Description
Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) Pamphlet P-15, titled Questions & Answers on Sponsorship, is a General Service Conference-approved resource. It provides answers to 34 common questions about sponsorship—explaining how to find a sponsor, how to be an effective sponsor, and how groups can plan sponsorship activities.
Purpose and Scope
- What it is: A guide using shared A.A. experience to offer guidance and support.
- Who it is for: Individuals seeking a sponsor, those wanting to be sponsors, and groups organizing sponsorship efforts.
Core Concepts
1. For the Newcomer / Sponsee
- How to Choose: The process is informal. Newcomers simply approach an experienced member with whom they feel comfortable and compatible.
- Stick with the Winners: A.A. suggests seeking out a member who seems to be using the program successfully in everyday life and is enjoying their sobriety.
- Gender: A.A. experience suggests it is typically best for men to sponsor men and women to sponsor women, to keep the focus purely on the recovery program.
- Agreement: Sponsees do not need to agree with everything a sponsor says; it is intended to be an open, honest, and easy relationship.
2. For the Sponsor
- What They Do: Sponsors guide members through the Twelve Steps and Traditions, act as a listening ear, and share their personal experiences in recovery.
- What They Don’t Do: Sponsors are not therapists or medical professionals. They should never attempt to diagnose health conditions, give professional advice, or control their sponsee’s life.
- Service Sponsorship: The pamphlet covers a specific “service sponsor” role—an alcoholic who guides another member starting their journey in A.A. service and history.
