Facts, Aims, & Purposes of Young People’s Groups.
Questions & Answers about PENNSCYPAA
What happens at the Conference?
Are the meetings the main purpose of the conference?
Are there any age restrictions?
How do I bring PENNSCYPAA to my city?
This annual conference provides an opportunity for AA’s from all over the state and all over the world to come together and share their experience, strength, and hope as members of AA. PENNSCYPAA provides OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE that large numbers of people are achieving a lasting and comfortable sobriety in ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS. Like any other conference, it is an OPPORTUNITY to learn about the program and SOBRIETY.
It is a function of AA members in accordance with GSO guidelines for Conferences and Conventions that allows for heavy participation in service aspects of the conference by newer and/or younger Pennsylvania members, providing exposure to the 12 Traditions, 12 Concepts for World Service, service committees, and a convention of AA members – all vital components of the attraction that keeps people coming back.
PENNSCYPAA was first held in York in 1989. It continues to move back and forth across PA. At each conference, bids are accepted from cities wishing to host the next PENNSCYPAA conference.
PENNSCYPAA (affectionately known as “penn-see-pa”) brings the newcomer into the mainstream of AA Recovery, Service, and Unity through the 12 Steps, the 12 Traditions and the 12 Concepts for World Service – carrying AA’s message to the suffering alcoholic. Members of PENNSCYPAA and other young people groups and conferences are in no way separate from Alcoholics Anonymous as a whole. Members are involved in and committed to all levels of AA service, from the group level to the General Service Conference, and at every level in between. Newcomers are shown, by people their own age, that using AA principles in their daily lives and getting involved in AA service can lead to a lasting and comfortable sobriety.
More and more newcomers of all ages understand that 20-plus years of drinking coupled with loss of family, friends, and finances are not necessary for one to be ready for sobriety. PENNSCYPAA provides an opportunity for AA’s from all over to come together and share their experience, strength, and hope. AA’s who attend PENNSCYPAA return home better prepared to receive young people who come to AA looking for a better way of life.
Pennsylvania offers the experience of a diverse recovering community. One which is firmly based on the Twelve Traditions that have been passed on for over fifty years.
Alcoholism recognizes no barriers – age included. The first Young People’s Groups (YPG’s) in Alcoholics Anonymous appeared in 1945 in Los Angeles, California and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1957, a meeting of young AA’s from across the U.S. and Canada started what is now the International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA) – affectionately known as “icky-pa”.
At the 1960 AA Convention, Bill W. noted that the age of new members was much lower than when he and Dr. Bob founded AA 25 years earlier. A1975 ICYPAA pamphlet described the people in YPG’s as in their twenties and thirties, with some teenagers. The trend has continued. A 1989 AA survey reported that 30% of the respondents were less than 40 years of age and that 3% were less than 21 years of age.
The number of young people suffering from alcoholism who turn to AA for help is growing and the purpose of YPG’s, just as it has been for many years, is to carry AA’s message of recovery to alcoholics, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR AGE.
Through the ICYPAA experience, the Pennsylvania Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (PENNSCYPAA) was created. PENNSCYPAA provides the young newcomer with a meeting where they can see and share the experience of sobriety with other young people.
There are meetings, often around the clock, a banquet on Saturday night, and a dance, and other educational and social activities. The conference is a chance to meet sober people throughout the area and to make friends and engage in fellowship. The conference is made up of one hundred percent enthusiasm surrounded by unconditional love.
There are Step, Tradition, Topic, and Speaker meetings, as well as open discussion meetings. There are workshops in which more experienced members give their views on specific issues of sobriety. After the Saturday night banquet, a speaker tells his or her story. All meeting are open to any registrant who wants to attend.
Not exactly. Although the meetings are important, the fellowship is important too. Yet another reason for the conference is to promote unity in the host city. The conference itself lasts only three days, but planning takes a whole year and involves dozens of people. By hosting a conference in your city, you can create a sense of unity among individuals and among groups. This unity is the real purpose and unity is one of AA’s three legacies. This unity will also live on long after the conclusion of the conference.
The presiding spirit of the conference is found in these words from chapters nine and two of the Big Book “…we aren’t a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy of fun in our existence, they wouldn’t want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life.” “There exists among us a fellowship, a friendliness, and an understanding which is indescribably wonderful.” And that feeling doesn’t go away “as we go our separate ways.” It’s called a young people’s conference.
No. Everyone is welcome. This is an AA conference for sobriety, and an event that is for all AA members, regardless of age. We define “Young People” as anyone who still has room to grow. Although PENNSCYPAA is often said to be for “the young and the young at heart,” the suggested age for serving PENNSCYPAA is “under forty.” In the past, we’ve had attendees in their teens and in their seventies. These conferences would not be possible were it not for the experience, strength, and hope of the long time AA members.
1989 PENNSCYPAA I York
1990 PENNSCYPAA II Pittsburgh
1991 PENNSCYPAA III Philadelphia
1992 PENNSCYPAA IV Reading
1993 PENNSCYPAA V Harrisburg
1994 PENNSCYPAA VI York
1995 PENNSCYPAA VII Erie
1996 PENNSCYPAA VIII Johnstown
1997 PENNSCYPAA IX Philadelphia
1998 PENNSCYPAA X Lancaster
1999 PENNSCYPAA XI Allentown
2000 PENNSCYPAA XII York
2001 PENNSCYPAA XIII Harrisburg
2002 PENNSCYPAA XIV Pittsburgh
2003 PENNSCYPAA XV Pocono Manor
2004 PENNSCYPAA XVI Williamsport
2005 PENNSCYPAA XVII Philadelphia
2006 PENNSCYPAA XVIII Erie
2007 PENNSCYPAA XIX York
It is very important that people spread the word about PENNSCYPAA. We are looking for your support to ensure the future of PENNSCYPAA as a statewide conference. It would be ideal to have cities and towns from all over Pennsylvania not only attending, but also bidding to host future conferences. We ask everyone to carry the message back to your home group, district, intergroup, sponsees, sponsors, and peers.
How do I bring PENNSCYPAA to my city?
You must meet the bid requirements. The PENNSCYPAA Advisory Council hosts a workshop providing information about how to make a bid. Bids are accepted each year for the following year and a determination is reached. Every year, the PENNSCYPAA Advisory Council – the custodian of the PENNSCYPAA experience, made up of members from previous host committees – decides “whose house is going to have the party” next time. There are several different types of bids: 1) a “Formal Bid” meets all the bidding suggestions; 2) a “Walk-in Bid” is a spontaneous bid with little or no previous preparation; or 3) a “Token Bid” is a practice presentation for feedback and guidance to better enable the bidder with insights for preparing future bids.
Organize a Bid Committee consisting of Chair, Co-chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Site Coordinator having at least three members who are under age 40 and have one or more years of sobriety.
1. Bidders will be required to demonstrate financial autonomy and responsibility.
2. Bidders will have proposed date(s) for PENNSCYPAA.
3. Bidders will have at least one confirmed commitment of proposed date(s) from hotel.
4. Bidders’ hotel should accommodate about 350 people for a banquet, 750 people for a theater-style meeting, 3 other meeting rooms for 100-200 people, and 150 guestrooms.
5. Bidders should assure that no state or larger AA Conference or Convention would be held in the same city within 30 days before or after the proposed conference date.
6. Bidders are asked to prepare a “Need Statement” of what they think are the benefits of hosting PENNSCYPAA in their area.
7. Statements of support from the AA area chairperson(s), and the intergroup secretary and/or regional counterpart are encouraged.
8. Bidders should advise if they are willing to donate $1 per registrant to PENNSCYPAA Advisory Council for operating expenses (if awarded the conference & are financially secure).
©2007 PENNSCYPAA
All Rights Reserved