The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Following last nights business meeting, I thought it might useful to clarify OP staus. This is indicated by a gold symbol beside a person's name in the website chat room, or by a coloured icon in other chat programs.
It is called OP "stautus" in computer chatroom terminology. Being an OP carries responsibility and is a group service position, but doesn't confer higher "status" in al-anon terms. Al-anon is a group of equal members, some of whom hold various offices of responsibility for tasks in service of the group.
Being an OP does not mean simply applying for a job that gives someone licence to chair a meeting. Also, NOT being an OP does not preclude anyone with 6 months f2f experience from chairing when a regular scheduled chair is unable to attend for any reason (personal emergency, no internet connection etc).
The purpose of regular committed scheduled chairs having OP status, is that it affords the room that added degree of "safety" due to their ability to remove someone abusive or disruptive from the room. They can also remove idle unsigned in guests, who can represent discomfort to members. This is important for an online recovery chatroom.
Hope this helps make things clearer folks!
Tigger x
(Business meeting chairperson)
-- Edited by Tigger on Monday 2nd of December 2013 06:54:09 PM
Thanks, Tigger, for the information surrounding that mysterious OP status. I appreciate your definition of it and who can do it, too. Thanks for your effort on our behalf.
