Our service committee is driven by A.A.’s primary purpose: to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. Our committee is comprised mostly of young members in Alcoholics Anonymous, who have stayed sober through A.A. service and A.A.’s General Service Structure, as well as by practicing the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The overarching goal is to bring a rotating statewide young people's convention to New Jersey.
In the process, we hope to promote and create unity, not only within our committee, but also with young people in A.A as a whole. We strive to create an accessible young people’s fellowship that allows any and all members to experience what it is like to live happy, joyous, and free.
With the committee, and hopefully subsequently the future bid and hosting committees, we hope to stir up a fire for recovery in the bellies of all the new young A.A. members in our area. As always, we plan to achieve these goals as a collective unit, while maintaining sobriety and abiding by the principles and traditions of A.A.
About Us
A Brief History of YPAA
Alcoholism recognizes no barriers, age included. The first Young People Groups (YPG’s) in Alcoholics Anonymous appeared in 1945 in Los Angeles, California and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1957, at Niagara Falls, a meeting of young A.A.s from across the U.S. and Canada started what is now the International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA).
Bill W., at the 1960 A.A. Convention, noted that the age of new members was much lower than when he and Dr. Bob founded A.A., 25 years earlier. In the letter written to the 12th ICYPAA in 1969, Bill W. is quoted
“I have found nothing for greater inspiration than the knowledge that A.A. of tomorrow will be safe, and certainly magnificent, in the keeping of you who are the younger generation of A.A. today.”
An ICYPAA pamphlet, in 1975, put the ages of people in YPGs in their twenties and thirties, with occasional teenagers. The trend has continued. In 1983, an A.A. survey reported 20% of respondents were under 31 years of age, and 3% were under 21. The number of ‘young people suffering from Alcoholism who turn to A.A. for help is continuing to grow.
How can I get involved?
Anyone is welcome at our business meetings.
Host Committee Meeting:
Every month's 3rd Sunday at 10:30am
*Due to scheduling conflicts in February, NJYPAA will meet on the 9th.
Bradley Beach Recreation Center
39, 1/2 Main St, Bradley Beach, NJ 07720
You can also show your support by attending a young people's meeting or coming to one of our events, too! Check out our events page for upcoming shindigs.
Am I too old?
No one is too young or too old for sobriety. While many of us are under the age of 35 (or got sober before the age of 35), we welcome support from anyone and everyone!
As the third tradition states, "the only requirement for membership is the desire to stay sober".