I attend very helpful meetings with a mixed group of folks dealing with pretty typical AlAnon issues - some have spouse issues, some have "growing up in al alcoholic family" issues, some are parents with kid \ adult children issues - some of the folks in our AlAnon group want to have additional meetings that focus strictly on parents with kid \ adult children issues - if we were to schedule an additional meeting one evening each week, what are the minimum prerequisites for an AlAnon meeting? 

I think that the traditions, especially Tradition 3 pretty much describe what constitutes a "meeting", but I know that there are also other considerations - for example, only conference approved literature.  Groups have their own things specific to a group, too - for example, our group recites the Steps and Traditions, with a few other introductory readings, but I don't think those additional items our group chooses to do are "must haves" that have to be done to keep a group in line with Al Anon's principles.

What would a new group have to do, at a minimum, to confirm to AlAnon principles?

Thanks!  

Aloha TexasYankee...your current meetings should have a manual on how to start and run a meeting and tho some things might be suggested it is good to follow the traditions of the area so as not to cause dissention outside of the autonomy of the programs.  I've seen good meetings become "not-so-good" meetings because of changes in the "traditions" in the group.  The fellowship does very well with helping those affected by alcoholism in a family member, friend or associates to change away from old ideas, beliefs and behaviors that don't work before coming to Al-Anon and they thrive upon the continuity and stable nature they come to expect over and over and over.  We do not like change just for change sake and we resist it because it takes us out of our comfort zones.  Having said that I think it's a good idea to advertise the format of the new meeting to the area fellowship so that they will get comfortable with what is available.  Remember to use group conscience in the decision making.  I like the idea of extended sharing times which is what my elder home group also use to do by extending the time period of the meeting to 1 and a half hour rather than just 1 hour.  That was such a good suggestion that several other meetings adopted it and the whole area grew and got better.

My area home AA meeting which was founded by 2 "double winners" and an AA only member is held outside next to the ocean in a cabana and is an open meeting which times the speaker to 5 minutes and then a signal to end by the meeting secretary.  We use the ESH method rather than the narrow focused "only alcohol, big book only" recovery method.  A visitor from out of state shared at the meeting that he had never been to such an "open" style (outside, in the weather, facing creation as HP has done it, reality sharing) meeting before and he loved it.  These are just a few of the spiritual scenes that surround us as we share our ESH with each other.  The meeting is almost 20 years old and the sole remaining founder is still a "double".  I hope your new effort is a success because people are helped and brought to solid recovery from inside good meetings.