Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS ACYPAA?
In 1973, the All California Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous Round-Up was established as an annual gathering in California to provide an opportunity for young AA’s to come together and share their experience, strength, and hope. ACYPAA is visible evidence that large numbers of people are achieving a lasting and comfortable sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous. AA’s who attend an ACYPAA Round-Up return home better prepared to receive young alcoholics who come to AA seeking recovery.
WHERE IS ACYPAA HELD?
The ACYPAA Round-Up is held anywhere in California where young people’s groups can demonstrate: 1) the need for an activity like this to stimulate greater involvement and participation by young people in their area; 2) the ability of their group to function responsibly within the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous; and 3) the ability of the group to host a Round-Up representative of the diversity of California young people in Alcoholics Anonymous.
HOW DO I BRING ACYPAA TO MY AREA?
Committees or groups that are interested in hosting the Round-Up in their area travel to ACYPAA to bid on the Round-Up. Each year a bid committee is awarded the Round-Up; it is then considered the host committee, and is responsible for the preparation, outreach, and facilitation of the Round-Up for the following year.
WHAT IS A BID COMMITTEE?
A bid committee is any group of at least three AA’s that prepare a bid package to host an ACYPAA Round-Up. Bid committees are usually young peoples committees or groups that host meetings and events in their area and prepare a bid package. Committees travel to the ACYPAA Round-Up and present their bid package and bid presentation to the Advisory Council. Please contact Advisory Council if you would like to locate a bid committee in your area or if you would like Advisory Council’s experience with starting one. The process of bidding for the ACYPAA Round-Up is fairly simple and can unify and strengthen AA’s through a fun and unique form of AA service work.
WHAT IS A BID PACKAGE?
A bid package is the formal proposal from the bid committee; which should include all information needed to fulfill the bidding requirements. It is encouraged that bid packages be easy to read and well organized. Advisory Council requires bid committees to provide complete copies of their bid packages to the Advisory Council Chairperson by 3:00 PM the Friday of the Round-Up.
WHAT IS THE ADVISORY COUNCIL?
The Advisory Council is a group of people that have served on a past host committee and have been elected to represent their area and Round-Up experience. Its member act as the custodians of the Round-Up experience and decide which bid committee will be awarded the Round-Up. Advisory Council members have a responsibility to encourage bid committees for the following year and help foster new bids.
WHAT ARE THE BID COMMITTEE TABLES?
Before the main meeting on the Friday of the Round-Up, bid committees are given a table where they may represent their committee. After the main meeting on Friday, Advisory Council members visit the tables to ask any questions they might have about the committee’s bid package and to get to know more about the bid committee.
WHAT IS THE BID SESSION?
The bid session takes place on the Saturday of the round-up at 8:00 a.m. Bid committees are called at random to present their bids to the Advisory Council. Each committee is required to be represented by a minimum of three AA members and is given a maximum of twenty minutes to present their bid. The way each committee presents their bid is left to their own group conscience. Bid presentations have ranged from a formal reading of the bid package to creative skits. Following each committee’s presentation, the Advisory Council will have an opportunity to ask questions.
WHAT IS A TOKEN BID?
During the bid session, Advisory Council will ask for token bids. Token bids are informal statements of intent from individuals or groups to bid for ACYPAA at the following Round-Up.
WHAT IS THE THIRD LEGACY PROCEDURE?
The Third Legacy Procedure is a method of electing a person or group into a position of responsibility. The procedure is successful in eliminating the popularity contest that can sometimes dictate an election process. For a more in-depth explanation of the Third Legacy Procedure please refer to the AA Service Manual.
HOW DOES THE ADVISORY COUNCIL DECIDE WHERE ACYPAA GOES?
Following the bid session, Advisory Council meets to review and discuss each committee’s bid package. After this discussion, Advisory Council uses the Third Legacy Procedure to decide which committee will be awarded the Round-Up. Because ACYPAA can only be awarded to one bid committee each year, committees often need to bid for multiple years before being awarded the Round-Up.
WHEN IS THE NEW HOST COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED?
At the end of the Saturday night main meeting of the Round-Up, Advisory Council will announce which bid committee has been awarded the Round-Up for the following year. Following the closing of the main meeting, Advisory Council will have an informal meeting with the new host committee. Discussion will generally include the guidelines for and needs from the host committee as well as what is to be done next.
WHAT IS THE ACYPAA MID-YEAR SUMMIT?
The ACYPAA Summit is a gathering of young people in Alcoholics Anonymous from California including YPAA bid committees and those interested in starting a YPAA in their area. The Summit provides an outlet to learn how to bid for ACYPAA and ask Advisory Council any questions they may have. The Summit typically falls at the halfway point between ACYPAA Round-ups and is hosted by a California YPAA, usually at the opposite end of the State from where the Conference is being held. The Summit Host Committees typically also provide panels, workshops, speaker meetings, and/or activities throughout the Summit. Hosting the Mid-Year Summit has traditionally been awarded by the Advisory Council Chair following ACYPAA’s main meeting on Saturday, after Advisory Council has announced the host committee of the next ACYPAA. If your YPAA is interested in hosting the ACYPAA Summit please talk to a Council member following the main meeting at ACYPAA.