders for:
- mass emails
- website updates
- event calendar updates
- handles emails forwarded by the SGSC Chair
- archives the current year's google drive folders
- works with the Technology Support Person to assist with all virtual needs
For more information about the detailed workings of this position please contact the SGSC Chair for access to the policies and procedures manual.
Technology Support Person
The SGSC Chair appoints a Technology Support Person (one year or more of continuous abstinence).
Technology Support Person Responsibilities
The Technology Support Person supports the committee with all technical needs as follows:
- works with the SGSC Chair to maintain the virtual meeting invite details and any virtual administrative settings
- works with the Secretary to assist with all virtual needs
- handles slide presentations
- monitors virtual global meetings by:
- muting and unmuting participants
- lowering hands
- restricting chat
- disabling screen share
- dealing with disruptive behaviors
Revised June 2022