What is Alateen?
Alateen, a part of the Al-Anon Family Groups, is a fellowship of young people (ages 12 – 17) whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking whether they are in your life drinking or not. By attending Alateen, teenagers meet other teenagers with similar situations.
Alateen meetings are closed meetings. Only Alateen’s and the Area-Certified Alateen Group Sponsors attend.
A place just for teens affected by someone else’s alcoholism.
Share experiences, strength, and hope with each other to find effective ways to cope with problems.
Discuss difficulties and encourage one another.
Help each other understand the principles of the Al-Anon program through the use of the Twelve Steps and Alateen’s Twelve Traditions.
Alateen is a place where members come together to:
Compulsive drinking is a disease.
They can detach themselves emotionally from the drinker’s problems while continuing to love the person.
They are not the cause of anyone else’s drinking or behavior.
They cannot change or control anyone but themselves.
They have spiritual and intellectual resources with which to develop their own potentials, no matter what happens at home.
They can build satisfying and rewarding life experiences for themselves.
Alateen members learn:
Attend meetings on a regular basis.
Make telephone contact with other Alateen members.
Read Al-Anon/Alateen literature.
Have another Alateen member as a sponsor.
Apply the Twelve Steps of recovery to their lives.
Become involved in Al-Anon service work.